Ark. Smith Island, MD. Spring 2025, Studio, fourth semester with partner Emily Kurtzhaltz. Instructor Ines Martin Robles. Resilience Hub. This flexible community space at the edge of town is designed to stay afloat in tough conditions. Smith Islanders have made a commitment to staying on their island, come hell or high water. Architecture there must rise to this challenge by combining local resourcefulness with modern structure. the building floats on just a few concrete foundation pillars, which are capped by enclosed private spaces (bathrooms, etc.). successive layers of translucent and transparent polycarbonate, both as part of the envelope and hanging inside as separators, give the building a crystal-like appearance. all furniture and storage in the main hall is hung from the ceiling, including temporary shelters during storms. each section of one of the halls can be converted to its own use: workspace for visiting researchers, gathering spaces for ecotourism, administration space. replaceable wooden docks provide space for craft projects, wildlife observation, and gathering for both Islanders and tour groups. All supplies and materials reach the island via small boats. But the island’s traditional building techniques now face the second-highest sea level rise threat in the country. The Ark’s structure was designed to use steel members that can be handled without machinery and loaded onto these small craft. It was modeled with individually-printed parts. oyster shells, which are already collected as a byproduct of one of the island’s biggest industries, can be used as aggregate in concrete, producing a novel texture. grasses and reeds, including invasive species like phragmites australis, can be enlisted to insulate the building. Detail of structure system. the structure is supported by a few rigid concrete foundations, which extend above floor level so the steel is not damaged by flood. Detail of envelope assembly. the floor is hung from the superstructure. the hull and its polycarbonate window systems are flexible and can ride up by several feet when the water is high. different sections of the building can be converted into different uses depending on the need of the day. The superstructure alone... the hull hanging from it... the structure is safe from today's highest king tides... but even as sea level rises... and floods become worse... the structure can ride out major tides and storm surges... for many decades into the future.