Shifting Datum: A Critical Inquiry into Coastal Change

Shifting Datum is an installation that critically examines the relationship between New Orleans – a city much of which is at or below current sea level – and changes in relative sea level. With the increasing interest among the artists and designers on how to integrate research into their practice, we present Shifting Datum as a critical inquiry speculating on environmental issues such as rising sea levels. This paper introduces the recent movement of speculative design, frames Shifting Datum as a critical lens for inquiry into the near future, and describes the process of developing and fabricating the installation.