Rising Tides | The Commons

This nature-based strategic planning project provides insight into an alternative future for Copenhagen - where transformative ecological thinking and collective intelligence reconnect the human to the natural world. It is these dynamic negotiations that allow for bioparticipation with the sea over the next 150 years – responding to global crises with regenerative, local, and scalable strategies.

DESIGN CHALLENGE:

Through the study of early-phase strategic planning in Copenhagen, Denmark; 

How can nature-based solutions in urban coastal development allow for an adaptive framework for simultaneously addressing: 

Coastal adaptation for sea level rise and storm surge events, biodiversity regeneration and rewilding strategies, and, public recreation? 

Research, Strategy, and Design, to be integrated at the shallow coastal zone between Nordhavn and Charlottenlund Fort.

WITH A LIKELY SCENARIO OF +3.0m SEA LEVEL RISE IN THE NEXT 100 YEARS - HOW DO WE BEGIN TO ADDRESS THE MULTITUDE AND SEVERITY OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THIS WILL PRESENT?

IN ENGAGING WITH NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS, SUCH AS BARRIER ISLANDS, WETLANDS & SALT MARSHES, DUNAL LANDSCAPES, SEAGRASS MEADOWS, AND MANAGED RETREAT - AN ALTERNATIVE PATHWAY IS PRESENTED IN ADDRESSING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH LAND AND WATER.

AFTER DESTROYING 70% OF THE WORLD'S BIODIVERSITY IN THE LAST 50 YEARS, HOW CAN WE BEGIN TO ADDRESS ECOSYSTEM REGENERATION - OUR LIFELINE TO ENSURE THAT FUTURE SPECIES HAVE A CHANCE?

WITH 3.8 BILLION YEARS OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, THE NATURAL WORLD OFFERS DESIGN STRATEGIES FOR ADAPTING TO NEW AND UNPREDICTABLE CHALLENGES. HOW CAN WE IMPLEMENT THESE IN ORDER TO BENEFIT ALL LIVING SPECIES?

IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE BRING THE LEADING THINKERS AND EXPERTS TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THE MULTITUDE OF CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE FACE AT THE COASTAL ZONE - NOT ONLY AT THE LOCAL SCALE OF COPENHAGEN BUT ALSO GLOBALLY. 

A FLEXIBLE AND ADAPTABLE STRATEGIC PLANNING TOOL, SUCH AS THE DAPP METHOD, ALLOWS FOR DECISION MAKING UNDER DEEP UNCERTAINTY, AND KEEPS DESIGN OPTIONS OPEN AS LONG AS POSSIBLE - WITHOUT CREATING LOCK-INS.