Sumi Kim, Yeon Lee This project reframes flooding in Coney Island Creek not as a simple rise in water level, but as a mechanism that activates and distributes contamination. During heavy rainfall, combined sewer overflow releases untreated sewage into the creek, while industrial residues and an abandoned shipwreck introduce pollutants over time. Together, these conditions form a continuous cycle of accumulation and ecological contamination through sediment, shellfish, and bird species.
Rather than removing the shipwreck, the project preserves it as a visible marker of systemic neglect and responds through an integrated architectural and infrastructural strategy. A distributed system collects, filters, and redirects contaminated water while supporting ecological remediation and public engagement.
Technical systems target pollutants beyond natural filtration, while ecological interventions restore habitats and stabilize the environment. Together, these strategies interrupt the pollution cycle and reposition the creek as an active site of repair, monitoring, and education.
