Cultivating the Desperation Point: Amplifying the Perceptibility of Climate Resilient Design

Abstract

Utilizing the psychology of emotional connection and response to art, this thesis aims to amplify climate-resilient site and ecosystem design methods through the use of art - pavilions, exhibits, sculpture, and art installations –to connect the visitor emotionally with the facts and effects of climate change, with the ultimate goal of persuading behavioral change needed for a paradigm shift in climate responsiveness and action. The project’s climate-resilient design tactics include ecosystem regeneration, a sculpture park and an educational space on Copenhagen’s harbor front. Starting with the underwater ecosystem adjacent to the site and moving inland through salt marsh, wetlands, meadow, urban agriculture, and forested zones, the design will apply resilient design tactics to the site’s intersecting ecosystems to educate visitors about the magnitude and challenges of climate change.