Date of Award
Spring 5-30-2017
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA)
Department
Landscape Architecture
First Advisor
Leslie Lee
Second Advisor
Peter Stempel
Abstract
Port Morris has played an important role in the industrial realm of New York City since 1842. After the construction of the first Railroad in Port Morris, the area became an accumulation zone of factories and warehouses. These settlements, over time, though, have caused certain problems.
The waterfront area cannot be reached by the public: traffic is dense, air pollution is prevalent. The particle pollution in Port Morris is 2.6 micrograms per cubic meter, the highest in New York City. Across the three miles of shoreline, there are only three spots where people are able to access the waterfront. Besides that, Bronx has the highest unemployment ratio and criminal issues as well as the rate of asthma in the city. All of these negative associations make the Bronx an area that people are perhaps unwilling to experience. Port Morris, which is positioned in the middle of Manhattan and the Bronx, seems like a barrier in this city.
The situation of Port Morris is currently occupying a difficult position. Some urban designers have already proposed the design for a new waterfront area. However, the industrial plants still occupy the shoreline and continue to expand. The projected sea level rise, which may seem like a threat to most parts of New York City, is acting as a great opportunity for Port Morris to transform into a green connection between Manhattan and Bronx. What this thesis is trying to learn is how people’s relationship with shoreline change in order to recreate this urban barrier into an engaging space for citizens.
Recommended Citation
Zhao, Xiang, "Thrive in sea level rise" (2017). Masters Theses. 89.
https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/masterstheses/89
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