jie han’s living with water installation
With sea levels along the San Francisco Bay projected to rise dramatically in the coming decades, the question of how to translate this threat into a tangible experience becomes critical. Landscape designer Jie Han explores this challenge with a visionary installation, Living with Water. Rather than resisting or concealing water, the project embraces it as an active participant in daily life, proposing floating architecture that adapts to shifting landscapes in the future. The intervention is a powerful demonstration of Jie Han’s belief that we can design a future where people not only survive but live meaningfully with water.
Jie Han’s Living with Water study area focused on the Richmond coastline in San Francisco
hypernature architecture embraces rising water levels
The design for Jie Han’s Living with Water installation is guided by the principle of ‘hypernature’, a concept that intentionally amplifies natural processes. Along the Richmond shoreline, tides fluctuate by several feet each day. Han’s design amplifies these movements through spatial and ecological design, transforming an abstract concept into a visceral, embodied experience. The centerpiece of the design is a dome with a diameter of 23 feet, anchored to the bay floor. Its interior floor, however, floats with the water surface. At low tide, visitors can stand comfortably, but as the tide rises, the floating floor lifts, compressing the space. At high tide, a standing body can no longer be accommodated, translating the daily tidal rhythm into a direct physical experience.
the scalable prototype shows a future where people not only survive but live meaningfully with water
This prototype is scalable, with larger domes designed for community gatherings and smaller ones for more intimate activities. The network of domes and bridges establishes a new vernacular of floating architecture, integrating social function with ecological performance. Vegetation plays a crucial role in this dynamic. Terrestrial plants root in higher zones, while aquatic plants grow from submerged soils. As sea levels rise over time, the terrestrial plants will be eliminated, allowing aquatic vegetation to overtake the structure. This living transformation further emphasizes the domes as a reflection of rising seas.
The project proposes a cultural adaptation that embraces water as a central design medium, offering a replicable model for coastal cities worldwide and demonstrating how thoughtful design can transform environmental challenges into opportunities for connection and adaptation.
low tide scenario allows full access to the dome
average tide scenario enables access but space is limited
high tide scenario restricts access
the dome would become fully submerged with future sea-level rises
prototype plan for the Living with Water concept
the architecture plan in different sea-level scenarios
the scalable masterplan
plant selection for the architecture
project info:
designer: Jie Han
name: Living with Water
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