City on the Loop Kev Siv Sib Xyaw by Ruxuan Zheng

City on the Loop Kev Siv Sib Xyaw by Ruxuan Zheng is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Nyiaj in Tsim Kev Npaj Nroog thiab Kev Tsim Nroog Competition Category.

NyiajKev Npaj Nroog· 2026

City on the Loop Kev Siv Sib Xyaw

by Ruxuan Zheng

Client: Ruxuan Zheng

A' Design Award Nyiaj Winner in Kev Npaj Nroog Category

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Verified Award Winner

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Colors

The Design

About City on the Loop Kev Siv Sib Xyaw

City on the Loop rov xav txog ib ntug hiavtxwv uas raug dej nyab tau yooj yim hauv Brooklyn los ua ib qhov ntug nroog txuas mus ntxiv uas hloov tau raws li dej hiavtxwv nce siab. Tsim rau saum cov vaj tse txheej txheem uas twb muaj lawm, qhov kev tsim no coj los muaj vaj tsev nyob siab, tsheb ciav hlau sib, thiab cov kev pab pej xeem uas tiv taus dej nyab hauv peb theem. Ib qho kev hloov maj mam ntawm av mus rau hiavtxwv hloov cov ciam teb tawv, ua rau kev tsim vaj tsev, ecology, thiab lub neej zej zog sib cuam tshuam tau. Lub loop ua haujlwm ua ib lub qauv chaw thiab ib lub tshuab hloov tau, hloov zuj zus nrog kev hloov ntawm ib puag ncig thiab muab ib lub hauv paus rau kev tswj hwm ntse thiab teb rau huab cua yav tom ntej.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Nyiaj

City on the Loop Kev Siv Sib Xyaw yog tus yeej ntawm A' Design Award Nyiaj, ib qho kev lees paub muaj meej mom heev tshaj li qub uas muab rau cov qauv tsim qib siab, zoo nkauj thiab ua rau neeg xav tsis thoob. Cov neeg yeej Nyiaj yog cov haujlwm ci ntsa iab heev thiab tsim tshiab heev uas qhia txog kev paub, kev txawj ntse thiab kev ntse ntawm cov kws tsim qauv. City on the Loop Kev Siv Sib Xyaw xav tias yuav yog ib qho haujlwm zoo kawg nkaus uas tsim rau qhia, tshaj lij heev thiab tsim tshiab tob. Cov qauv tsim yeej A' Design Award Nyiaj no yog ib qho khoom tsim uas pom tseeb heev thiab neeg qhuas uas pab tau thiab nthuav dav ciam teb ntawm kev kos duab, kev tshawb fawb, kev tsim qauv thiab thev naus laus zis. City on the Loop Kev Siv Sib Xyaw yog ib qho khoom tsim uas neeg coob xav tau, uas ua rau xav, coj kev xav zoo thiab ua rau xav tsis thoob thiab xav paub.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: City on the Loop reimagines Canarsie Pier as a dynamic coastal system that adapts to rising sea levels. Through a phased loop structure built along a land–sea gradient, the project integrates housing, infrastructure, and ecology into a resilient urban edge. It transforms the shoreline from a barrier into a platform for coexistence, with future potential for AI-assisted adaptation and growth.
Dimensions & Packaging: The design was developed through phased urban modeling, sectional prototyping, and spatial iteration to explore adaptive growth along coastal gradients. Ecological, social, and infrastructural systems were layered using loop-based logic, allowing the project to evolve as both a physical structure and a future-responsive framework.
Tags: Architecture; Urban Design; Coastal Resilience; Housing; Ecological Systems; New York City
Production Technology: This design was developed through iterative digital modeling, combining GIS mapping, ecological data, and layered analysis of coastal conditions. Renderings and animations were produced using 3D visualization tools to simulate the gradient between land and sea. The process emphasized feedback loops—testing urban form against resilience, housing demand, and public accessibility.
Design Challenge: The hardest part was reconciling ecological resilience with urban density. Historically, the site has been cut off by the Belt Parkway; socially, the community faces limited waterfront access. Externally, sea-level projections and flood laws required strict compliance, while production constraints limited material choices. Information gaps on long-term climate data challenged our modeling. Overcoming these, we created a looped edge that balances housing, ecology, and public life.
Research: This is applied design research aimed at rethinking coastal urban edges. The objective was to create housing integrated with resilient infrastructure. Methodology combined GIS mapping, site surveys, 3D simulations, and projected sea-level rise and flood data. Results show a looped edge that strengthens housing, ecology, and access. Insights suggest design can influence real estate, community life, and climate adaptation.
Inspiration: Inspired by the contradictions of the Belt Parkway—both connective and divisive—this project explores how infrastructure can shift from separation to integration. It draws from tidal landscapes, looped mobility, and phased urbanism to envision a future where architecture mediates between ecological forces, human needs, and evolving coastlines.
Project Duration: The project started in September 2019 in New York as an academic studio research in Syracuse University. It has been continuously refined and expanded through independent work until June 2025, when it was exhibited at the UTOPIA exhibition.
Operation Flow: The design works like a continuous walkway that rises above the highway and bends along the shoreline. As people move through it, the structure shifts from housing to public spaces to green wetlands. Key moments include crossing the elevated loop, stepping down to the water, and meeting open plazas. By blending living, nature, and access, it turns a barrier into a shared edge, making the coast safer, more open, and more resilient for everyday use.
Team Members: Ruxuan Zheng