Amphibious Red Hook
Brooklyn, NY
The Amphibious Red Hook plan is a comprehensive strategy for climate adaptation and community resilience that reimagines the relationship between the neighborhood and its waterfront. Rather than relying on a single line of defense, the plan layers multiple systems of protection and development, creating a flexible, redundant framework that can adapt to changing conditions over time. Its aim is not only to shield Red Hook from the devastating impacts of sea level rise and storm surge, but also to model an equitable approach to resilient urban growth that can be replicated across other vulnerable coastal communities.
The plan operates on three interwoven fronts. First, it introduces redundant climate protections, combining stormwater management, natural buffers, and engineered barriers within the Integrated Flood Protection System (IFPS) to minimize damage and safeguard lives. Second, it embeds education and social infrastructure directly into these interventions, ensuring that new spaces foster community cohesion and public awareness while doubling as resilient civic assets. Third, it expands Red Hook’s role in the regional renewable energy economy, leveraging its waterfront to grow the offshore wind industry. This not only generates clean energy with the capacity to power millions of homes, but also brings jobs and economic opportunity to a historically underserved neighborhood.
Together, these strategies produce an “amphibious” model for Red Hook: one that protects, adapts, and thrives in balance with water. By integrating climate defense, social equity, and economic development, the project transforms Red Hook into a blueprint for resilient, community-driven growth in the face of rising seas.