City on the Loop Ukusetshenziswa Okuxubile by Ruxuan Zheng

City on the Loop Ukusetshenziswa Okuxubile by Ruxuan Zheng is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Umklomelo Wesiliva we-A' Design Award in Ukuhlela Kwasemadolobheni Competition Category.

IsilivaUkuhlela Kwasemadolobheni· 2026

City on the Loop Ukusetshenziswa Okuxubile

by Ruxuan Zheng

Client: Ruxuan Zheng

Umklomelo Wesiliva we-A' Design Award Winner in Ukuhlela Kwasemadolobheni Category

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The Design

About City on the Loop Ukusetshenziswa Okuxubile

I-City on the Loop icabanga kabusha ugu olusengozini yezikhukhula eBrooklyn njengonqenqema lwedolobha oluqhubekayo oluzivumelanisa nokukhuphuka kwamazinga olwandle. Yakhelwe phezu kwengqalasizinda ekhona, lo mklamo wethula izindlu eziphakanyisiwe, ujantshi olula wesitimela, kanye nezinhlelo zomphakathi ezimelana nezikhukhula ngezigaba ezintathu. Ukushintshana kancane kancane phakathi komhlaba nolwandle kuthatha indawo yemingcele eqinile, okuvumela ukwakhiwa kwezakhiwo, imvelo, kanye nempilo yomphakathi ukuthi kuhlangane. I-loop isebenza njengesakhiwo sendawo kanye nohlelo oluzivumelanisayo, ikhula ngokuhambisana nezinguquko zemvelo futhi inikeza uhlaka lokubusa okuhlakaniphile kwesikhathi esizayo okusabela esimweni sezulu.

The Recognition

About the Umklomelo Wesiliva we-A' Design Award

City on the Loop Ukusetshenziswa Okuxubile iwinile uMklomelo Wesiliva we-A' Design Award, ukwaziswa okuhloniphekile ngokungajwayelekile okunikezwa imiklamo esezingeni eliphezulu, ebukekayo nethinta kakhulu. Abawinile beSiliva yimisebenzi egqamile kakhulu nedala kakhulu ebonisa ubungcweti obuphawulekayo, italente nobuhlakani babaklami babo. City on the Loop Ukusetshenziswa Okuxubile ilindeleke ukuba ibe ngumsebenzi omuhle wesibonelo, onobungcweti obuphawulekayo nezinto ezintsha ezijulile. Lo mklamo owinile uMklomelo Wesiliva we-A' Design Award uyinto entsha ebonakala kakhulu nethakazelisayo esiza futhi isunduza imingcele yobuciko, isayensi, ukuklama nobuchwepheshe. City on the Loop Ukusetshenziswa Okuxubile iyinto enomhawu omkhulu kuyo evusa izifiso, ilethe imizwa emihle futhi ivuse ukumangala nokuxakeka.

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