Sea Level Rise

Ben led a unit in the research based "Sustainable Studio" of the Masters in Architecture degree programme at the University of Sydney School of Architecture for two semesters. The unit explored the predicament the communities surrounding Lake Macquarie, NSW, are facing as they plan for the next 50 to 100 years. The following text is a summary of the unit's approach:

Sea level rise is presented as an apocalypse: The Ocean will rise up and sweep away the coastal towns and cities of Australia.
Others regard sea level rise as a myth: you cannot see it so it does not exist.
The truth probably lies somewhere between the two extreme views. Sea levels are rising (Church et al 2006) as are global average temperatures. These are subtle changes: A rise in sea level of 1m sounds impressive – but over 100 years it is only 10mm (or less than ½ an inch) per year - not something you will notice at the beach!

For the communities around Lake Macquarie this means that low lying land will become marshy or covered by shallow water. The level of the lake will rise as the mean sea level rises causing permanent inundation of essential infrastructure such as sewage disposal and water supply systems. Flooding will also become more frequent when floodwaters cannot escape into the sea. So the flood will be a gentle rising up of the lake rather than a rushing in of the sea. Not very dramatic!

It is easy to propose glamorous and shiny mega structures creating a brave new world of high density living and mass transport. In doing so we pre-empt the tidal wave with one of their own: Sweeping away the conglomeration of buildings and communities in a manner reminiscent of the British Planners of the 1950's and 60's who did more damage to their cities than the Luftwaffe. This approach fails to understand the incremental nature of the changes or the community's ability to adapt.

A 100 year timeframe is longer than any of us will live: we will not see the fruition of our imaginations. It is a salutary reminder for the designer that the project is bigger than their own lives and that design must be for the long term. The great Eighteenth Century Landscape Architects understood these lessons: Their creations were not fully realised until more than 50 years after their deaths.

The landscape architects of the eighteenth century were not afraid to move entire villages or dam rivers to create their romantic visions. It is true that there is arrogance here. But they also had a deep understanding of how the land and ecosystems would develop. So perhaps we should take a cue from them and adapt our own landscape, where and how we live in it to create our own romantic vision. "Our" refers to the community. The architect-planner becomes the Enabler who helps construct the framework which allows the community to develop in the manner of Ralph Erskine and the Byker Wall community. They offered engagement as an alternative to megalomania.

Together this impending disaster becomes an opportunity to create increasingly self sufficient and engaged communities living in beautiful landscapes.