Based on all the information we’re hearing about Ice Glaciers melting in this century it’s a no brainer that eventually most of New York City will be underwater – perhaps, by the year 2100, if not before.

A four-foot rise in sea levels would cover more than 80 percent of the Northwest Palisade Bay/Hudson River area in the New Jersey area, including Liberty Park/Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, with water during high tide.

While I can understand that it is nightmare, politically speaking, to build dams around New York City, and lets face it, New Jersey and Connecticut will also be largely underwater – hardly anyone really wants to talk about the future – but that’s not exactly true – in fact, Artists and Architects are thinking about it and they have Re-Envisioned New York to Combat Sea-Level Rise

One team’s vision of a “New Aqueous City.” Image credit: nArchitects

The New York art institutions MoMA and P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center are looking on the bright side of the down economy: “As in past economic recessions, construction has slowed dramatically in New York, and much of the city’s remarkable pool of architectural talent is available to focus on innovation.”

Too bad it’s going to take another 20 years before anyone takes all of this seriously – but if you wanted to take stimulus money and spend in on infrastructure – this would be a very good way to do it.

The problem is the sea level isn’t high enough yet to justify this kind of expenditure – but here’s what will likely happen when the sea level goes up by 4 feet or more this century – I guess “stuff happens”.

Map of project zones. Image credit: Guy Nordenson and Associates, Catherine Seavitt Studio, and Architecture Research Office with Lizzie Hodges, Marianne Koch, James Smith, and Michael Tantala

I’ll go and see this show when it opens as it’s of interest to me – sure, it’s not going to happen in my lifetime, most likely, but if your alive in 50 years or so – well …. you might need to think about where to live next.