Coney Island’s seaside amusement district faces dual threats from climate change: rising sea levels, urban heat and redevelopment pressures that risk erasing its distinctive amusement character. Many proposals replace its layered public fabric with insular community centers. “Learning from Coney Island: Resilient Park” offers an alternative by working with the site’s existing fragmented and democratic structure, inspired by the pay-per-ride logic of traditional amusements.
The project reimagines the area as a network of adaptable pavilions embedded within a permeable, shaded landscape. In everyday use, these pavilions provide accessible public and community spaces. Key elements include a Kinetic Energy Pavilion, a Cooling Centre and an Elephant Playscape. In emergency conditions, they transform into critical infrastructure: the energy pavilion supplies backup power, while the cooling center functions as a clinic for heat-related illness. Together, they form a resilient, distributed system that preserves Coney Island’s identity while addressing future environmental and social challenges.
