A multifunctional computational approach to waterfront design

Seawalls and other types of waterfront infrastructures are predominantly designed to counter natural forces and maintain structural stability. Consequently, their defensive and reactive design impedes other types of uses and users. As an alternative to the single-use paradigm, there have been attempts to develop a more ecological, performance-based and civic approach to coastal defence structures that would engage with the diverse needs of human and non-human stakeholders. This paper presents a theoretical and methodological framework for employing computational tools to creatively design the interaction between the sea and the man-made shoreline. The research developed and tested a computational design methodology for the early stages of the seawall architectural design process. The suggested design methodology relies on inputs from a wave and texture taxonomy that was developed using physically based fluid simulation tools. The methodology was tested in a case study design.