Built In Reefscape

Abstract

In the face of climate change and rising sea levels, the most common response is to prepare for human migration inland and to implement more protections of coastal communities. A different approach considers the migration of human communities out to sea. Coral reefs and adjacent coastal habitats are biodiverse, life-supporting, but also suffer from the effects of climate change, pollution, and collisions, leading them to rely on human efforts to restore and implement protections. The relationship between reefs and humans can be strengthened to encourage environmental stewardship and also explore how to better live in marine ecosystems. This thesis will ask how can architects be inspired by the mechanics and processes of reef organisms to design a system that creates built environments that support a reciprocal relationship between humans and marine wildlife?