The edge: a response to sea-level rise on Vancouver's coast through the design of a resilient multi-habitable built environment

Abstract

The approaching threat of accelerated sea-level rise due to climate change poses a significant risk to Vancouver, British Columbia, and its coastal communities. With projections estimating damages of $20-30 Billion and detrimental effects on ecosystems, agriculture, and the city’s 1.83 million inhabitants, there is an urgent need for adaptive solutions. Drawing upon research on mitigation strategies and the preservation of coastal ecologies, this thesis advocates for a mixed-use residential program aimed at creating a multi-habitable built environment along vulnerable coastal edges. By exploring flood-resistant materials and innovative construction methods, the proposal seeks to redefine traditional architectural design that can be flooded and still be habitable through an adaptive ground floor idea as well as flooded structures that will shift its habitants from humans to ecologies, ensuring resilience in the face of rising sea levels while fostering sustainable coexistence between humans and nature.