- Images
- Historical Photographs
- Important Issues: Dredging, Marine Habitat, Downstream Effects
- Brainstorming_Activities
- Round One Visualization
- go there!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Is this the future of the Rhode Island Shore?
There are six ongoing conversations for this study. Visit each one, familiarize yourself with the information provided, and post your thoughts. Go to our main web page at http://www.bryanquinn.org/coastalchange
About This Page
This blog has been developed for two purposes: 1.) To generate a productive discussion that envisions coastal change as an opportunity for redevelopment of the Rhode Island shore, and 2.) As part of a Master's thesis for Bryan Quinn at the Rhode Island School of Design.
Though this project is Bryan's own creation, it has had a lot of input and guidance from too many people to count so if you come accross a good idea don't assume it is his.
Contact
questions and comments are welcome at ricoastal@gmail.com
What's the Big Idea?
This site is part of a collaborative design process that rethinks development on the Rhode Island Shore. Faced with beach erosion, degraded ecological habitat, sea level change, development, and powerful storms, there is need for coastal communities to re-evaluate their relationship to the larger environment. This study combines input from a diverse group of participants into ideas and designs that approach coastal change as an opportunity to promote ecological, social, and economic integrity.
Beach Armor in Matunuck
Is this the future of the Rhode Island Shore?
Your comments matter!!
Collaboration between different fields leads to better ideas. Comments in this online symposium will help to guide the future of this project. What can it be? What should it be? What needs to change? View a diagram of how your comments are incorporated here.
Study Location
Our study area is between the Pt. Judith Breachway and Moonstone Beach Rd. Five locations along this stretch of coastline have been selected in order to address certain issues in more depth.
What is Regeneration?
Regenerative Design is a new term for an old philosophy. The idea is that the best way to achieve a sustainable level of development is by renewing, restoring, and generally improving the things that sustain us. From a land use perspective, this means finding new ways to positively integrate the built environment into overlapping ecologic, social, and economic systems.
Coastal Inhabitation and Regeneration
site design by Bryan Quinn
4 comments:
What do humans contribute to these coastal edges? We place houses, docks, piers, walls ect. Opportunist species make these places home, while other habitats are shattered. In regenerative design I think its critical to have a good sense for the parts. What are the parts? Michael Behe, in his book Darwin's Black Box", poses a biochemical challenge to Darwin's theory of evolution by distilling distills systems to the point of 'irreducible complexity' He asks what are the absolute essential parts for a system to function? This same logic can be applied as the basis for regenerative design. In the case of the Point Judith Breakway there are a variety of systems that need breaking down. What are the human systems and subsystems, What are the ecosystems. How do they function? If we can get down to these fundamental elements we can begin to make decisions as to what should be regenerative and attempt to set things in motion. The question bugging me is, How do we measure success here? What is the rate of change. Should some changes like erosion be resisted or fostered? I feel like it will always involve a choice. There is neither a right or wrong answer. Even if we decide the helath of the envionment is paramount to all else there will be tradeoffs within that framework. One species for another. Water quality or erosion...
That's a pretty interesting post! From what I know, I think the essential parts to the brakewater (meaning parts that are not realistically likely to go away or parts that I think we should keep) are:
1. Ferry Access
2. Safe Harbor for the fishing fleet
3. Roger Wheeler State Beach (the "kids" beach) with very small and safe waves
4. The marine life that has developed over the years within the breakwater.
anything else...?
Do these important parts to the area mean that the local ecology has to suffer? I'm not sure. Sometimes decommisioned oil rigs and old shipwrecks provide really good fish habitat.
Personally I think the wave energy harnessing is an interesting idea. Check viability by looking into pilot projects in England. The energy needs to be really high to be viable for many reasons mainly having to do with long term maintenance and $$ (people hate when I say stuff like this, but what is the point really if you put this equipment out there and you can't make enough money to keep it running? To be fair- give yourself the room to DOUBLE the value of the energy it produces (energy will cost more) and see if it is even viable then...) (oh, and prove it, I want to see the numbers)
Think Big Rocks. More big rocks. That is assuming you want to keep the things you mention in your post.
Also check out florida DEP in Ocala.
You write very well.
Post a Comment