City on the Loop Fampiasana Mifangaro by Ruxuan Zheng

City on the Loop Fampiasana Mifangaro by Ruxuan Zheng is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Volafotsy in Fandaminana Tanàna sy Famolavolana An-tanàna Competition Category.

VolafotsyFandaminana An-tanàna· 2026

City on the Loop Fampiasana Mifangaro

by Ruxuan Zheng

Client: Ruxuan Zheng

A' Design Award Volafotsy Winner in Fandaminana An-tanàna Category

21,170
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #176557

Visit Site View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About City on the Loop Fampiasana Mifangaro

Ny City on the Loop dia mamerina mandinika ny morontsiraka iharan'ny tondra-drano any Brooklyn ho toy ny sisin-tanàna mitohy izay mifanaraka amin'ny fiakaran'ny haavon'ny ranomasina. Naorina eo ambonin'ny fotodrafitrasa efa misy, ity famolavolana ity dia mampiditra trano fonenana miavosa, lalamby maivana, ary fandaharana ho an'ny daholobe mahazaka tondra-drano ao anatin'ny dingana telo. Fifandanjana miandalana eo amin'ny tany sy ny ranomasina no misolo ny sisintany hentitra, ka mahatonga ny maritrano, ny tontolo iainana, ary ny fiainam-piaraha-monina hifampiresaka. Ny loop dia miasa ho rafitra ara-toerana sady rafitra mifanaraka amin'ny toe-javatra, mivoatra miaraka amin'ny fiovan'ny tontolo iainana ary manolotra rafitra ho an'ny fitantanana marani-tsaina sy mamaly ny fiovan'ny toetrandro amin'ny ho avy.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Volafotsy

Nandresy ny A' Design Award Volafotsy ny famolavolana City on the Loop Fampiasana Mifangaro, fankasitrahana malaza be omena ny famolavolana ambaratonga ambony, tsara tarehy ary mahavariana. Ny mpandresy Volafotsy dia asa mamirapiratra dia mamirapiratra ary mamorona dia mamorona izay maneho ny fahaizana, ny talenta ary ny fahamaotinan-tsain'ny mpamolavola azy. Andrasana ho asa mahagaga, ohatra tsara, mahay amin'ny asa ary vaovao amin'ny halalin-tsaina ny famolavolana City on the Loop Fampiasana Mifangaro. Ity famolavolana nandresy ny A' Design Award Volafotsy ity dia fikarohana miavaka be ary ankafizina izay mahasoa ary mampandroso ny sisintanin'ny zavakanto, ny siansa, ny famolavolana ary ny teknolojia. Ny famolavolana City on the Loop Fampiasana Mifangaro dia famoronana mahazo fitaka be izay mamaly ny faniriana, mitondra fihetseham-po tsara ary mamelona fahagagana sy fahatalanjonana.

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