City on the Loop Whakamahinga Whakauru by Ruxuan Zheng

City on the Loop Whakamahinga Whakauru by Ruxuan Zheng is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Hiriwa in Hoahoa Whakamahere Tāone me te Hoahoa Tāone Competition Category.

HiriwaWhakamahere Tāone· 2026

City on the Loop Whakamahinga Whakauru

by Ruxuan Zheng

Client: Ruxuan Zheng

A' Design Award Hiriwa Winner in Whakamahere Tāone Category

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The Design

About City on the Loop Whakamahinga Whakauru

Ko City on the Loop e whakaaro anō ana i tētahi tahatai e whakaraerae ana ki te waipuke i Brooklyn hei tapa tāone haere tonu e urutau ana ki te pikinga o te taumata moana. He mea hanga ki runga i ngā hanganga tūāpapa o nāianei, ka whakauru te hoahoa i ngā whare noho kua whakateiteitia, te tereina māmā, me ngā hōtaka tūmatanui e manawaroa ana ki te waipuke i roto i ngā wāhanga e toru. Ka whakakapia ngā rohenga pakari e tētahi rōnaki whenua-moana, e taea ai te hoahoanga, te hauropi, me te oranga hapori te pāhekoheko tahi. Ka mahi te koromeke hei hanganga mokowā, hei pūnaha urutau hoki, e tipu haere ana i te taha o ngā nekehanga taiao, ā, e whakarato ana i tētahi anga mō te whakahaere atamai, urupare-āhuarangi ā muri ake nei.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Hiriwa

Ko City on the Loop Whakamahinga Whakauru te toa o te A' Design Award Hiriwa, he whakaaetanga tino whai mana e hoatu ana ki ngā hoahoa taumata teitei rawa, ātaahua me te whakamīharo. Ko ngā toa Hiriwa he mahi tino kanapa, tino auaha e whakaatu ana i te mātanga, te pūmanawa me te mōhio hōhonu o ā rātou kaihoahoa. E tūmanakohia ana ko City on the Loop Whakamahinga Whakauru he mahi whakamīharo, he tauira, he tino ngaio, he auaha hōhonu. Ko tēnei hoahoa i toa i te Hiriwa he hanganga rongonui, whakamīharotia e whai wāhi ana ki te whakawhānui i ngā rohe o te toi, te pūtaiao, te hoahoa me te hangarau. Ko City on the Loop Whakamahinga Whakauru he mahi e hae ana te tini, e whakaara ana i ngā hiahia, e kawe mai ana i ngā kare-ā-roto pai, ā, e whakaoho ana i te mīharo.

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