Climate change threatens to disrupt human communities and lifestyles globally. Coastal areas in particular face sea-level rise and storm surge issues. Identifying design procedures for climate change design could promote successful implementation and long-term sustainability. Based on existing literature, a set of design criteria is formed to guide the implementation of nature-based design in response to projected sea-level rise in East Potomac Park in Washington, D.C. The design criteria address socio-ecological factors of landscape, planning and design for adaptation and resilience, communicating climate change, and design performance evaluation. The design criteria inform a site design focused on adapting with projected sea-level rise. The design is cross-evaluated with the criteria for robustness. The project connects research with practice by creating a design-science feedback loop and provides a platform for innovative solutions in climate change design in national parks and other landscapes threatened by issues of sea-level rise.