Envision Resilience Nantucket Challenge

ReMain Nantucket to showcase student design proposals in Thomas Macy Warehouse Exhibition through December 2021

Claire Martin

An island haven of beautiful beaches, bustling harbors and historic architecture, Nantucket draws thousands of visitors from around the world every year who relish in its island magic. On the shores of this island haven, the Nantucket community is facing a change in its crosswind—and deciding how to best preserve the beaches, harbors and historic town in the face of climate change.

The Nantucket community is becoming increasingly engaged in conversation on adapting to impacts of climate change like sea level rise. This winter there were a number of concurrent initiatives addressing the issues of storm surges, sunny-day flooding, erosion and rising water across the island. While mitigation, adaptation and preparedness are central to the Town of Nantucket’s work, ReMain Nantucket set out to challenge the community to reconsider how to approach the reality of living with rising seas.

Last year, the Town of Nantucket officially adopted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s “High” Sea Level Rise Scenario for planning purposes. Under this projection, Nantucket will regularly see the waters surrounding the island rise by 4.13 feet above local mean sea level by 2060, 6.36 feet by 2080 and 9.25 feet by 2100.

“Can we choose to embrace sea level rise as an opportunity?” asked Cecil Barron Jensen, executive director of ReMain Nantucket. “Instead of being consumed by the fear associated with sea level rise, can we live beautifully with more water? Can we adapt in ways that will make us stronger in the face of climate change?”

Five leading design schools set out to answer these questions and more. The Envision Resilience Nantucket Challenge—an open-sourced, virtual design studio launched in January 2021—invited teams from University of Florida College of Design, Construction and Planning, Harvard University Graduate School of Design, University of Miami School of Architecture, the School of Architecture at Northeastern University, and Yale School of Architecture to consider imaginative ways to redesign Nantucket’s historic waterfront, from Brant Point to the Creeks, in response to sea level rise.

The community was invited to follow along as the students and their professors tuned in to weekly lectures from experts in the field, engaged with local Nantucketers and sought out possible adaptive solutions. “The depth of knowledge presented each week was stunning,” said Cecil. “It was as if we were all invited to participate in graduate-school level thinking on the subject.” The full calendar of recorded lectures can be found in the Speaker Series library at www.envisionresilience.org/ speaker-series.

On June 5, the Nantucket community is invited to an outdoor event at the Great Harbor Yacht

Club where participating Envision Resilience Nantucket Challenge universities will present their research, process and final design proposals. Guests will have the opportunity to hear directly from both students and faculty, as well as ask questions. Keynote speakers will kick off and conclude both a morning session and an afternoon session. The free event will have a virtual component for all those who wish to participate from afar. Registration will be available at www.envisionresilience.org/exhibition/events.

“We hope the wider Island community of visitors and seasonal residents will join us on June 5,” said Cecil. “Our goal is to inspire everyone to be creative with our own properties and face climate change with resources and imagination, no matter where you live. The objective is for people to feel empowered to make a difference.”

The proposals will then be showcased in an exhibition on the second floor of the Nantucket Historical Association’s Thomas Macy Warehouse at 12 Straight Wharf, a historic building itself threatened by sea level rise.

The exhibition, being developed in partnership with the NHA and with help from the Artists Association of Nantucket, will run from mid-June through December 2021. Through the exhibition, the public is invited to explore the history of Nantucket’s relationship with water and the island’s resilience and adaptability to change.

“While the student design proposals will take center stage within the exhibition, we hope visitors will leave with an impression of how Nantucketers have faced enormous economic and natural disaster challenges over time with fortitude and creativity. Living on an island forces us to be a resilient and caring community and I cannot imagine that ever changing,” said Cecil.

Follow along at www.envisionresilience.org/ exhibition/events and check out the calendar of events to learn more about speakers, opportunities and workshops taking place at the warehouse throughout the year.

Claire Martin, communications specialist at ReMain Nantucket, is managing the Envision Resilience Nantucket Challenge.

Although relatively small, Nantucket is a treasure trove of delights, activities, and ex-

periences. With more than 80 miles of magnificent and diverse beaches, beachgoers can find a beach suited to his or her own needs and preferences and, in season, The Wave bus can shuttle fans to many of their favorite beaches. The ‘gentler’ beaches include the North Shore’s delightful Children’s, Jetties and Dionis Beaches; Surfside, Miacomet, Cisco and Madaket on the South Shore and the long and lovely ‘Sconset Beach on the extreme Eastern Shore. Those North Shore beaches with gentle surf and soft sand are ideal for small children and their families. The Atlantic-facing South Shore beaches are for stronger swimmers, surfers and more daring ocean goers. Beaches are all free and readily accessible (something one will not often find elsewhere!). At all beaches, one can beachcomb to find the ‘perfect’ Nantucket shell, and ocean novelties such as beach glass and devil’s purses. Boogie boarders, surfers, and kitboarders can all find their ‘perfect wave’ on diverse, beach-ringed Nantucket! Windsurfing, sailing, and kayaking novices should head to Jetties Beach and fledgling surfers seeking their first ‘wave’ can take surfing lessons at Cisco Beach!

Nantucket features over 35 miles of clearly designated cycling trails ranging from 0.3 to 9.5 miles in length. These meandering paths ensure that cyclists can get a tremendous sense of the entire island by traversing all non-paths which lattice their way throughout the island from coast to coast! Not only is cycling an excellent pastime, but it is heart healthy and fun for all ages. It is an exhilarating way to use ‘green’ transportation to make the island’s 48 square miles “shrink down” to a manageable size so that visitors can see virtually all of Nantucket within a few days’ cycling while supporting minimizing vehicular traffic during the island’s busy season! Tennis and golf buffs can play or tee-off at public tennis courts and golf courses, whether one is just learning one of these sports or is already a pro! Disc golf is quite a fun and unique game, simple to master, terrific for families or groups of friends, and completely free to play!

Visitors who enjoy nature will luxuriate at more than 214 spectacular conservation lands — preserving nearly half of all of Nantucket’s terrain — where one can see magnificent and some rare flora and fauna. Maria Mitchell Association offers activities such wildflower and wildlife excursions in the warmer months plus Discovery Program which can introduce youngsters to the wonder and magic of nature.

A variety of island tours are on offer in either passenger vans or buses. These wonderful tours provide a comprehensive background to the history, terrain, architecture, wildlife, lore and recreational opportunities on the island. For those wanting even more in-depth history, guided historic walking tours are a delightful way to spend an hour, learning about the architecture, history, whaling era, and local icons of arts, science and more! For a more leisurely tour, pick up a Nantucket Historic Walking Tour pamphlet at the Nantucket Chamber of Commerce office (Zero Main Street) or at Nantucket Visitor Services (25 Federal Street). A variety of tours (birding, cycling, brewery, clamming, ice cream, whaling history, photo safaris, sightseeing, seal and whale watching) is available to get the most out of your Nantucket experience. Of course, one cannot come to Nantucket without climbing 94 steps to the aerie at the Nantucket Congregational Church for a view well worth the exertion! On clear days, the vista of Nantucket Harbor and beyond is nothing short of spectacular!

Browse through the various recreation, sightseeing and activity options in the pages that follow — Nantucket is incredibly diverse, despite its relatively small stature.