To confront with the sea level rising of New York, Tingwei Xu and Xie Zhang
from the University of Pennsylvania designed an idea for protecting
certain areas against water by wearing a "membrane’. Deriving from the intelligent components, we created a surface system that can reveal a continually changing expression. The transforming surface
can combine the multiple functions such as waterproof, lighting and
agricultural planting. Rather than a traditional hierarchy design
thinking, each component on the surface has equal essentiality. It is a
irreducible integrity.
As the surface serves as a waterproof for the buildings, in turn, the
building provides structure support to the surface. To blur the
boundary, the surface seamlessly dissolves the old and rigid layer
system of the buildings. Thus, the space between the old building and
the new surface is totally fluid. Then, all sufaces form a new lattice
system on the site. Finally, the system simultaneously evolves into an
unprecedented ecological area in New York.
-> New issue: "eVolo 04 - Re-imagining the Contemporary Museum, Exhibition & Performance Space"
Источник: http://www.evolo.us/architecture/architectural-membrane-for-new-york-when-sea-level-rises/ | 
