Water Dyke - Sorg Architects

The destruction of waterfront communities in New York and New Jersey, resulting from Hurricane Sandy in 2012, served as the inspiration for the design of an innovative solution that would defend the shoreline from future devastation caused by storm surges. Sorg Architects' concept focuses not only on rebuilding the shoreline, but also on reinventing the boardwalk as a community gathering place and a functional infrastructure to protect the coastline.
Unlike traditional dykes or flood walls that create hard barriers, the Water Dyke is a “soft” infrastructure solution to protect against increasingly powerful coastal floods. Traditional protective methods block views and access for people and cause disruption to delicate ecosystems with large, in-ground foundations and impassable walls. The Water Dyke, however, performs the same function without restricting visitors from the very thing that attracts them to the waterfront. Moreover, the Water Dyke supports the natural environment by allowing unobstructed passage for wildlife through a minimally invasive structural system.
The solution is designed to harness the water to retain a storm surge, thereby protecting the shoreline from damaging floods. When water rises to dangerous levels, fabric bubbles equipped with one-way valves, located underneath the boardwalk, capture the surging water. As the bubbles inflate, the hinged boardwalk is lifted, creating a wall supported by the inflated bubbles to harness the power of the storm surge itself. The Water Dyke, an environmentally-friendly infrastructure solution that protects vulnerable coastal areas from damaging storm surges and flooding, employs a minimally-invasive approach that enhances quality of life and enjoyment for our waterfront communities.

[@anniemasincupp7103]

Congratulations on winning the MoMA PS1 challenge! This solution is truly innovative and well rounded-- taking into consideration multiple facets of sustainable design. I would love to see this concept come to fruition, and am looking forward to updates on potential prototypes.

[@SorgArchitects]

Annie Masincupp thanks!

[@TheAbdo0023]

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