Shifting Sediments: Inhabiting the Land, the Sea and the Space In-Between

Abstract

The coastline is a dynamic edge between land and sea ruled by natural forces and illustrated through material processes of erosion, accretion, and deposition. As our climate warms, increasing storm conditions and sea levels, these natural forces accelerate. Growth and destruction are inevitable aspects of various actors and habitat formations, situated within the interconnected systems of air, earth, and water. The thesis examines the potential the ruin has for housing new life and supporting new ways of living. Prince Edward Island is explored as a case study of how to shift our perspective, embracing the ocean as an instigator of opportunity. Three locations along the edge are investigated exploring various material and programmatic relationships that can be utilized as a layered strategy - becoming a catalyst for new life. A temporal architecture that is both measure and armature is implemented as an infrastructural approach aimed to adapt to inevitable uncertainty.