ZUS / New Meadowlands

In 2014 the MIT, CAU, ZUS & Urbanisten team, in collaboration with Deltares, 75B and VolkerInfra, won the Rebuild by Design competition with their proposal New Meadowlands.

The winning design proposal protects a unique area of approximately thirty square miles in the New York-New Jersey Metropolitan Region against future flood events. The comprehensive regional project addresses issues of ecology, economy, transportation and real estate development. The team proposes a grouping of resiliency districts at the edges of the flood zones of the metro area of New York-New Jersey. Each resiliency district will have its own layered approach that combines emergency infrastructure, evacuation capacity, ecological protection/absorption landscape infrastructure; as well as a development mix of light manufacturing/warehousing with residential.

The Meadowpark

The Meadowpark is a large natural reserve which will offer flood protection. It connects and expands marshland restoration efforts by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission, and makes it accessible. Around and across the Meadowpark the team proposes an intricate system of berms and marshes. These protect against ocean surges, and collect rainfall, reducing sewer overflows in adjacent towns. The Meadowpark adds value to surrounding development through its views and recreational offerings.

Source: Rebuild by Design.