Developing port areas in ways that are not only environmentally sustainable but also proactive about climate change has been one of the goals of Nautilus' SW Brooklyn Waterfront Study for The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey.
See more about the project…
In response to increasing demands for floating structures in the harbor to support water-borne transportation, such as expanded ferry networks, the Floating Structures Pilot Project conducted valuable scientific research about the environmental effects of nearshore floating structures on the aquatic habitat and hydrodynamics in New York and New Jersey's harbor. Multi-year research, led by Nautilus International with a distinguished team of scientists, focused on two topics: 1) fish utilization and response to floating structures and 2) the effects of floating structures on hydrodynamics and sediment transport. The study is the first of its kind in this estuary and utilized both new technology and innovative data analysis tools. Key findings summarized in the Floating Structures Pilot Project Summary Report will help build a body of knowledge to inform decisions about design and placement of these structures in New York Harbor.
In Phase 1 of Dredged Materials & Climate Change Pilot Project, the pilot analyzed state-of-the-art technologies for a range of possible climate change applications in a variety of locations including off-shore, within the inter-tidal zone, at the shoreline, and on-shore.
New York City stands at a threshold of critical decisions needed to realize long-term policies within post-Hurricane Sandy realities, and profound changes in land and water uses are underway along its over 520-mile waterfront. Nautilus' President, Bonnie A. Harken, AIA, APA moderated a panel discussion, "Post-Sandy Waterfront Planning in New York City: What's Happening?", at the APA NY Metro Chapter's annual conference, "Shaping the New York Metropolitan Region: Planning Innovations and Disruptors".
The session framed the primary policy documents guiding the City's waterfront development and how they fit together. It focussed on the complex work of implementing them both in terms of tasks called out in the documents and, more broadly, as expressions of the City's views on waterfront development in an environment of rising seas and growing populations. Nautilus' President, Bonnie A. Harken, AIA, APA moderated the discussion. Speakers included Michael L. Marrella, AICP, Director, Waterfront and Open Space Division, NYC Department of City Planning; Carrie Grassi, Deputy Director for Planning, NYC Mayor's Office of Recovery and Resiliency; and Stephen Whitehouse, RLA, AICP, LEED AP, Principal, Starr Whitehouse.
Planning for coastal resiliency in New York City has taken on new significance and urgency in light of the impacts on other cities from Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. At "New York's Next Hurricane: A Progress Report on Planning for Coastal Resilience," speakers from New York City and State's public agencies responsible for waterfront planning presented up-to-date progress since Superstorm Sandy, described efforts currently underway, and explored what needs to be addressed before New York's next hurricane. The panel was moderated by Nautilus' President, Bonnie A. Harken, AIA and was part of the American Planning Association's NY Metro Chapter's annual conference in 2017. The discussion considered if there are insights from New York's experiences with rebuilding and recovery that may be of value to the cities affected by this season's hurricanes.
"Connecting the Dots: NYC's Ferry Expansion and What It Means for Waterfront Communities," a discussion on New York City's $55M ferry service expansion, brought together a diverse panel to discuss five new ferry routes announced by the City as an important initiative to provide new transit options to underserved areas and to complement plans for additional jobs and housing on the waterfront. Nautilus' President, Bonnie A. Harken, AIA spoke on ferries in other port cities around the world and their role in waterfront revitalization. The program not only described the ferry expansion plan and process for its development, as of June 2016, but also fostered a dialogue on how the plan will impact waterfronts, communities and transportation in the region. Its hosts, the Waterfront and Transportation Committees of the New York Metro Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA-NYM), intended the event to contribute meaningfully to the planning process and public discourse regarding the City's efforts to connect its waterfront communities and parks.
Harbors have inspired artists throughout history and their works capture the stories of famous maritime scenes and places. "Forgotten Harbor, Found in Art" explored places in New York Harbor that tell the history of our working waterfronts through public art. Nautilus' President, Bonnie A. Harken, AIA spoke about public art and the innovative program at Battery Park City, which redefined the role of the artist as a collaborator with architects and landscape architects in the design of public spaces. Ms. Harken was project manager for over a dozen urban design and architectural projects at Battery Park City, including overseeing the master planning when she helped coordinate the open space plan with the public arts program at Alexander Cooper & Partners. Ms. Harken is a Board member of the Working Harbor Committee, which created this unique Hidden Harbor® boat tour to launch their 2016 series.
"Times Square, 1984: The Postmodern Moment" reassembled 20 entries from the alternative 'ideas competition' that helped alter the trajectory of plans for Times Square. Among the drawings selected from over 500 entries was "Normandie Rediscovered, To Be Erected in Times Square as Part of Redevelopment" by Nautilus' President, Bonnie A. Harken, AIA in collaboration with Rick Bell, FAIA and Roger Finney. Read more…
Nautilus spoke at Stockholm World Water Week on "Putting Green Growth into Practice" at a seminar on the water-energy nexus in the context of new growth paradigms to ensure sustainability. Nautilus' Marcia Brewster described water management in Gujarat, one of the most water scare regions in India, where a mixture of policy and infrastructure initiatives over the last 10-15 years has resulted in major economic progress. The seminar is convened by Nautilus' clients, the World Water Council and Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-Water), and co-convened by Asian Development Bank (ADB), International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and World Bank.
New York City's waterfront housing and residential neighborhoods are being dramatically re-envisioned in a post-Sandy world. Nautilus' President, Bonnie Harken, moderated a panel discussion on "Waterfront Housing in a Post-Sandy World" to explore how New Yorkers can live safely and continue to enjoy their densely populated and renowned waterfront. Architects working on some of the City's major residential developments on the waterfront presented their plans and described how they are rethinking them to respect our changing environment. Presentations were followed by a panel discussion with leading waterfront architects and planners. The program and reception took place in March 2014 at the Center for Architecture. Click here to read an article about the event in e-Oculus.
Coastal Climate Resilience: Strategies and Scenarios for Urban Waterfronts, moderated and organized by Nautilus' President, Bonnie A. Harken, was the first public presentation of the results of a year-long study, Urban Waterfront Adaptive Strategies: Coastal Climate Resilience, by the New York City Department of City Planning. The audience also heard about Mayor Bloomberg's plan, A Stronger, More Resilient New York, and how the Special Initiative on Rebuilding and Resiliency (SIRR) builds off Urban Waterfront Adaptive Strategies to develop a multi-layered plan to protect the city from coastal storms and climate change. Read more…
Waterfront cities everywhere are facing the challenge of how to adapt to the dynamic and unpredictable patterns of climate change while at the same time working to address its causes. Nautilus' President, Bonnie A. Harken, AIA, APA spoke about "Keeping Pace with Climate Change: Resiliency Strategies for the 21st Century and Beyond" as part of a panel during a day-long conference sponsored by the American Planning Association's NY Metro Chapter and ASLA's NY Chapter.
"Mobilidade+Água" (Mobility+Water). To complement Rio+20, the United Nations conference celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Earth Summit, Ms. Harken, who grew up in Brazil and Asia, spoke about how waterborne transportation contributes to the life of port cities and their citizens. Columbia University's Studio X and ITDP Brasil (Institute for Transportation and Development Policy) hosted this dynamic panel followed by a debate.
Learn about "Institutional Frameworks & Master Planning: Battery Park City" during a webinar on global waterfront development sponsored by the World Bank's South Asia Sustainable Development Unit. Bonnie A. Harken, AIA speaks about Battery Park City, which has become a model for profitable waterfront redevelopment around the world (Segment II) and answers questions (Segment III) from international practitioners. Early in her career, as Project Manager for Alexander Cooper + Partners, Ms. Harken led the master planning team for the north area of Battery Park City as well as completing 10 other architectural and urban design projects there. Please see the webinar at http://siteresources.worldbank.org.
Our President, Bonnie A. Harken, AIA delivered the keynote address to the Korea Environment Institute's International Water Symposium on "Waterfront Revitalization: Enriching the Quality of Urban Life." Nautilus helped the World Water Council and their partner, the Republic of Korea, develop a policy framework for Water and Green Growth, a year-long project about the role of water in environmentally sustainable, low-carbon, socially inclusive paths to economic development. The symposium was co-hosted by the Republic of Korea's National Research Council for Economics, Humanities and Social Sciences and sponsored by the Ministry of Environment.
News & Events Archive > >
Publications & Articles > >
Professional Activities > >
Industry Recognition > >