A Model for Resiliency and Sustainability: Red Hook

When imagining what a transformed and resilient urban landscape may look like, it is helpful when a model or design for that transformation exists. BASF Corporation, a U.S. Green Building Council member, has developed such a model for developing Red Hook, Brooklyn, in a manner that is resilient and sustainable. This model was developed at a conference focusing on habitat, citizenship, and resilience in Red Hook. Below are some of the takeaways from the conference.

 

Establish a network of green corridors: “In addition to enhancing circulation and absorbing or channeling runoff from rainstorms to increase flood resilience, re-landscaping required to create green corridors would also improve social cohesion and reduce Red Hook’s isolation through shared spaces for pedestrians, as well as allowing for increased community interaction.”

 

Create a coastal park: “To work in harmony with an ever-changing environment, a coastal park would serve not only as the first line of defense from storm surges and rising sea levels but would also double as protection and recreational space for Red Hook’s residents. The second line of protection farther from the shoreline, consisting of breakwaters, dikes, and ponds, would help absorb storm surges.”

 

Provide a design to inspire others: The idea (shown in the graphic below) is to create a model park that is resilient and sustainable, creates a sense of community, and preserves the current atmosphere in Red Hook. Model blocks can help demonstrate how resilient and sustainable development can be profitable to developers, beneficial to the community, and prepared for an increasingly changed environment.