About this Event
As Miami faces rising seas and stronger storms, designers are re-imagining the city’s relationship with water. This session brings together three complementary frameworks, including Buoyant City, Salty Urbanism, and The Coastline. While grounded in the hard science of climate impacts and honest about the challenges ahead, the conversation is positive and hopeful. It explores how adaptation can inspire new architectural, ecological, and civic forms, demonstrating that resilience is not only about protection but also about creativity, identity, and connection.
Speakers
Allan Shulman, FAIA, LEED AP - Principal, Shulman + Associates and Professor, University of Miami School of Architecture
Buoyant City: This framework argues that historic preservation must be redeployed as an active, adaptive tool rather than a static restriction. It calls for Miami Beach’s historic districts to "evolve to survive" byallowing new layers of urban fabric to grow from within existing neighborhoods. The guidelines provide a pragmatic roadmap for rehabilitating and elevating structures to ensure these districts withstand the next 60 years of rising waters.
Jeffrey Huber, FAIA, ASLA, NCARB, LEED AP – Principal + Director of Urban Design & Landscape Architecture, Brooks + Scarpa; Director, FAU School of Architecture
Salty Urbanism: Based on Huber’s Salty Urbanism: A Design Manual for Urban Adaptation, this framework investigates coastal and ecological systems as drivers of design. It proposes layered landscapes and infrastructure that shift the focus from "defending" against water to "reconciling" with it. By integrating ecosystem services into the urban fabric, Salty Urbanism envisions a future where the city functions with saturated landscapes rather than resisting them.
Aaron DeMayo, AICP, Assoc. AIA, WEDG, – Founder, Future Vision Studios; Chair, City of Miami Climate Resilience Committee
The Coastline: This strategy proposes completing a continuous regional coastal defense system that functions as a green corridor. By providing physical protection against storm surge and sea level rise, it secures the stability required for long-term adaptation. This defense affords municipalities the safety and time to navigate complex future transitions, such as zoning updates or managed retreat.
RSVP includes access to the museum. Parking in the museum garage is $18.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Pérez Art Museum Miami, 1103 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, United States
USD 0.00
