Boston

SEA

CHANGE

It is projected that sea levels will rise 2 feet by mid-century and 6 feet by 2100. This new tideline will transform our coast. Sea Change: Boston examines the city’s vulnerabilities to sea level rise and demonstrates design strategies for resilience. Curated by Sasaki Associates in partnership with the Boston Architectural College, the City of Boston, and The Boston Harbor Association, this exhibition has become the framework for a larger conversation regarding planning and design for resilience in the Greater Boston area.

Sea Level Rise Explained

Global sea levels have fluctuated for thousands of years.

Tectonic conditions and climatic cycles have caused vacilating ocean levels. But because of current climate change, the rate of change has accelerated dramatically.

There is general consensus among scientists regarding the projections for global sea level rise; however, glacial melt rates are still largely unknown. If warming global temperatures continue to melt our major glaciers, this will have an additional—and catastrophic—impact on our coastlines beyond current sea level rise projections.

Global sea levels are projected to rise 1–2 feet by 2050 and 3–6 feet by 2100.

Projections for sea level rise vary regionally due to local geologic conditions. The Northeast is especially vulnerable to sea level rise with observed rates 3-4 times higher than the global average. In addition to the global projections, the warming of the Gulf Stream could add 6–9 inches of sea level rise by 2100.

In Boston, sea level rise is already occuring. Over the past century, the relative sea level rise in Boston has been 12 inches. Of that total, 4 inches is due to land subsidence.

 BOSTON HARBOR HAS EVOLVED SINCE THE ICE AGES 

 Cause of Sea Level Rise 

Land Subsidence

Warming Waters

Glacial Melting

GLOBAL SEA LEVELS ARE PROJECTED TO RISE 1—2 FEET BY 2050 and 3—6 FEET BY 2100.

The Perfect Storm

The Boston region is no stranger to devastating storms.

Although Boston is sheltered geographically by Cape Cod and the Harbor Islands, the city has experienced several major hurricanes and Nor’easters. These storms bring severe winds, massive amounts of precipitation, and extreme storm surge which, combined, cause immense damage. Due to rising sea levels and the increased frequency and intensity of storms, Boston is more vulnerable than ever.

Storm impacts will be intensified as sea levels rise.

Due to climate change, storm events are predicted to occur more frequently and with greater intensity. When storms are coupled with elevated sea levels, impacts will be exacerbated. If a major storm were to hit Boston during high tide, the region could experience impacts similar to those in New York  and New Jersey during Hurricane Sandy.

 TIDE HEIGHT COULD BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A STORM AND A DISASTER 

BOSTON HAS A HISTORY OF DEVASTATING STORMS

Historic Hurricane Intensity & Damage in New England

WHAT’S AT RISK?

Our neighborhoods and cultural icons are at risk.

Rising water levels and storm surge will hit close to home, quite literally. Nearly 200,000 residents live in homes at risk of flooding. Entire neighborhoods like East Boston and Back Bay are vulnerable—as are landmarks like Fenway Park. Losing homes, neighborhoods, and cultural assets will threaten our sense of security and our unique identity—and impact tax revenue for the cities of Metropolitan Boston.

Sea level rise will have a ripple effect within and beyond Boston.

Sea level rise and storm-related flooding in the Boston Metropolitan area will have an impact well beyond the boundaries of the flood zone. A major flood will place many key facilities, infrastructure networks, and economies at risk. The resulting impacts will ripple across multiple scales from the city to the state, and even the entire northeast region.

Explore Impact areas when Sea Level Rises

Tough Questions

We need to weigh the costs and benefits of all our options. 

In the face of rising waters and increased stormrelated flooding, communities will have to decide what to do with their flood-prone areas. Continually repairing storm damages and providing services to these vulnerable neighborhoods demands significant government resources. For these areas, cities have three major options to consider: keep water out, adapt to live with water, or move to higher ground. Unfortunately, there are no clear answers when it comes to these options—they all have pros and significant cons.

Storm barriers can be effective, but at a great cost.

To protect the Boston Metropolitan Region from increased storm flooding, one strategy is to construct a storm barrier within Boston Harbor. Storm barriers cannot protect the city from permanent sea level rise, but they can be effective in protecting key areas during a major storm. Unfortunately, storm barriers can be expensive and time intensive, and can have negative impacts on the local ecology. With both significant pros and cons, building a barrier would require a rigorous cost-benefit analysis.

 What are the options?  

1

FORTIFY

(KEEP WATER OUT)

2

ADAPT

(LIVE WITH WATER)

3

RETREAT

(MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND)

1

FORTIFY

(KEEP WATER OUT)

2

ADAPT

(LIVE WITH WATER)

3

RETREAT

(MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND)

DESIGN

Strategies

We need to design for rising seas at multiple scales.

From floating apartment buildings to floodable parks, designers and engineers around the world are imagining and constructing resilient solutions to rising sea levels. Flexability and adaptability are at the core of resilient design. This thinking will allow our buildings and infrastructure to bounce back from a storm or adjust to rising tides.

Boston is home to several examples of resilient design in anticipation of sea level rise, including the Deer Island Waste Water Treatment Plant, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, and the Boston Architectural College’s “green alley.”

But our city and region are still vulnerable.

The strategies and case studies exhibited here illustrate an array of tangible solutions for how the Boston region can protect its edge while introducing greater vibrancy, connectivity, and economic opportunities along the water. Layered together, all of these strategies provide more holistic opportunities for protection.

Setting the Bar: Boston, Amsterdam, maasbommel, Brooklyn