Danish firm BIG has developed a proposal to protect a creek in San Francisco Bay from flooding caused by climate change, which includes building floating villages connected by ferries, a red-hued cycle route, and a highway for autonomous vehicles.
BIG developed the scheme with One Architecture + Urbanism (ONE) and Sherwood Design Engineers (Sherwood) as part of Resilient by Design's Bay Area Challenge ? a contest that calls for ideas to protect the city's coastal areas from rising sea levels and flooding caused by the warming global climate, as well as earthquakes.
As one of the 10 winning groups selected to develop proposals for different areas in the Bay, the BIG + ONE + Sherwood team were tasked to address the problems in Islais Creek, which wraps an inlet of water cutting into land in southern San Francisco.
Strategies include introducing a new bus transit loop and adapting Highway 101 ? a major route through the city ? to make it suitable for autonomous vehicles and public transport. High-rise warehouses would also be built on land for offices and are shown in renderings to feature stepped roofs topped by gardens.
A nature pathway called the E-trail would follow the waterfront and allow residents to travel on foot or bicycle. The path would feature brightly covered flooring in a mix of blues and reds, viewing towers, trees and benches.
BIG + ONE + Sherwood were announced as a winning team in the Bay Area Challenge late last year. Other winners include a group co...