Hit hard by Superstorm Sandy, the Rockaways community in Queens, New York, needed new social infrastructure to go along with the reconstructed boardwalk and dunes. The Coastal Conservation Center addresses these needs, creating a model for community-focused public buildings that consider the implications of climate change.

The WXY design and plan for the Coastal Conservation Center addresses these needs, creating a model for community-focused structures that consider the implications of climate change.   

The challenge was to update the role of the public beach house while creating an accessible, cohesive, and resilient space for everyone—from beachgoers and local residents to NYC Department of Parks and Recreation staff and community organizers. The building needed to connect with the surrounding landscape and warmly welcome all visitors.  

The design for the 6,000-square-foot Coastal Conservation Center invites the surrounding environment in and combines the vernacular of a beach house with public functionality. Wide ramps and stairs connect at various points to a cantilevered porch that wraps around the building, offering scenic views of the ocean, boardwalk, and dunes. There are no internal passageways. Instead, a multi-stall, all-gender restroom cuts through the center and acts as an open corridor, exposing visitors to the elements and reminding them that we can’t just close the door to the outside world. 

The exterior of the building features vertical lines of locally sourced hardwood cladding that mirrors the patterns of dune grasses and trees. 

The center's sustainable design features include two large solar arrays integrated with a closed-loop, geothermal system that provides heating and cooling. The net-zero system can provide surplus energy for the neighborhood's low-income residents. 

From interviewing the community and stakeholders to running focus groups and design workshops, our approach shows the effectiveness of community engagement.  

One example of our collaborative approach to the Coastal Conservation Center is our work with the Rockaways Initiative for Sustainability and Equity (RISE) and eDesign Dynamics. We joined them in restoring the local dune ecosystem around the building by planting native grasses, sedges, and woody plants. These plantings serve as the first line of defense against storm surges and flooding, protecting nearby homes, businesses, and transit systems — and stand as a reminder of the strong roots that can develop through working together. 

The Coastal Conservation Center combines sustainable design with critical community functions. Powered by a geothermal system and rooftop solar array, the center achieves "better-than-net-zero" status, generating excess power for local low-income residents. The building's design emphasizes resilience through its elevated construction and flood-resistant ground-level maintenance storage.  

The facility features the first all-gender public restrooms built by HPD, a multi-purpose community room, and offices for NYC Parks staff and The Campaign Against Hunger, which oversees an adjacent 1.5-acre urban farm. This integration of environmental sustainability and social infrastructure creates a welcoming space that enhances the community's ability to gather, learn, and thrive in the face of climate challenges.