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big team
SCHOOL OF CONSTRUCTED ENVIRONMENTS PARSONS THE NEW SCHOOL

THE BIG U E4
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The Big U is a protective system that encircles Manhattan, responding to the

needs and concerns of the island’s diverse communities. Stretching from West
57th Street south to The Battery and up to East 42nd Street, the Big U protects
CHELSEA

IR
10 continuous miles of low-lying geography that comprise an incredibly dense,

TF
vibrant, and vulnerable urban area. The proposed system not only shields the city

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against floods and stormwater; it provides social and environmental benefits to

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the community, and fosters an improved public realm. For Phase 3 of Rebuild

HI
NG
by Design, the Big U team created coordinated plans for three contiguous but
separate regions of the waterfront dubbed “compartments.” Each compartment

7
comprises a physically discrete flood-protection zone that can be isolated from
flooding in adjacent zones. Each presents unique opportunities for integrated
social and community planning. The compartments work in concert to protect
and enhance the city, but each compartment’s proposal is designed to stand
on its own. Proposed solutions for the components were designed in close
consultation with the associated communities and many local, municipal, State
and Federal stakeholders; each proposal has a benefit-cost ratio greater than
HOSPITAL ROW
one; and each is flexible, easily phased, and able to integrate with existing
projects in progress.

RESEARCH SANDY SURGE LEVELS

The Big U concept was the product of a research phase in which the BIG Team
studied the history of resiliency planning in the tri-state area and elsewhere.
The team’s research demonstrated that resiliency plans typically account for
GANSEVOORT ST 2050 100-YR STORM
the existing city, but fail to anticipate the natural growth and transformation
of communities. In response, the BIG Team resolved to combine city-making
and resiliency planning to create coordinated, intelligent designs for “growing
resiliency.” The resulting designs propose to not only solve existing problems,
but prevent the formation of new ones, proactively enhance the city in many
2050 500-YR STORM
dimensions, and channel its future growth in desirable directions. Such an
approach has many advantages. It creates possibilities to financially leverage
incorporated projects and integrate them with existing plans. It creates
opportunities to work with communities to ensure that the resiliency measures
double as social, economic, and environmental assets. As a dynamic process,
moreover, “growing resiliency” enables planners to adapt on the fly to emergent
developments such as global climate change and shifting policy priorities.

WHAT IS AT RISK?
The floodplain upland of Manhattan’s 10 miles of coastline is home to
approximately 200,000 people. This area contains some of the largest central
business districts in the country, which cumulatively form the core of an economy
with a $500 billion annual GDP, and influence economic activity throughout the STUYVESANT COVE PARK
world. More than 52 million annual visitors come to New York City to see the 9/11
memorial, The Battery, Wall Street, the Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island. The
floodplain also contains 35,000 affordable housing units, home to over 95,000
E2
low-income, elderly, and disabled residents, the majority of whom live in a highly 3S
vulnerable area along the East River. T
Superstorm Sandy devastated much of this area. Infrastructure was disabled,
homes were flooded, and people, many elderly or disabled, were trapped in their COOPER STUYVESANT PAVILIONS
apartments. The economic heart of the Financial District stopped for a week.
Many residents are still struggling with the aftermath. In public housing units
PATH TU
affected by Sandy, mold infestation Nalmost
has NEL doubled, illustrating that global
climate change has increased the challenges of providing safe, livable, affordable
housing in Lower Manhattan. Rebuilding poses its own risks. In the worst case,
uncoordinated recovery actions could result in a chaotic set of atomized changes
that could prove destructive to the urban realm. A piecemeal approach would not
only cost much more than a coherent plan; it would also likely worsen economic
disparity in the city and leave low-income areas behind. Flood-protection
measures, if not intelligently designed, might sever communities’ connection to PEDESTRIAN LOOKOUT
the waterfront, an unacceptable loss.

SOBECA
The opportunities that rebuilding brings, however, are as great as the risks. This
occasion represents a priceless opportunity to rebuild better, to rebuild in such a
way that as the city grows more secure physically, it gains new social, aesthetic,
economic and environmental assets that enhance its reputation as the greatest
city in the world. HOLLA
ND TU BIKEWAY FLYOVER
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DELIVERY POINT FOR CON-EDISON

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399 ACRES (2050 100-YEAR)
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THREE CUSTOMIZED COMPARTMENTS WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY IMPLEMENTATION

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AV
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The resulting Phase 3 proposal envisions three compartments that function The communities of the Lower East Side have expressed their desires for the The Mayor’s Office has become a close collaborator of the BIG Team during
A-

independently to provide flood protection. Each responds to the problems the development of this third phase of Rebuild by Design, and has expressed
C

waterfront in seven separate visioning processes over the past decade, including
URBAN LIVING ROOM posed by a particular portion of the city, and to the needs and wishes of the the East River Esplanade Plan, A People’s Plan for the East River Waterfront (a enthusiasm for the emerging concepts of the Big U. As the intended grantee of
particular community concerned. direct response to the Esplanade Plan), and the East River Blueway Plan. Before CDBG-DR funding for the Big U, the City of New York has the final say regarding

BATTERY PARK BERM engaging residents in a new dialogue, the team reviewed these plans to better the project’s implementation.
understand local needs and desires.
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE Implementation can begin in any of the three compartments. The Big U’s
MA

C3COASTLINE On the Lower East Side (LES), the BIG Team worked intensively with LES essential flexibility allows implementation to start swiftly, and facilitates
NH

Green infrastructure in the three compartments contributes to flood protection Ready!, an umbrella organization of twenty-six community groups focused dynamic response to any emergent issues by shifting implementation focus
1.37 MILES while providing social amenities. Climate-change models predict more frequent between compartments as necessary.
ATT

on coordinating emergency response and preparedness. With LES Ready and

ELEVATED BIKEWAY C3 FLOODPLAIN heavy precipitation events, leading to increased flooding and combined sewer RBD’s support the team held a series of workshops at various locations in the
A

151 ACRES (2050 100-YEAR) overflows (CSO) – problems exacerbated by impervious city streets. The urban neighborhood. At the first workshops, the community debated the merits of In the most vulnerable areas of the U, further outreach and collaboration with
IRT
NB

182 ACRES (2050 500-YEAR) heat island effect will be worsened by longer heat waves. The Big U’s native various flood protection approaches, using the BIG Team’s models of different public housing communities will be needed to craft a solution that fulfils the
7TH
RN

species bioswales, rain gardens, and street plantings will absorb and clean prototypical solutions. In the second series of workshops, the results of these community’s needs and the Big U’s objectives. To achieve this, the BIG Team has
AV
E stormwater, cool the city, reduce air pollution, store carbon, buffer noise, discussions were incorporated in two possible integral design solutions for developed a ‘toolbox’ of resilience measures that provide multiple benefits in
HARBOR MUSEUM 2-3
-Q-

enhance recreational activities, improve mental health, and provide green jobs. each compartment. These designs were also discussed at length by community addition to flood protection: social and cultural amenities, housing preservation,
BMB PLAZA As a result, they will also reduce costs to both City and citizens. greater access to economic opportunity, jobs, ecological function, and improved
B-D

members, whose feedback was used to refine the final designs. Over 150
community members attended these workshops; many returned to join the public space. The team and community can work together to decide how best
to deploy these tools to create a refined, fine-grained, site-specific strategy to
BATTERY MARITIME BUILDING BM
TB
SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE team for a celebration at the end of the process.
address public housing’s ‘towers-in-the-park.’
RO
WHIEHALL TERMINAL IR AD Our major stakeholder, the City, saw the BIG Team’s approach on the LES as
BRO

TL WA The BIG Team proposes to rethink infrastructure as an amenity. The team

suitable for other sections of the Big U. After discussions with The Battery The Big U tools constitute a framework for adapting to the inherent dynamism
EX YR calls its reconceived model “social infrastructure.” Infrastructure in the United
Conservancy and the Downtown Alliance, the BIG Team expanded its design of urban reality. As a result, the Big U is poised to respond to new opportunities
IN
OKLY

States, as traditionally conceived, has not been built in a way that engages and as they arise, embracing new regulations that might allow in-water resiliency
GT responds to the intimate needs of the public; rather, it has been imposed from
efforts to include the Financial District and The Battery, where it began building
ON without on our cities on a large scale, dividing communities and fragmenting
a coalition among the area’s diverse stakeholders: City, State, and Federal measures and soft shoreline edges; rising to challenges posed by affordable
N BA

4- agencies, local elected and appointed officials, and public/private partnerships. housing legislation that could include new preservation imperatives; or simply
5 the urban experience. The Big U approaches the mandate to create large- adapting protection heights in response to future sea level rise. The Big U’s
scale protective infrastructure with a commitment to meaningful community flexible kit of parts will allow it to respond to these and other conditions as they
TTER

Across the project area, the BIG Team spoke with a vast array of officials,
engagement and fine-grained urban experiences. It fuses Robert Moses’ hard emerge.
planners, and agency representatives, whose invaluable input enabled the plans
infrastructure with Jane Jacobs’ locally-based, community-driven sensibility.
to deftly handle a wide range of issues that concerned different entities and
Y

The Big U’s flood-protection will not look like a wall, and it will not divide In order to support this adaptive framework and reap the benefits it can
geographies. The BIG Team would like to express its profound gratitude for the
TUN

the community from itself or its waterfront. Rather, the very structures that provide, there must be leadership structures in place to guide its growth. Part
kind attention and constructive criticism the proposals received. This feedback
protect us from the elements will embrace those protected, becoming attractive of this proposal, therefore, is to develop a Big U Lower Manhattan Waterfront
fostered a fine-grained responsiveness in the Big U that the team always hoped
NEL

centers of social and recreational activity that enhance the city and lay a positive Planning Leadership Council, which will streamline the adaptation of all
to achieve.
groundwork for its future. planning initiatives to preserve resiliency, and address the long-term needs and
The component designs that emerged from this collaborative process have possibilities of Lower Manhattan as these inevitably evolve. A high-capacity
The multivalent U consists of linked compartments, each built according to public agency with both authority and resources must be identified to serve as a
captured the communities’ interest, contain protective elements that can be
its own scale of time, size, and investment. This compartmentalization allows coordinating planning and implementation agency lead for the Big U, supported
implemented quickly, are well-positioned to pass permitting and regulatory
neighborhoods to tailor protective elements to fit their own needs, with cultural by an interagency Technical Working Group and a broadly representative
reviews, and have positive benefit-cost ratios. Furthermore, they are designed
offerings, programming, and civic spaces as diverse as the City’s population. Community Advisory Committee.
for growth: the designs are flexible enough to accommodate further community
Protection can be strategically phased: small, relatively simple projects will
input and refinement, as well as future adjustments necessitated by changes in
provide immediate protection and maintain the post-Sandy momentum while The request for CDBG-DR funds, therefore, includes not only funding for
regulations, ongoing climate conditions, or other unforeseen needs. The designs
laying the groundwork for intelligent long-term solutions. implementation of the three compartments, but also the funding for the Big
anticipate continued future growth, and provide physical and social elements to
support the city for decades to come. U comprehensive planning leadership structure and continued community
Upon selection by the Rebuild by Design Jury for the 3rd phase of the competition, engagement over a long period of time. This is the only way to preserve the
the Big U concept was greeted enthusiastically by many stakeholders on effectiveness of resiliency measures such as those contemplated here, and it is
the West Side, at the Battery, and on the Lower East Side (LES). In order to the only way to maximize the funding leverage, benefits, and public engagement
focus resources during the relatively short planning period, the BIG Team, at which form the essence of the Big U. The Big U thus serves as an exemplary
the suggestion of the Mayor’s Office, decided to focus first on the Lower East project: it shows how to integrate resiliency with city making.
Side. Here a large, vulnerable population (intended to be a major beneficiary of
CDBG-DR funding), lives in the floodplain.
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FLYOVER WAY
35'-0" 133'-6" 70'-0" 20'-0" 74'-6"

WATER PROMENADE BATTERY PARK BOSQUE BATTERY BERM BOSQUE BIKEWAY BATTERY BERM AND SEEGLASS CAROUSEL

BATTERY MARITIME BUILDING

UNN

25'-0" FLYOVER PLAZA

AME

+9’ FOOT SPLASH ALLOWANCE

+8’ FEMA 2050 100 YEAR FLOODPLAN

+5’ SANDY
40'-0" 9'-0" NEW HARBOR
WHITEHALL TERMINAL
+4’ FEMA 2050 50 YEAR FLOOD PLAN
D ST

MIDDEL SCHOOL
-6’ SEA LEVEL

COMPACTED
FLOOD WALL
EMBANKMENT
CLAY CAP

TOP FINISH EXISTING BULKHEAD SLURRY WALL

CONCRETE SLAB BATTERY PARK
UNDERPASS
PIER FOUNDATION

RESTAURANT
REVERSED
AQUARIUM
MUSEUM
HARBOR BERM - THE REVERSE AQUARIUM AND HARBOR MIDDLE SCHOOL
NEW LANDING FOR
THE STATUE OF LIBERTY
FERRY
120'-0" 30'-0" 56'-0" 49'-0"

WATER NEW MUSEUM BATTERY BERM

 THE BRIDGING BERM - EAST RIVER PARK NEW TOPOGRAPHY AND VISTAS

COMPARTMENT 1 (C1)

L.E.S. NORTH - EAST RIVER PARK

FROM EAST 23RD STREET TO MONTGOMERY ST.

10TH STREET HARBOR BATH

The northern compartment protects a deep floodplain containing a large residential

community bounded to the east by the FDR drive. Beyond the FDR, bordering the
water, lies East River Park. A protective berm, easily accommodated by the relatively
wide park, will shield the residential area from floods; New pedestrian bridges will
connect the now-isolated park to the community.

The compartment connects to Hospital Row at 23rd Street with a deployable barrier.
Under the FDR Drive at Peter Cooper Village, a series of pavilions are placed. At
the land-side, these can be programmed with the commercial functions and other
amenities the area now lacks. On the water side, they can be programmed with
EXISTING - EAST RIVER PARK AND FDR BRIDGING BERM ALONG FDR LONG TERM - COVERED FDR, NEW TRANSIT OPTIONS FOR THE L.E.S.!
recreational amenities that enhance the adjacent park. Between the pavilions,
deployables maintain the relationship with the waterfront. Around the Con-Ed
plant, a new flyover with an integrated levee provides a link between sections of the
waterfront.

At East River Park, an undulating berm at the location of the existing service road
provides flood protection. Shaped so that the existing sports fields are maintained,
the berm provides topographic relief and new vistas for the back of the park. New
landscape also increases the resiliency of the park through more diverse, salt-
tolerant trees and plantings. Generous landscaped bridges connect East River
Park to the community, enhancing existing bridges and adding additional bridges
between major streets. Generous ADA accessible ramps bring visitors gently down
into the park from atop the bridges, where plazas make connections to a new, scenic
bikeway and out to the water for a series of new waterfront programs. The flood
protection continues to Montgomery St. by fortifying the new Pier 42 Park, where a
deployable will help maintain the on-ramp to the FDR Drive.

The flood protection in L.E.S. North - East River Park protects $780,000,000 in
potential damages (NPV). With a design height of 15ft, the system has a benefit
cost ratio of 2.08.
FLIP DOWN DEPLOYABLE PANELS AS ART! - TWO BRIDGES FLIP DOWN DEPLOYABLE PANELS - THE STORM
COMPARTMENT 2 (C2)

TWO BRIDGES - CHINATOWN

FROM MONTGOMERY TO THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE

ALTERNATIVE USES - FLIP DOWN WINTER MARKET!

At Two bridges, the relative lack of space between the residential areas and
the waterfront favors a mixed flood-protection strategy. Limited-height flood
protection shields the area against most recurrent floods while allowing for views to
the waterfront. This is complemented by systematic measures to raise generators,
etc., in a so-called ‘wet-feet’ (building waterproofing) strategy that will allow the
community to deal with the much rarer, bigger flood. The BIG Team has given special
attention to ensuring that the resiliency measures add much-needed amenities for
public housing.

Moving south from Montgomery Street, in front of the Pier 36 Sanitation Department THE BIG BENCH LOCAL PROGRAM - A PLATFORM FOR TAI CHI! THE BIG BENCH - DAILY RECREATION THE BIG BENCH - SWIMMING POOL
facility, deployables will be attached to the underside of the FDR Drive. These
deploybables, in part a public art project, are designed so as to provide lighting and
security in these now-dark spaces. Opposite the Smith Houses, this flood protection
gives way to a system of benches, skate parks, tai-chi platforms and a pool, the
latter enclosed in glass from 4 feet up. The flood protection enlivens the Smith
Houses’ waterfront and provides recreational amenities such as laundromats,
shops, and spaces for community functions. One of the ground floors is fortified
and will house a Co-Gen plant serving the entire campus. A new public housing
project compensates for the evacuated apartments.

As a final possibility, the team has also looked at the potential for The Elastic Berm:
a gently raised landscape element winding its way through open space upland,
simultaneously protecting the area while protecting views to the water and providing
new amenities for the NYCHA campuses. Each of the options for Two Bridges –
Chinatown have different benefits, and choices will need to be developed through
continued in-depth discussion with the community.

The flood protection in Two Bridges - Chinatown protects $237,000,000 in potential

damages (NPV). With a design height of 10 ft, the system has a Benefit Cost Ratio
THE BATTERY BERMS SOUTH STREET PROGRAMMED PAVILIONS
of 1.02.

COMPARTMENT 3 (C3)

BATTERY - FINANCIAL DISTRICT

FROM THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE TO THE BATTERY

FLYOVER PLAZA FOR THE BATTERY MARITIME BUILDING

The unifying theme in compartment C3 is the enhancement of the tourist

infrastructure in Lower Manhattan. A sequence of attractive urban spaces on the
waterfront will protect the city while serving and pleasing the millions of visitors
and thousands of workers in the area.

Berms in the Battery, strategically located so as to protect the ducts of the

infrastructure below, create a continuous protective upland landscape. In place
of the Coast Guard building, the plan envisions a new building programmed as a
HARBOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND MUSEUM THE REVERSE AQUARIUM
maritime museum or environmental education facility. This signature building
features a “Reverse Aquarium”; its form is derived from the flood protection at the
water-facing ground floor, as well as a new Harbor Middle School. Continuing east,
a floodwall connects through the Staten Island Ferry building and aligns with the
FDR Drive at the Battery Maritime Building (BMB). An elevated plaza brings the
surroundings level with the monumental mezzanine floor of the BMB. This plaza
connects to an elevated bikeway and footpath, which in turn connects to a series of
pavilions which provide flood protection in conjunction with deployables that swing
down from the underside of the FDR Drive.

The flood protection in the Financial District protects $1,900,000,000 in potential

damages (NPV), including the critical infrastructure underneath. With a design
height of 15ft, the system has a benefit cost ratio greater than 5.0.