The Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay is pleased to announce that, in partnership with the Waterfront Alliance, the Institute has been awarded a Rockefeller Foundation grant to evaluate the Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines (WEDG) program.
Released in 2015, WEDG is a tool for design professionals, regulators, developers, and community members to build and advocate for better urban waterfront. As the Waterfront Alliance expands and refines the WEDG program in 2017, the Institute will be convening and coordinating a Technical Work Group comprised of SRIJB-affiliated researchers to evaluate the WEDG 1.0 and provide critical feedback on the guidelines and credit system.
The Institute-led Technical Work Group will be leading several “deep dives” into specific credit or topic areas, drawing on Jamaica Bay for inspiration and ground-truthing. Revised and improved guidelines and scorecards will be released in early 2018, with both local and national outreach strategies.
“Designing our coastlines to anticipate current and future climate conditions is an essential component to increasing resiliency,” said Adam Parris, executive director of the Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay. “The Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay is excited to partner with the Waterfront Alliance to provide critical technical guidance to inform the next iteration of the Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines.”
“We are thrilled to partner with the Science and Resilience Institute to help us revise and strengthen our Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines,” said Roland Lewis, President and CEO of the Waterfront Alliance. “Through the Institute and its eight constituent leading academic institutions we will not only harvest the best science and design ideas to improve WEDG but also make this potent tool simpler and more accessible to help communities promote access, resilience, and ecological health at the water’s edge.”
The Institute is grateful for the continued generous support from the Rockefeller Foundation, and their commitment to supporting resilient communities, here in New York City and across the world.
Article Written by Jessica Fain.
