2. MID-RISE

The Mid-Rise building typology is a four- to seven-story building that typically contains residential units above active ground floor uses, such as a lobby or retail space, that is visually and physically accessible from the public right-of-way (ROW). Residential units may be provided on the ground floor of the building. If off-street parking is provided, it is obscured from the public ROW, such as a parking structure wrapped by residential floors or sited at the back of the lot.

Typical layouts for Mid-Rise buildings include rectangular, U-shaped, L-shaped, and perimeter building forms with internal courtyards and green roofs. Flood resilient features, such as green infrastructure, saltwater tolerant plantings, and flood damage-resistant landscape materials, are provided within the Resilient Streetscape Transition Zone. These features allow for a welcoming forecourt to the building’s ground floor. The building is normally located along a “complete street” that provides equitable access to the development and balances transport modes, with emphasis on active mobility, including walking and bicycling.

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Key Climate Resilient Design Guidelines

1. Provide an amenity-rich Resilient Streetscape Transition Zone, which should include saltwater tolerant plantings, flood damage-resistant landscape materials, and green infrastructure.

2. Provide landscaped surfaces, wide canopy trees, and shade structures, such as over seating areas, to mitigate the heat island effect.

3. Provide sustainable roof systems, such as blue-green roofs, energy producing roofs, and reflective roofs. These systems can mitigate heat island effect; capture, treat, provide on-site reuse, and release stormwater; generate solar energy; and provide space for urban gardening and tenant amenities.

4. Provide systems for on-site water reuse, which can aid in water conservation and flood mitigation through rainwater capture. Cisterns at the podium level can irrigate on site and in the Resilient Streetscape Transition Zone.

5. Locate critical systems above Base Flood Elevation (BFE) or Design Flood Elevation (DFE), on the roof or intermediate floors, including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and power generators

Sources:

1. Townshend Landscape Architects. “Sidewalk”. London, UK.
2. TOD. “South Shore Market”. Honolulu, HI.
3. Hans van Heeswijk Architecten. “Rooftop Garden”. Amsterdam, Netherlands.
4. Andrew Neuman. “Ola Ka ‘Ilima Artspace Lofts”. Honolulu, HI.
5. Finegardening.com. “Outtakes from a Rooftop Garden”.

Resilient Streetscape Transition Zone Detail

1. Permeable pavement

2. Bike lane

3. Transitional landscape

4. Parking entrance

5. Barrier-free ADA ramp up to sidewalk from intersection

6. Supporting infrastructure

7. Planters with seating

8. Active ground floor use

All Resilient Transition Zones must be ADA compliant