Modern architectural restrooms building with a male and female sign, elevated on support columns, with three horizontal windows and a small balcony area, under a clear blue sky.

Hurricane Sandy made landfall with a thirteen foot storm surge and winds of over 80 miles per hour. It devastated the coastline of New York City and destroyed thousands of homes and other structures. The catastrophic effects of Hurricane Sandy alerted the public to the urgency of building intelligently in flood zones and designing to mitigate the causes and effects of global warming.

Among the structures destroyed were dozens of public lifeguard and comfort stations. As necessary facilities, they had to be replaced quickly and, given the vulnerability, they had to be capable of withstanding extreme storms. They also had to harmonize with the natural beauty of the ocean beaches.

People walking along a boardwalk near the water on a sunny day, with a building and lampposts in the background.
Architectural rendering of a beachside restroom with two units, accessible via ramps, featuring figures indicating male and female restrooms, near the shoreline with sand and ocean in the background.
Large modular structure being hoisted by crane over a dock area with workers and equipment below.
A 3D exploded view of furniture parts for assembling a desk or table, including frames, legs, and support beams.
Close-up of modern buildings with metal siding, large windows, and wooden panels, set against a clear blue sky.
Modern elevated building with angular design, metal siding, and large windows on a clear blue sky background.

With a common chassis, the modules could be modified for use as comfort stations, lifeguard stations and offices while meeting a variety of site conditions. Each was mounted atop concrete legs raising it above the five hundred-year flood level and was accessed by a series of ramps and landings made of aluminum planks.

The post-sandy beach structures embody our commitment to the environment around us. They will survive the next major ocean storm and, using photovoltaics and solar water heating, will produce enough renewable energy to meet their daily needs. Cross-ventilation keeps them naturally cool while skylights illuminate their interiors. Carefully located windows provide spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean.

Technical diagram showing a submerged water filtration system with two structures, airflow and water flow paths, and swimmers in swimsuits around and inside the system.
Architectural elevation drawing of a modern building with a stylized elongated shape, supported by angled columns, with a staircase leading to an entrance, and a person standing nearby for scale.
Architectural floor plan of a fitness or gym facility, including multiple restrooms, showers, and locker areas.
Map of parts of New York City highlighting Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Queens, with text indicating three boroughs, fifteen sites, thirty-seven modules, and five months.
A sketch of a modern building on stilts near water, with two people walking on a paved walkway.
Steel framework construction inside an industrial building with ladders, tools, and partially built walls.

Working with the New York City Parks Department and the Department of Design and Construction, Garrison Architects designed thirty seven flood-proof structures that could be built and deployed within five months to fifteen sites, including Rockaway Beach, Coney Island, and Cedar Grove in Staten Island. To meet this aggressive schedule, each building was constructed as a factory-assembled module which could be installed with a minimum of disturbance to neighbors.

Client
NYC DDC Design Excellence Program

Status
Constructed

Info
2013
Institutional/Modular
7,200 sf
Staten Island, Brooklyn, & Queens

Awards
NYC Public Design Commission Award
AIA / Boston Sustainable Design Award
Van Alen Institute East River Competition
Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce’s Building Brooklyn Award, Landscape/Open Space Category
ENR New York “Best Projects”, Government/Public Building
ENR National Best of the Best, Government/Public Building

Publications
→ A Hurricane-Proof Shoreline for NYC
→ 'More Resilient' in the Rockaways
→ Sandy-Bashed Rockaway Cheers Small Changes, $20 Billion
→ Post-Sandy Rebuilding: NYC Beaches Serve As A Model Of Efficiency
→ See Photos of NYC’s New Flood-Proof, Prefab Beach Buildings in the Rockaways
→ Cover Feature: Shoring Up for the Future