City on the Loop Askha Ruwanayuq Kancha by Ruxuan Zheng

City on the Loop Askha Ruwanayuq Kancha by Ruxuan Zheng is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Qullqi Premiu in Llaqta Kamay Competition Category.

QullqiLlaqta Kamay· 2026

City on the Loop Askha Ruwanayuq Kancha

by Ruxuan Zheng

Client: Ruxuan Zheng

A' Design Award Qullqi Premiu Winner in Llaqta Kamay Category

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Verified Award Winner

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The Design

About City on the Loop Askha Ruwanayuq Kancha

City on the Loop nisqaqa Brooklyn llaqtapi yaku apaykuq quchapata patanta musuqmanta ruwan, huk mana p'itisqa llaqta pata hina, wiñaq mama qucha yakukunaman k'askakuspa. Ñawpaq kaq infraestructura patapi ruwasqa, kay diseñoqa huqarisqa wasikunata, ch'usaq trenta, ima yaku apaykuypi mana urmaq llaqta ruwanakunatapas kimsa mit'api churamun. Huk allpa-qucha rakhu tukuy k'anchaqmi sinchi saywakunata rantin, chaymi arquitectura, ecología, ayllu kawsay ima paykuna pura t'inkinakunku. Kay muyu ñanqa huk espacial ch'iqta hinapas huk k'askakuq sistema hinapas llamk'an, pachamama hukchakuykunawan kuska wiñaspa, hamuq yuyaysapa, clima uyariq kamachikuypaq huk tukuykuna churanata quspa.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Qullqi Premiu

City on the Loop Askha Ruwanayuq Kancha A' Design Award Qullqi Premiu mishak kan, ancha jatun yupaychay, kayta hanak, sumak shinallatak mancharina diseñukunaman kun. Qullqi mishak kashkakunaka ancha achikyaska shinallatak ancha mushuk ruraykunami, paykunata rurakkunapak yachayta, yuyayta shinallatak ushayta rikuchinku. City on the Loop Askha Ruwanayuq Kancha ruray yachak, ñawpak shinallatak mushuk yuyayta charik sumak rurashka kanata munanku. Kay Qullqi Premiu japishka diseñuka ancha riksishka shinallatak yupaychashka yuyay kan, arti, siensia, diseñu shinallatak tekinolojía ñawpak ñankunata kichuk. City on the Loop Askha Ruwanayuq Kancha achka runakunapak munashka rurashka kan, munayta kallarichin, alli yuyaykunata kun shinallatak mancharichin.

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