Gregor Price

Design Intentions

Coastal systems are dynamic, shaped by oceanic forces where sediment is eroded, transported, and deposited, re-forming the coastal interface. As humans, we’ve adapted to this flux by strengthening infrastructure or retreating when necessary. However, the impacts of climate change are resulting in rising sea levels and accelerating storm frequency and intensity; coastal erosion is happening at an unprecedented rate. Therefore, a resilient coastal adaptation strategy must be developed. In Dunbar, coastal erosion is occurring at 1 meter per year, and urban inundation is predicted as soon as 2050. By applying Resilience Theory, which focuses on a system’s ability to absorb disturbance and maintain function, a spatial design strategy has been developed. Restoration of natural coastal protections through sediment replenishment proposes the establishment of saltmarshes. By absorbing water during storm events, rates of coastal erosion are reduced, allowing systems to absorb greater disturbance. Community intervention proposes plug planting and monitoring to enhance the diversity of fauna and encourage social interaction. This project aims to view sediment not as waste material but as a resource—coupled with community engagement, this can foster both environmental and social benefits, ensuring long-term coastal resilience.

2025 Existing Conditions: Mean high water spring tide (MHWS) is within the field boundary (4.5m). However a Levee and drainage stop the field from flooding, allowing use for agriculture. This is not a sustainable land use due to frequent coastal flooding and imminent inundation. By removing this infrastructure, allowing the field to flood, development of saltmarsh can be encouraged. Absorbing water and energy from coastal forces, the saltmarsh would prologue likely coastal retreat of nearby infrastructure and housing.

2025 Community Intervention: The site is prepared for community intervention. Terrain alteration starts the growth of saltmarsh and hard landscape construction provides access for people. Plug planting establishes rarer saltmarsh species; beginning with supra-littoral species and moving sub-littoral as inter-tidal movement disperses sediment. More common
species will spread from the adjacent, existing saltmarsh. Vegetation roots hold sediment together acting to ‘bind’ the saltmarsh together

2050 Established Saltmarsh: The established saltmarsh requires continued community monitoring of conditions. The saltmarsh will likely move inland with rising sea levels and erosion. This is an indicator for local inundation rates. The board walk will act as a line for where the marsh boundary once was.

Pathway Materiality and Temporality

The Stone Path is to be constructed from materials sources from local rock beaches. The Sediment Path is made from aggregate leftover from construction of the Stone Pathway and additional sediment. These create a stronger sense of genius loci as the materials reflect the local character. When the site is inundated, these materials can be re-introduced to the natural sediment system without adding foreign material. Therefore the material can add to further development of saltmarsh without causing contamination. This also relieves pressure when later decommissioning the site. This demonstrates how designing to embrace the fluid nature of the coast has been achieved through material selection.