Syracuse School of Architecture
Surfside, Miami, FL, USA
SOFTWARES:
Rhino 7
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Indesign
FABRICATION:
Hand Cutting
Laser Cutting
CNC Milling
Woodshop Equip:
Planar
Sanding Belt
Table Saw
Band Saw
ON-TIDE / ON-TIME
in collaboration with Arianna Ramirez
PLATFORM SURFSIDE
ARC408/608 Design Studio led by Pablo Sequero
Research Initiative led by Roy Raskin
In response to the alarming climate crisis that imposes extreme uncertainty, homeowners of Surfside must find an architectural solution that allows them to reside in their original places of dwelling. The proposal aims to wonder a potential vision for Surfside’s urban future, while simultaneously honoring and supporting the existing fabric and those who inhabit it.
On-Tide / On-Time is a proposal that preserves the existing infrastructure and architecture on site. Guided by parameters aimed to be low-cost, easily constructible, prefabricated, and readily accessible, homeowners retain the autonomy to live on their own timeline. Found within these parameters, our solution reveals an elevated lightweight structure expanding above the rear masses of the existing homes.
The proposal integrates communal spaces, such as a community center and public park, designed to provoke social interaction and encourage resident engagement. The topographical features of the public park, particularly its mounded terrain, function as a water barrier for the block while also guiding water flow. The proposed increase in vertical building height allowance, coupled with new zoning setbacks, facilitates the reintegration of vegetation at the ground level, which serves as an additional water management strategy. Provisions for displacement housing are integrated on public lots, offering immediate support for residents whose homes are impacted by natural disasters. Furthermore, residents are given the option to select from a range of performative roofs—such as blue roofs for water retention, green roofs for agricultural use, and photovoltaic roofs to provide energy grid support. Each of these deployments culminate into one urban strategy aimed to reinforce and enhance community resilience during disaster events.
plan + elevations
With the implementation of the proposal, the diagram highlights the plan and elevational qualities changing within a few of the homes undergoing transformations. Analyzing the current site, two under utilized lots on the site would evolve into a community park providing a dedicated space for residents to gather and engage with one another. Land masses begin to build barrier mounds in anticipation for sea level rise. Temporary crisis shelters are constructed in order to house people facing natural destruction.
plan + elevations
With the anticipation of the sea level rise to fully cover the site by 2074, it is essential for homeowners to take actionable measures to ensure the longterm resilience and vitality of the Surfside neighborhood. Over the coming decades, the neighborhood must undergo significant transformation to adapt to these challenges, while preserving the social and cultural fabric. By this time, we might see changes in zoning setbacks allowing for taller constructions. As more adaptations begin to aggragate in plan, a vertical urban fabric emerges in section that aims to preserve the southern view.
This system is adjustable and designed for partial expansion and occupation prior to the construction of additional floors, allowing for f lexibility in future development. and vertical grwoth.
Prefabricated Walls
These components can be easily manipulated to accommodate the specific needs and desires of each resident. The prefabrication element is advantageous for cost-efficient and rapid assembly.
Floating Platform with Buoys
Embedded with a buoys system, this platform enables the structure to float with tidal changes, thereby protecting it from water damage.
Infrastructural Stilts
Provided by the city to incentivize homeowners’ transition, these steel stilts initiate the elevation of the structure. Without interference to the existing home, the stilts serve as a structural anchor during natural disasters while also promising the potential for urban growth.
The catalog presents a range of dwelling options designed to accommodate the diverse needs and preferences of homeowners. Building massings vary from one to three stories, with the potential for vertical expansion. The square footage of the dwellings varies according to the chosen layout, with a minimum retention of 10% of the original square footage, while expansions can increase the total area by up to 150%. As building height increases, the setback requirements also expand, which consequently results in a greater degree of removal of original structures.
Once the adaptive framework has been deployed and multiple additions have defined the enlarged construction as mid-rise apartments-- the existing home may be salvaged for resuse in order to more efficiently serve the new structure. A central core would extrude through the mass to allow for an accessible elevator and mechanical systems. Storage for posessions such as boats can also be suspended beneath the stilt structure.