The Walling World: New York City (2019)

In 2019, seven years after Hurricane Sandy, physical structures intended to protect housing, businesses, and other infrastructure from similar storm-surge flooding are now becoming a ubiquitous part of the urban fabric of New York City.

These images depict two examples of the City’s attempts to protect against climate-exacerbated severe weather events. Where Manhattan's southern tip touches the East River, temporary dirt filled mega-sandbags have been erected by the New York City Office of Emergency Management. Further north, concrete walls are being built around New York City Housing Authority buildings on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

See: Before the Surge a photo essay on Urban Omnibus.
As larger projects are debated and delayed, an array of sandbags, earthworks, and other humble infrastructures of defense are emerging across New York City to provide buffers against the sea.