City on the Loop 복합 용도 by Ruxuan Zheng is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award 은상 in 도시 계획 및 도시 디자인 Competition Category.

은도시 계획· 2026

City on the Loop 복합 용도

by Ruxuan Zheng

Client: Ruxuan Zheng

A' Design Award 은상 Winner in 도시 계획 Category

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The Design

About City on the Loop 복합 용도

시티 온 더 루프(City on the Loop)는 브루클린의 침수 취약 해안선을 해수면 상승에 적응하는 연속적인 도시 경계부로 재해석한다. 기존 인프라 위에 조성되는 이 설계는 고상식 주거, 경전철, 홍수 대응형 공공 프로그램을 3단계에 걸쳐 도입한다. 육지와 바다 사이의 점진적 전이 구간이 경직된 경계를 대체하여 건축과 생태, 지역 공동체의 삶이 서로 교류할 수 있도록 한다. 루프는 공간 구조인 동시에 적응형 시스템으로 작동하며, 환경 변화에 따라 진화하고 미래의 지능적이며 기후 대응적인 거버넌스를 위한 틀을 제시한다.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 은상

City on the Loop 복합 용도, 이 작품은 A' Design Award 은상 수상작으로, 최상급이며 아름답고 인상적인 디자인에 수여되는 비범하게 권위 있는 인정입니다. 은상 수상작은 대단히 뛰어나고 매우 창의적인 작품으로, 디자이너의 탁월한 전문 지식, 재능, 통찰력을 보여 줍니다. City on the Loop 복합 용도, 이 작품은 훌륭한 대표작으로서 매우 전문적이고 깊이 있게 혁신적일 것으로 기대됩니다. 이 은상 수상 디자인은 예술, 과학, 디자인, 기술의 경계를 넓히는 데 이바지하는 주목할 만하고 찬사를 받는 발명품입니다. City on the Loop 복합 용도, 이 작품은 모두가 부러워하는 창작물로서 욕망을 일깨우고 긍정적인 감정을 불러오며 경탄과 경이로움을 불러일으킵니다.

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