To respond to the socio-economic and environmental vulnerabilities that affect the South End in Bridgeport, our project calls into question the uncertainties for the diversity and biodiversity of the city in the wake of urban flooding and deindustrialization.
Assessments of risk, such as the flood zone that bisects our site, obstruct investment for Bridgeport’s residents, while the heavy pollution from energy production has damaged surrounding marine life and resident health outcomes. Through our own assessment of these risks, we understand that water is not static as the excessive impervious surfaces imply.
As an alternative to the development of an intended new high school in an area with high flood-risk, we open an estuary on an underutilized parking lot. The new architecture occupies only a thin layer, providing controlled spaces to grow and prepare fresh food and educate students on environmental issues, while wildlife is allowed to inhabit the uncontrolled exterior surfaces of the roofs, walls, and undercrofts. The vital kitchens float on barges, evolving continuously based on the water line as they provide their service to students and residents alike, while holding the potential to be mobilized to emergency sites in the event of a disaster.
