The Coral Gables Museum is hosting “Miami 2100: Envisioning a Resilient Second Century,” an exhibit about planning for climate change and sea level rise in Greater Miami, presented by Florida International University’s School of Architecture.
The exhibit, which opened Nov. 7 will continue through Mar. 1, 2015.
“Climate change and sea level rise are topics that cannot be ignored and yet many residents, developers and government officials seem to turn a blind eye,” said Christine Rupp, director of the Coral Gables Museum. “Our hope is to educate and rally the public through the exhibit and related events so that we can all get on the same page when it comes to taking action to protect our city.”
Miami 2100 is a solution-oriented exhibit of architecture, landscape architecture and urban design strategies that can support the adaptation and transformation of existing infrastructure, neighborhoods, structures and regulations to ensure resilient future development. Supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and the Cejas Family Foundation, the exhibit integrates broad expert and community voices as it poses key questions regarding climate science, while presenting both the challenges and the opportunities created by changing environmental conditions and rising sea levels.
Miami 2100 incorporates projects completed over a three-year period through graduate research studios and seminars in the Departments of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at Florida International University.
FIU Professors and exhibit curators Marta Canavés and Marilys Nepomechie directed academic explorations that can inform important community planning that will allow Miami to remain a vibrant and increasingly desirable place to live for years to come.
South Florida is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change due to its history of development. Miami was developed just above sea level on a porous limestone base; incorporating artificial islands, extensive areas of coastal landfill, and substantial terrain re-claimed from Everglades wetlands. Experts predict that over the next 100 years, significant portions of the city will be substantively affected by rising sea levels.
Complementing the exhibit is a program of events including a curator’s tour, panel discussions about sea level rise and designing a resilient city and a design presentation by FIU School of Architecture faculty and students. In addition to FIU, the exhibit’s program partners include the American Institute of Architects, Miami Chapter; National Science Foundation, Dutch Consulate of Miami and French Consulate of Miami.
For more information about educational programs or volunteering at the Coral Gables Museum, visit online at www.coralgablesmuseum.org.
