Circular Loop Ecological Design
Like many places, New York City’s Harbor has been intensely modified. Dredging, hardening of the shore, and the over consumption of natural resources has left marine ecosystems unbalanced and struggling. How can we as designers improve our surrounding ecosystems that have undergone this drastic change? At Assemblage, we strive to incorporate Circular Loops into our design practice to address the impacts of historic development on the landscape.
Circular Loop ecological design is a systems thinking approach to design smarter with nature. It aims to initiate food web connections that are mutually supportive. Over time, these food webs establish, grow, and stabilize the ecosystem by making improvements to habitat and diet. This process allows ecosystems to become self-sustaining while providing a way for designers to measure and compare design success.
In New York City, the shoreline offers a wonderful opportunity to explore Circular Loop ecological design. Waterfront infrastructure is often built in areas where the harbor has been modified to accommodate transportation needs leading to steep, muddy, and deep drop offs near the shoreline. This erasure of gentle slopes into the water has decreased crucial intertidal habitat areas - some of our most dynamic and productive ecosystems. When designing a project that intersects with these conditions, the inclusion of Circular Loops in design goals is crucial.
Identifying an umbrella species, one whose well-being can directly impact the greater health of the ecosystem, can catalyze the Circular Loop design. For example, a shorebird as the ecosystem’s umbrella species may indicate the need to design foraging opportunities for shorebirds. Improving the quality of this zone is also beneficial for species like fish and crustaceans. By improving their habitat, the diet of the shorebird becomes more stable, and this is the beginning of the Circular Loop process!
This is how designers can regenerate their site’s ecology and improve its resilience with nature.