 Buildings constructed today will need to anticipate flood levels at the end of their lifespan, which may be 50 to 100 years from now. In locations exposed to sea level rise, it's likely that higher flood construction levels will be required for habitable floors. A key concern in urban design is how these higher levels will interface with the street. An isolated street with blank walls is neither comfortable or safe. Innovation in urban design will need to address sea level rise while maintaining a positive indoor-outdoor relationship in the streetscape. One way to adapt is to raise both the site and retail or residential parts of buildings to above future flood construction levels. Raising the parking, sidewalk and site to the retail floor level will provide easy and barrier-free access for the disabled and a lively streetscape. Shaping of the shoreline needs to consider how waves react with the land. Waves running up a beach dissipate their energy. Waves meeting a vertical face convert energy into splash. In an urban setting, a vertical sea wall can amplify the vertical effect of waves. Over topping of a wall by wavesplash can increase flooding risks when compared to a beach or a sloping rocky area. Following these principles, in areas exposed to waves, it's often better to avoid walls right at the shoreline. Better wave attenuation is achieved by setting back the buildings and providing a terraced shoreline with slopes between the terraces. Some of these areas can be Green Park as they will be normally dry between extreme flood events. Waterfront setbacks are ideal for walk and cycle systems. These could run along an upper terrace. If a wall was necessary to provide added protection above the slopes and terraces, the wall is best planned at an elevation and setback where waves have spent their force. A wall, while setback from waves, could be the last line of defense against extreme coastal flood. Elevated sites and buildings in new construction have other advantages as well. The higher site level means less excavation for underground parking. And the raised shoreline and streetscape also provides a better view of the harbor compared to lower existing grades. The creation of quality developments with high density and mixed use can be compatible with climate change. But there are urban design challenges, especially for heritage areas. But our heritage also includes examples of flood adaptation that we can learn from. Guanayato, in the Mexican highlands about four hours north of Mexico City, experienced repeated flooding of its urban core. In 1772, engineering studies identified the need for flood walls up to ten meters high. After some hesitation and more floods, the community decided to raise the downtown people areas out of the floodplain. They also worked over the years to reduce the frequency of flooding in the remaining low areas. The result is a heritage city at two levels. A lower level is designed for rare flooding and accommodates higher speed traffic and parking. A higher level is pedestrian dominated, but also with very low speed traffic, emergency vehicles and transit. The two levels are joined by ramps at key locations. The upper level urban design features civic spaces and buildings that bridge the floodplain. Newer raised streets have direct access from sidewalk to indoor retail space. In older areas, some building floors have been adapted to be above the street, perhaps with wet flood proofing of the entrance foyer. Other building floors are below a raised street, with a sill to keep street flooding out of the building. Ramps are common with disabled access provided either inside or outside of the building. Cywalk elevation relates to the building doorways, and it's sometimes on a different level than the street. Guanyato is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it's a favorite destination among Mexicans. It's a showcase of practical and effective flood adaptation that was implemented over centuries, and applies at both the city-wide and at the building level. Guanyato illustrates the importance of having a neighborhood or block strategy for flood management that provides a frame of reference for implementation in smaller phases of private or public redevelopment projects. We can learn from other flooding events as well. Superstorm Sandy in New York City shows the importance of flood protection for openings to underground transit and to underground utilities. This precedence teaches that sea level rise and flood management can be fully integrated into urban design and placemaking. Rather than an afterthought, flood resilience and adaptation are fundamental to the concept and detail of these examples, and the results can be highly attractive urban design. For success, climate change adaptation should be integrated early into each project. From the first site and building concepts, all the way through detail design and project implementation.