Ingleside on the Bay. A Resilient Waterfront for a Texas Coastal Town

Coastal cities are increasingly exposed to the compounded impacts of sea level rise, shoreline erosion, and intensifying storm events. Along the Texas coast, these climate-related pressures are further amplified by the environmental impacts of industrial development, which place stress on communities, infrastructure, and ecological systems. This convergence of risks is visible in the case of Ingleside on the Bay, a small waterfront community located near major industrial facilities in Corpus Christi Bay.

In response to the dual challenges of rising seas and expanding industry, this interdisciplinary research project applies a participatory mixed-methods approach to support long-term resilience. Guided by the principles of engaged design and grounded in local knowledge, the project works in collaboration with community members to (1) identify existing natural and built assets, as well as areas of vulnerability, (2) quantify current and projected flood hazards, and (3) translate these findings into climate adaptation pathways that reflect both technical analysis and lived experience.

The adaptation pathways that emerge from this process illustrate the value of integrating human intelligence with scientific modeling. They emphasize the importance of co-creating strategies that account for both environmental and industrial drivers of change. By combining data-driven insights with participatory mapping, dialogue, and scenario development, the project supports communities like Ingleside on the Bay in navigating uncertain futures with clarity, agency, and care.

This work embodies the goals of the Future Environments Lab by linking ecological systems and infrastructure with community-based knowledge and co-created solutions. It advances an integrative framework for climate resilience where spatial design, environmental modeling, and public engagement inform one another toward a more adaptive and inclusive coastal future.

TEAM

Oswald Jenewein (PI)

Assistant Professor, School of Architecture

College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs

 

Michelle Hummel (Co-PI)

Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering

College of Engineering

 

Graduate Assistants:

Isaiah Sigala

Calvin Ridenour

 

Project Short Film