SMALL MEANS AND GREAT ENDS

very large houses are built of little bricks [...] joined together one by one
Julia A. Fletcher Layout: The urban layout takes into account the prevailing East North-East wind direction and South-West wave direction by the positioning different sized buildings. Sports and Healthcare: At the end of the boulevard a series sport facilities provide activity, such as volley- and basketball and rock climbing, comboined with basic healthcare functions.

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Parking: Parking: In the central area of Arverne East parking garages are provided for the residents, one per household. In the other part of the site street parking and private parking is proposed at a higher rate per household. At the Beach 44th Street station public parking is located.

Program: The program is inspired by the Scandinavian Model of economic efciency and the welfare state benets to establish an appropriate and responsive programming with a healthy mix of market rate, affordable homeownership and mixed income rental. Public Function Commercial Function Hotel Lowered Parking Garage Commercial Commercial + 4 s res. Commercial + 3 s res. 3 s res. 1-2 s res. type A 1-2 s res. type B 1-2 s res. type C Total: 848 units 396 units 128 units 26,900 sq ft 228,200 sq ft 163,400 sq ft

Program and Landscape: With 31 acres of nature reserve, 9 acres of sandbar and dune landscape and 16 acres of urban park, the plan manages to locate a maximum of 1,650 units of housing. By lowering the highest buildings with one oor the program will have a more moderate 1307 units. Hotel: A 50 room hotel, reminiscent to the heydays of the Rockaways, is situated adjacent to the boulevard within the dune landscape. The building volume is shattered organically to blend with the landscape.

Arverne Pier: The new pier is an extension of the central boulevard and connects to the boardwalk and is the heart of the new Arverne East. Arverne Pier Theater: In the pocket of the new Arverne Pier and the boardwalk a new open air theater is located in the landscape, capable of seating 800 people. Sandbars: A series of sandbars, reminiscent to Hog Island, generate possibilities for new leisure activities that make Arverne East the attraction it once was. Lowered Roads / Canals: A large canal inspired by the Amstel in Amsterdam was part of Remington Vernams original plan. The design proposes two lowered roads or canals perpendicular to that of the original plan to connect the Atlantic Ocean to Jamaica Bay.

279 units

1,650 units

418,500 sq feet

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BY SMALL MEANS BEYOND RESILIENCY

Some things benet from shocks; they thrive and grow when exposed to volatility, randomness, disorder, and stressors and love adventure, risk, and uncertainty. Let us call it antifragile. The resilient resists shocks and stays the same; the antifragile gets better.
Nassim Nicholas Taleb

LANDSCAPE
A larger set back from the shore of the built area gives space for a 31 acre nature reserve, a landscape that forms a seamless link between the city and the sea. This ecological zone extends into the sea and, besides dissipating the oceans energy during a storm, forms a new landscape with more shallow and calmer water that provides opportunities for leisure and educational activities located adjacent to the new boardwalk. The kinked layout of the new boardwalk extends and widens the boardwalk and locates new landscapes in the pockets along the boardwalk where these functions are located. The new layout of the boardwalk provides a more diverse experience. Two large landscape parks with a total of 16 acres cut through the urban fabric, as boulevards in Paris do, to provide proximity for the entire development area to nature and to connect the site and its surroundings directly to the new boardwalk and nature reserve. The parks have their own distinct character and role within the plan.
LANDSCAPE DIAGRAM

URBAN LAYOUT
Located centrally lies the boulevard that connects the Beach 44st Station directly to the new square situated at the boardwalk and the beach that mainly attracts people to the Rockaways. On and along the boulevard the design houses a large quantity of small scale business opportunities, such as shops and galleries, together with small studios, for creative people. The presence of creative people can, as proven in the East Village and Williamsburg, trigger interest and future urban development and the design proposes to build on the existing interest in the Rockaways by inhabitants from Williamsburg. Along the two landscaped boulevards, which function both as storm water detainment and retention and as public park, a variety of public functions can be found. In the north east corner of the site one of the landscape park boulevards connects to a large new park with the location of the Public School 106 and additional children-based services, such as a daycare, playgrounds and sports.
ZONING DIAGRAM

The design proposes the implementation of a series of interconnected small scale interventions with multiple functions that disperse, direct and generate, and together form a resilient, adaptive and even antifragile network designed for extreme environmental conditions and future uncertainties of content and context and their manifestations. The design proposal derives from the acknowledgement of the forces of extreme environmental conditions and future uncertainties and the awareness of the need to interact and not to counteract, it relates to the forces like a surfer to the waves.
CONCEPT DIAGRAM

The boulevards cut the site in three different, but strongly connected, neighborhoods. The centrally located neighborhood has a more urban character with mid-rise buildings of six stories to create a more dense community with low income housing and commercial space. The neighborhood to the west consists mainly of larger single family and double houses, while the park is framed by apartment buildings. The eastern neighborhood is a mix of both typologies within the same block structure. On the pier a wide variety of public recreational functions are gathered, both passive and active, such as a hotel, theater and sport accommodations. The proposed landscape, the urban layout and the proposed program connect both to their direct surroundings and the greater context of the site, both physically and functionally.

urban layout direct disperse boardwalk ecological zone

possible connection to Jamaica Bay

urban park

urban park

boulevard

arverne pier

Atlantic Ocean

The proposed interconnected small scale interventions form a resilient and adaptive network that disperses and directs wind and ood in a step by step approach in order to bring down the force of nature and direct it in the most desirable direction, while the forces of nature generate a better layout of the network. In the urban development the design proposes to locate generating structures, functions and landscape strategically to, over time, generate further urban developments that together create an intricate urban network that operates like a ne-tuned engine. By doing so, the urban development becomes adaptive, resilient and antifragile to extreme environmental conditions and future uncertainties. The design embraces a soft and organic approach to establish grandness by a series of small scale interventions.

At the tip of the V-shaped layout of the park landscape the boardwalk gives shape to a large square where a landscape-like stair connects the city to the sea, at both low tide and high tide, and provides a platform for urban leisure. Its dynamic shape breaks the waves and forms a stage for the play of the forces of nature. The new dune landscape functions as a dynamic seawall that interacts to changes in wind and wave climate. It forms a dynamic defence against coastal ooding and erosion that adapts responsively to the forces of nature. Several concrete wall structures are positioned along the coast behind which the current will bring sand and new sandbars will emerge naturally , reminiscent of Hog Island. The dune islands will re-shape continuously to changes in the environment that generates a dynamic landscape.

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ABFE ZONE V

ABFE ZONE A

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Public Transportation: For a better connection to NYC, the design proposes to connect more strongly to existing public transportation networks, such as the Rockaway Ferry, the LIR train and the Rockabus, by a shuttle service. Infrastructure: The infrastructure is aimed to be high-performance and sustainable. Electricity and communication networks are located below ground. The electrical network makes use of water resistant generators located on higher levels.

Biodiversity: The implementation of articial ponds, detention and retention basins and bio swales will, apart from aiding the water management system, minimize erosion and positively affect the sites ecosystem by increasing its biodiversity. Bicycles: To encourage a healthy lifestyle and visits to parks and recreational areas, the housing contains safe storage and maintenance services for bicycles. Bicycle lanes are proposed in the site and on the boardwalk.

Planting: The planting within the urban scheme aims to function as wind breakers and to avoid natural erosion. The design proposes the usage of suitable local species. Careful consideration is needed for planting larger trees to prevent damage caused by falling trees and oating debris. Ecological zone: The new sandbar and dune landscape form a unique ecological zone that generates recreational activities that contribute to the economy of Arverne East. For surfers, a submerged sandbar can trigger the perfect wave. Parking: Parking garages are located under the building blocks along the main boulevard of Beach 45th Street. During the Event of a storm these will function as detainment basins for storm water.

TECHNICAL STRATEGIES
Network The proposed interventions that together form the resilient, adaptive and antifragile network will, in case of ooding, successively disperse and direct the water as per their relative levels. The network does not counteract the forces of nature, but rather interact; direct it into dedicated areas. After a ooding and heavy rainfall the network stores, disperses and directs storm water to control storm water runoff. Like a leaf the semi-permeable surface lets water slowly through into the drainage system. The network requires a well functioning operation and maintenance system to be in place. The network designs the strongest and weakest link in the network for FEMA Zone A and V.
WATER NETWORK DIAGRAM

Lowered Roads / Canals: As Jamaica Bay will rise approximately 20 minutes after the Atlantic Ocean in case of ooding, connecting the Atlantic Ocean directly to the bay can reduce the rst big hit. The design proposes to lower Beach 35th Street and Beach 49th Street or add canals in the street prole. The soil that comes from the lowered roads or canals can be used to raise the site, which is more sustainable than bringing in soil from somewhere else. Similar to the proposed sandbar landscape, this proposal requires further modeling and liaison with the Army Corps of Engineers among others. This strategy should be read as a general and replicable proposal that can function better on other sites.
WATER SYSTEM DIAGRAM

hinge deck

girder primary support

The boardwalk has standardized decking panels, what ensures replicability, on a robust and resistant structure. A series of breakaway panels are connected to the primary structure with hinges on the seaside to allow for venting of storm water. This strategy avoids destruction of the boardwalk and creating debris that can cause additional damage.

sandbars & dunes boardwalk

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build area roads swales & drainage retention basins

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basin overow control hard edge / curb with gutters road prepared soil mixture gravel pipe bed perforated pipe

beach & sea

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planting medium

outlet to basin

drainage system

outlet

basin

swale

Building Faade: The design proposes the ground oor level of all buildings to be free from essential functions and installations. In case of a ooding the faade of the buildings can partially be folded up to prevent damage of the faade and to let storm water out. The buildings will remain operational due to the location of essential function and installations on higher oors.

essential functions & installations

ground oor faade

The shading reduces the need for articial cooling and thus reducing CO2 emissions. The excess energy produced by the PV-cells can be used to supply energy to street lights, playgrounds and parks, making them safer to use during the dark hours of the day. By using a natural ventilation system the supply of fresh air can be ensured while minimizing the use of energy from a HVAC-system. To further minimize and make more efcient use of supplied energy, the buildings should consist of robust materials with high thermal mass, low embodied energy and highly insulating capabilities. The structure and cladding should be designed to withstand hurricane winds and forceful ood surges, as well as be resistant to moisture and pests using the most benign methods possible. All materials should, to the furthest extent possible, be recycled, locally sourced, free of VOCs and certied by governing bodies e.g. the FSC. To manage water from future heavy and reoccurring rainfall, as well as mitigate the use of potable drinking water, roofs should be designed to make best use of a rainwater harvesting system. The implementation of articial ponds, bio swales etc. will help minimize erosion and other implications to the site. This will apart from aiding the water management system also have a positive impact on the sites ecosystem increasing its biodiversity. To ensure environmental, social and economic sustainability the strategy should in later stages of development be set in relation to the cost-benet ratio, in order to establish a sustainable community with affordable mix-income housing.

Sandbar Landscape: The new sandbar landscape in the sea is proposed to be organically developed by simple means, such as prefabricated concrete elements or locally available rocks, functioning as a detached breakwater in the sea. These elements will prevent natural erosion that is specic for the area. Additional sand is needed to form the sandbars. The sandbar landscape protects the hinterland during ooding and it generates leisure activities that contribute to the economy of Arverne East. In possible future stages of the design the design of this landscape would require further modeling, such as a HEC RAS model and liaison with the Army Corps of Engineers among others. Detached breakwaters have no connection to the shoreline and let currents and sediment pass between the breakwater and the shore to form reduced wave energy. This encourages the deposition of sand on the lee side of the structure. By doing so detached breakwaters stimulate the buildup of sandy material that generates a drawdown or a lower water level which dissipates the forces of the sea in storm conditions.

Basins and Swales: The two park landscaped boulevards together with the park between Beach 32nd Street and Beach 36th Street function, besides being the lungs of the design, as retention and detention basins that will ood during the event of a storm. The boulevards and park are located on a 6 feet level for FEMA Zone A. The articial swales are designed to manage water runoff in a controlled manner. The design proposes bioswales that are designed to lter the surface runoff water. The slow drainage course with gently sloped sides and lled with vegetation maximizes the time water spends in the swale, to lter pollutants optimally.

SUSTAINABILITY
The overall strategy for sustainability takes its starting point in the LEED Neighborhood Development rating system. This will ensure a thorough process and create an area residents can be proud of, while making it an exemplary neighborhood for future developments in ood and hurricane prone areas around the world. For optimal sustainability the site and buildings should be designed, rstly, to minimize the use of energy through passive design measures and, secondly, to maximize the use of sustainable and renewable energy sources. Installing integrated PV-cells will, apart from supplying energy, work as shading systems for roof-top terraces, windows and skylights.
WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM RAINWATER HARVESTING HYBRID NATURAL VENTILATION SOLAR PV-CELLS

SUMMARY PROPOSED METHODOLOGY

The strategy to build the urban layout by small means, or interconnected small scale interventions, allows the design to adjust, adapt and strengthen to its context and content and their future uncertainties. This approach enables the design to connect optimally to the context, both the physical context and the character of the context. To work from the smaller scale in both the urban plan and the architecture reects the identity of Arverne East as the beach community it once was, where the proximity to the beach and nature is characteristic. The design proposes a healthy mix of public and commercial functions with housing, as well as mixed housing types to establish a socially diverse and coherent community. Creating several centers of public activity, around which the housing is situated, stimulates social interaction and a sense of belonging to the neighborhood and the community. To achieve this, community input is essential in future phases of design development and by small means the design can adjust, adapt and strengthen to become the neighborhood of the people.

armour layer (concrete or rock) under layer (rock) core

INCREASED BIODIVERSITY

GRASS ROOF

natural conditions

folded sides

detached breakwater

disperse and direct

added functions
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SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS GRAY WATER IRRIGATION SYSTEM

Dune Landscape: Together with the sandbar landscape, the larger set back will help to dissipate the oceans energy during a storm and forms a unique ecological zone. Within the set back a more robust landscaping of engineered dunes is proposed. Timber wind break fences and carefully selected native planting will avoid excessive natural erosion of the dunes, reducing the need for mechanical maintenance.

Boardwalk: The new boardwalk has a gap on the landside and is elevated where possible to minimize the impact of storm water on the structure. The boardwalk is kinked to disperse and direct storm water and generate a varying experience. The folding of the edges of the boardwalk makes it stronger and the angled sides house a variety of functions. The sides are permeable for storm water and wind, and the handrails are designed to prevent damage during a storm.

MINIMIZING VOC's

VEGETABLE GARDEN

SEAWATER COOLING

RENEWABLE ENERGY

HEATING & COOLING

HEAT RECOVERY HVAC SYSTEM

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DISTRICT HEATING