Project Statement

The Long Marsh Forward leverages climate-responsive design and local ecology to regenerate Belville’s connection to the Brunswick River. This project reimagines the community’s relationship to the tidally-influenced Brunswick River through aquatic and terrestrial recreational spaces, providing new economic drivers. An adaptive riverfront park ties Belville into a larger blueway system, restoring the region’s historic relationship to the water and enhancing the town’s identity. The design fosters a deeper connection to the river, promoting the well-being of residents, visitors, and local ecosystems, while creating regional networks and partnerships amongst the development pressures of residing in the fastest-growing county of North Carolina.

Project Narrative

The Long Marsh Forward responds to the proposed Belville Town Center development along the Brunswick River, aiming to seamlessly integrate the new project with the natural landscape while distinguishing Belville within the growing coastal region. Situated within the Cape Fear River Basin, the project creates a new waterfront park, blueway system, and offshore amenities to connect the users to the water.

Inspired by the local salt marsh morphology, the River’s Edge Park is divided into three sections: Upland, Intertidal, and Offshore Zones. The Upland Zone offers gathering spaces with scenic river views. Meandering pathways lead to the Intertidal Zone, providing opportunities to explore the wetland forest and transitional salt marsh. The site’s Adaptive Breakwater doubles as a recreational trail until rising seas cause the marsh to envelop the trail. The breakwater will then serve as a key piece of resilient green infrastructure.

Located at the edge of the Brunswick River Channel, the Flagship Mobility Hub serves as an offshore gateway into downtown Belville’s River’s Edge Park. Connected to the town by the park’s boardwalk, this hub offers panoramic views of downtown Belville, the marshland, and the river. The Flagship hosts paddle programs, provides docking and storage, and creates waterfront spaces for community events.

A series of artificial reefs and living shoreline structures along the edge of the historic river’s edge will accrue sediment flowing downstream. These offshore interventions will generate new marshland habitat, sequestering carbon and mitigating storm damage. Blue carbon credits from the growing salt marsh offer a new regional opportunity for economic growth. The profits from these blue carbon credits can support park maintenance and development.

Inspired by the migration of the marshlands, fluctuating tides, and sea-level rise, our design introduces floating, moveable, and low-impact modules that regenerate a connection to the river. The six module types can function autonomously or be combined to create adaptable spaces suitable for varied programming. The low-impact design of the modules preserves Belville’s shoreline, allowing the land to heal from its industrial past while still acknowledging its history. The use of Bio-Rock weight/chain anchors and screw piles ensures minimal impacts on the aquatic ecosystem.

The modular typologies include:

Plain Jane: A versatile open deck for programming.

Observation Shelter: A space of refuge for wildlife observation.

Floating Wetlands: Provide ecosystem services and educational opportunities.

Touch Tanks: Promote engagement and research about estuarine ecosystems.

Kayak Slips: Ephemeral docking for small recreational crafts.

Motorized Module: Watercraft equipped with accessible seating that allows for ADA-accessible mobility along the river.

Floating Wetland Modules provide on-site research opportunities via partnerships with other regional restoration and preservation organizations such as Eagles Island Restoration Project, Kerr Mcgee Superfund Site, and UNCW.  The modules are positioned along the historic edge of the river to attenuate wave energy, mitigate erosion, and improve water quality. The form of the wetland module establishes varied microhabitats, generating robust wetland habitats with increased biodiversity. 

The Long Marsh Forward creates a vibrant, ecologically rich waterfront attraction that enhances Belville's resilience and regional appeal.