- Complete your Circle Line Observation
- Compared to what you saw during your Zone Walk, what can you see and sense differently from the boat?
I had different feelings about what I saw during my Zone Walk and during the Circle Line Trip. During my Zone Walk, I could take a panoramic view over the entire city. During the Circle Line Trip, however, I felt that I was more detached from the New York City.
- Does New York seem prepared for sea-level rise?
I do not think that the New York City has been well prepared to the potential sea-level rise. I did not see too many protective systems along the coast. This is why the Big U project was necessary to better prepare New York from potential sea-level rise.
- What areas appear to be vulnerable to coastal flooding? Are any effects of Hurricane Sandy visible?
I think the western coast of the New York City was most vulnerable to coastal flooding. This is especially true regarding the numerous tall buildings to coastal flooding with high population density.
- Do you see any evidence of the Big U being constructed?
There were some signs which I saw reflect the fact that the Big U is under construction. For example, I could saw during the Circle Line Trip some newly constructed structures to better defend the potential flooding and rising sea level.
- Are you able to determine which areas of the coast are built on landfill?
I could saw some islands full of greenery and public space which may be areas of the coast built on landfill.
- Do you see any sea walls, reinforcement or marsh areas?
During the trip, I could see that there were some fences and walls to protect the costal lands from flooding.
- What kind of systems do you see interacting (people, water, boats, etc.)?
I think there are interactions between the Spuyten Duyvil Bridge, the water, the visitors, and the boats. Along the Circle Line, the visitors could circle the Manhattan Island and enjoy the city and water scenery. The Spuyten Duyvil Bridge may close to stop boats crossing under it.
- How do you think the New York City coastline will change over the next 50 years?
Over the next fifty years, the New York City coastline may have more complete defensive infrastructures and barriers that help better defend the flooding.
- Reflect on the presentations? What did you learn? Did anything in particular surprise you? Did you enjoy the trip and the perspective offered from the water?
I was mostly impressed by the presentations which introduced the composites of our bodies. At this time, I felt that human beings are actually well connected with different parts of the nature; so it is important for humans to preserve and protect the nature.
- Read the following article
According to the article “protecting Priceless Art from Natural Disasters” by Whitaker (2015), the new Whitney Museum in Manhattan impressed most not only due to its cutting-edge architecture but also due to its flood mitigation design and system. Influenced by global warming, it may be more likely for the Manhattan City to be inundated by floods. To prepare for this, the designer of this new museum takes the threats of flooding into consideration which features its disaster-preparedness design, so that its lobby is 10 feet higher than the sea level and it has some fortification constructions such as the 500-foot-long mobile wall, the flexible floor door, and so on. However, this design does not deprive of the aesthetic value of this new museum, which, instead, features “technical sophistication and aesthetic sleekness” just like a spaceship (Whitaker, 2015). The flood mitigation system is both artful and functional which can help this museum better prepare for the flooding in Manhattan in the age of climate change. The design of this new museum indeed renews my understanding of what and how meaningful design might become in the age of climate change and the Anthropocene. The value of meaningful design in the age of climate change and the Anthropocene is that it plays an important role in influencing and affecting people’s behaviors in dealing with the potential threats of global warming and climate change and how they are supposed to do in the face of these threats.
- Narrow your three final project ideas into one final idea and answer the following on your LP
- Project idea
As a fashion design major student, there are many kinds of stuff we need to carry to class or class every day, for example, tool boxed, fabrics, muslins, pattern paper… Moving with this much around is inconvenient. So I decided to design a bag, that has many pockets to organize all the items, and deep enough to carry the pattern paper also able to hang garments that need to stay flat.Work plan
In the next week, I’ll look for light but sturdy fabrics, that able to carry heavy weight. and start to design the bagIn the following week, I plan to start with the patterns and start sewing all the small bag, and attach each small containers to the big bag.
In the following week, I will finish up everything else.
Source materials
The principal source materials fabrics, now I’m thinking about canvas because canvas can easily hold heavy stuff, and it won’t change the shape, or quickly get damage.My project can help designers to organize their stuffs and make their daily work easier.
How will it be repaired
When it becomes old or ruined, I and cut the bag in pieces, and because the bag was made of fabric, I can resew it into something smaller, or use it as cleaning rag.
