Months after Hurricane Sandy, New York City is steadily moving towards rebuilding the areas that were most heavily damaged, including the beaches of Coney Island, Staten Island, and the Rockaways. As a part of that process, it’s enlisted the help of Garrison Architects to design and build new flood-resistant, modular, ultra-efficient structures that can function as lifeguard bases, comfort stations, and beach offices.
Architect Jim Garrison believes his model for rebuilding the beaches could mark a new path forward in disaster recovery, in that the structures are modular and easy to deploy, yet sustainable–unlike temporary trailers. “Next time it hits, can we mobilize [modular design] as disaster housing? And I mean good stuff–not FEMA trailers that make people sick, stuff people can really live in for the long term?” he said in an interview with Co.Exist. “This is a way to build in an era of congestion, ecological challenges, and the need for permanence.”
Garrisons buildings will be open by Memorial Day weekend. See more renderings in the gallery. And while we’re on the topic of beach restoration, artist Sarah Quinter needs help with a collaborative memorial sculpture she’s building at Beach 59th Street in the Rockaways.
(Images: Co.Exist)
