In 2012 Hurricane Sandy caused widespread lasting trauma in the New York region. In the decade since coastal communities have taken steps to adapt to climate change and avoid future devastation.
Living Breakwaters, winner of the 2023 OBEL AWARD, is a nature-based infrastructure designed to reduce risk by attenuating wave energy and lessening coastal erosion, enhance ecosystems by restoring aquatic habitat including oyster reefs, and foster social resilience through stewardship.
The project embodies a new perspective on ecological infrastructure and climate activism through proactive adaptation.