Machine Myrmecomorphy - Testing the Limits of Governor's Island Part 2 Project 2020 Mara Lookabaugh Pratt Institute | USA The Salt Marsh speculates on a post-natural response to sea level rise in New York City. Rather than mitigating an encroaching waters edge, a tectonic filtration system works symbiotically with the water, augmenting the function of a salt water marsh. Salt water marshes are regularly flooded ecosystems made up of dense, multi-stemmed plants which absorb water and accrete sediment to build land base.Grasses such as spartina alterniflora filter water and enable other habitat-engineering species, such as mussels, to settle. This filtration system is imitated throughout the site to filter water of toxins and debris, creating clean areas to study and recreate at the water’s edge. High grasses provide refuge for animals and submerged landscape features create protected habitat for marine species. The Salt Marsh serves as a center for marine research and education. It is both a monitoring station for bathymetry, tides, and sea level rise and a laboratory for marine learning. Occupancy of interior spaces is dictated by the moving datum of the tides. Walkways above the saltwater marsh provide access to the water’s edge. The proposal projects a vision where the water’s edge becomes a new regional center for Governors Island. Tutor(s) Karel Klein