Large, Man-Made Hills Will Protect Red Hook Houses From Next Superstorm

RED HOOK, BROOKLYN — A series of raised "lily pads" will give the Red Hook Houses backup heat and energy along with much-needed protection in the event of another Hurricane Sandy-like storm.

New renderings from Kohn Pedersen Fox show the above-ground, man-made hills that will also serve as public space in Brooklyn's largest public housing developments. They were designed with the landscape architecture firm OLIN as part of an "extensive resiliency strategy" at the site.

"The additional Lily Pad scheme provides permanent flood barriers in the form of raised earth at the center of internal courtyards and an active flood wall supplemented by passive barriers," an announcement from KPF said. "These elements transform the experience of residents and guests by providing vibrant, social spaces in conjunction with the area’s infrastructural needs."

Red Hook lost power and heat for days following the 2012 superstorm, and FEMA allocated more than $400 million to repair the 28-building housing complex that houses 6,000 residents in the aftermath of the storm.

"NYCHA led multiple community workshops where residents gave their vision for the future of Red Hook Houses," a NYCHA spokesperson said in an email to Patch. "KPF and OLIN used our residents’ vision to develop an innovative conceptual design for Red Hook Houses that will reduce the community’s vulnerability to flooding."

The lily pads are part of a New York City Housing Authority-commissioned project by KPF to better protect the Red Hook Houses from another major storm.

"KPF performed extensive design research and rounds of community input, including forums, surveys, and workshops," the announcement from KPF said. "The final scheme includes 14 above-ground 'utility pods' that deliver heat and electricity to each building and offer meeting space for public programming."

The first phase of construction on the resiliency project will begin later this year; it's unclear exactly when the pods will be built.

Images via KPF