Xingyue Cathy Sun + Wanrongmiao Mila Zhang

By 2140, New York has suffered from two pulses of sea level rise. New York has become a city half-submerged in water. But even in the post-flood period, New York ’s rules of survival seemed not changed much as before. The gap between rich people and poor people in the society is still wide. But the intertidal zone, between the permanently flooded Lower Manhattan and the dry land, is the place where new rules of survival are bred. In this part of New York, the buildings have been destroyed by the wave action and submerged under the water, leaving open space. And then new hope arises in here.

In past times, when people lived in watery cities, they moved around the city by boats. In 2140, the maturity of technology has enabled people to have more convenient "boats." That is the movable floating island. These floating islands have different functions and are equipped with facilities to allow them to move on the water. Their materials are relatively cheap and the technology requirements are low, so they are the best choice for affordable housing. The islands create their own circular economy of housing, energy generation, and food production. They also allow the continuation of the old New York style as buildings can be moved or reconstructed on the islands. New York has become new Venice in 2140.