There is no state that is more aware of the potential threats that the climate crisis poses than Florida. In particular, flash floods and rising sea levels could potentially leave millions at risk. Fortunately, urban designers are starting to plan ahead before disaster strikes.
In North Miami, the city has decided to buy a plot of land that once held an ordinary single-family home. The idea is to turn to the site into a community space that doubles as a place for stormwater management, helping to keep other houses on the block dry and creating a model that could be used in other neighborhoods.
The winning design proposal, called Good Neighbor, includes a retention pool that can hold water that otherwise could flood nearby homes. An art piece in the pool uses physical markers, rising above the water, to show people walking by the current level of flooding. Surrounding the pool, a walking path will be planted with plants and trees from local ecosystems that have been largely lost to development. Doubling both as a place of play and a flood preventer, this park could become a model for other cities looking to build up their resilience.
This story was one of the best from 2019, and we are happy to include it in our “12 Days of Optimism” as we get ready to welcome 2020!
