2021

Sea The Change

Aneke Pretorius

[email protected]
+642108177657
Aneke Pretorius Intro Image
The impact of rising sea levels on the built environment.

Climate change is an imminent threat to human civilisation. Rising sea levels will disrupt our coastal communities and infrastructure and ultimately displace millions of people worldwide. As we predict the outcomes of this natural disaster, it becomes clearer that preparation is key. Sea the Change is a collection of solution-oriented strategies incorporating various urban and architectural scales to help coastal communities cope with the threat of water from the ocean and sky. This is a theoretical investigation focused on the built environment and urban landscape while also considering the human behavioural aspect of Change. This approach to rising sea levels can be adapted to suit bays across New Zealand.


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Map of urban design strategies to prevent flooding in Mission Bay as the sea level rises (from left to right 2030, 2040, 2050)

From the urban planning point of view, this project assumes a progressive retreat process that extends across three decades. This strategic assumption is derived from the emotional and economic value of Auckland’s coastal communities. The goal is to maintain the existing built environment to minimise any despair and loss as long as possible. Beyond this timeline it will most likely become imperative to adjust the residential community to the new reality permanently: adaptable floating dwellings are proposed as the only solution to preserve the sought-after coastal lifestyle connected to the bays of Auckland.

 
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Public space designed to embrace rising sea levels.
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Urban Design Solution - Stormwater management in Mission Bay park.
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The possible outcome of stormwater management strategies in public spaces.
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Urban Design solution - Elevating cycle and footpaths.
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The possible outcome of elevating the cycle and footpath along Tamaki Drive
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Architectural Solutions - Creating multipurpose sea walls to protect Mission Bay beach.
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The possible outcome of creating sea walls when the sea claims Mission Bay beach.

Why should we choose to stay and not go? This thesis aims to give the people a choice to remain, adapt, or retreat. We live in a democratic society where we have the freedom to choose where we live and how we live. The people living in these high-risk areas will not abandon their homes willingly unless we have provided a solution to mitigate these risks. Through architecture, we can provide solutions and create adaptable environments to maintain our valued coastal communities as long as possible

 
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A view of Auckland city from a floating dwelling.
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Transformation of public spaces – Underwater views.