NEW SEA LEVEL is a project that aims to visualize the potential new water lines in San Francisco in 2150 due to the effect of climate change. As a proponent of design as a tool to spark social change, I want to make the invisible visible and spotlight just how devastating the rising sea level predictions are in regards to how our society operates.

With research gathered from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, I have designed 3 different caution tapes in accordance with 3 varying severity scenarios and juxtaposed against the city itself. The tapes simultaneously showcase not only how high the threat climate change poses in an intuitional and immediate kind of way, but also highlight what is potentially at risk in the process. Buildings, landmarks, history, people, livehoods, our way of life itself; all are at stake here, all are at risk. Even SOMArts, the place where this exhibition takes place, is in the danger zone.

Data Breakdown

The 2022 Sea Level Rise Technical Report details in its datafiles how the “5 GMSL scenarios (identified by the rise amounts in meters by 2100--0.3 m , 0.5 m. 1.0 m, 1.5 m and 2.0 m), there is a low, medium (med) and high value, corresponding to the 17th, 50th, and 83rd percentiles”. I specifically chose to represent the whole spectrum of future scenarios in San Francisco in 2150 (0.3-LOW, 1.0-MEDIUM, 2.0-HIGH) to showcase the sheer range of the speculative sea level possibilities.

This approach emphasizes the report’s claim that “by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, severe and transformative Global and Regional Sea Level Rise Scenarios for the United States impacts occurring later this century or early next century along U.S. coastlines are more likely to be avoided” (p.62). The future is yet to be determined and I wanted to highlight how humanity’s actions now could drastically change the course of climate change’s impact on our world.

Photo Gallery