Rebuild by Design - Collaborative Climate Resilience Planning and Infrastructure Delivery Framework
United States · 2013 · Rebuild by Design
Rebuild by Design has changed the way cities approach climate adaptation by demonstrating that resilience solutions must combine engineering, ecological systems, and community priorities. Following Hurricane Sandy, its proposals helped shape major resilience investments in the New York metropolitan region, including projects such as Living Breakwaters and green infrastructure initiatives in Hoboken. Beyond individual projects, the initiative established a replicable model for collaborative climate adaptation planning, connecting scientists, designers, communities, and governments to create implementable solutions for rising flood risks and extreme weather.
Highlight
A pioneering post-disaster resilience model that combines community engagement, interdisciplinary design, and public investment to deliver large-scale climate adaptation infrastructure across vulnerable urban regions.
Extended description
Rebuild by Design (Rebuild) emerged in 2013 in response to the widespread destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy, which affected thirteen U.S. states and caused more than USD 65 billion in damages. Recognizing that traditional disaster recovery approaches often focus on rebuilding existing infrastructure rather than addressing underlying vulnerabilities, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force, and several institutional partners launched an innovative design-led resilience programme.
The initiative was designed to address interconnected physical, social, economic, and ecological risks through a collaborative and interdisciplinary process. Rather than beginning with predefined engineering solutions, Rebuild by Design first identifies the most relevant expertise and pairs it with local governments, community organizations, residents, researchers, planners, and technical specialists. This ensures that resilience solutions are grounded in local realities while benefiting from world-class technical knowledge.
The framework operates through three interconnected stages: collaborative research, collaborative design, and implementation support. During the research phase, multidisciplinary teams conduct site visits, stakeholder workshops, public meetings, and technical assessments to understand regional vulnerabilities and opportunities. This process examines how climate hazards intersect with social inequities, infrastructure weaknesses, ecological degradation, and economic challenges. The original Hurricane Sandy competition involved extensive community engagement and generated dozens of design opportunities before advancing the most promising concepts.
In the design phase, selected teams work directly with communities and government agencies to co-create practical and fundable interventions. Projects combine traditional engineering approaches with nature-based solutions, public space improvements, ecological restoration, and social resilience measures. The process emphasizes implementability, community support, cost-benefit analysis, and long-term adaptability. More than 350 stakeholder meetings and over 50 public outreach events were conducted during the original competition to refine proposals into fundable projects.
The resulting portfolio includes landmark resilience initiatives such as coastal protection systems, living shoreline projects, watershed restoration programmes, flood-resilient public spaces, and integrated stormwater management infrastructure. Notable examples throughout the New York City metropolitan area include The Big U in Lower Manhattan, Living Breakwaters on Staten Island, and Resist, Delay, Store and Discharge, . These projects demonstrate how climate adaptation infrastructure can simultaneously reduce risk, improve environmental quality, enhance public amenities, and support economic development.
Beyond infrastructure delivery, Rebuild by Design as an organization hosted at New York University has influenced resilience governance and policy development. The initiative has become an internationally recognized model for climate adaptation planning, demonstrating how collaborative design processes can transform disaster recovery funding into long-term resilience investments. Its methodology has informed subsequent resilience competitions, federal programmes, regional planning initiatives, and climate adaptation strategies in multiple jurisdictions.
Demonstrated metrics
More than USD 8.7 billion in resilience-related infrastructure investments have been catalyzed through Rebuild by Design initiatives.
The original Hurricane Sandy Design Competition spurred the U.S. Federal Government to award USD 930 million in federal funding to implement resilience projects across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
The initiative's work helped support the creation of New York State's USD 4.2 billion Environmental Bond Act which is supporting resilience.
The Hurricane Sandy competition engaged global 10 interdisciplinary design teams, selected from nearly 150 international applicants.
More than 350 stakeholder meetings and workshops and over 50 public outreach events were conducted during project development.
Multiple implemented community-wide projects now provide enhanced flood protection, stormwater management capacity, ecological restoration, and resilience benefits for hundreds of thousands of residents in the New York–New Jersey metropolitan region.
Real impact
Rebuild by Design has changed the way cities approach climate adaptation by demonstrating that resilience solutions must combine engineering, ecological systems, and community priorities. Following Hurricane Sandy, its proposals helped shape major resilience investments in the New York metropolitan region, including projects such as Living Breakwaters and green infrastructure initiatives in Hoboken. Beyond individual projects, the initiative established a replicable model for collaborative climate adaptation planning, connecting scientists, designers, communities, and governments to create implementable solutions for rising flood risks and extreme weather.
Implementation location & date
Developed in the U.S. through the 2013–2014 Rebuild by Design competition. Implemented across the Sandy-affected region, including Living Breakwaters in Staten Island (completed 2024) and the Hudson River Project in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Similar cases elsewhere
Similar models include the Resilient by Design Bay Area Challenge in California, the U.S. National Disaster Resilience Competition, and the Global Resilience Partnership in Africa and Southeast Asia.