What it does
Miami RYZE: Everyday seating that transforms into a life-saving refuge during flash floods. A smart, flood-resistant platform that rises with water to keep communities safe—blending resilience seamlessly into the urban landscape.
Your inspiration
As a native of Miami, I’ve witnessed firsthand the chaos and fear caused by sudden flash floods. With no safe place to go, the feeling of being stranded and helpless is real. There is no simple, accessible structure in the market designed specifically for urban flash flooding. That’s what led to the creation of Miami RYZE, a discreet, reliable refuge that blends into the city but rises to safety during a flood. Inspired by personal experience and the urgent need to protect vulnerable communities, Miami RYZE offers a life-saving solution where none currently exists.
How it works
Miami Ryze stands 5 meters tall and is engineered to automatically rise with floodwaters, providing a safe elevated refuge during sudden storms. It features a 3.5-meter-wide buoyant platform that rises automatically with water, guided by a 3.5-meter central steel pole, engineered to match Florida’s peak flood levels. Stabilized by hydraulic dampers and Teflon-lined guide rails, the platform lifts smoothly and ascends safely once waters recede. A 3.6-meter canopy provides shelter and visibility, while LED emergency lights activate in floods. Curved handrails + platform design offer 360° access for climbing and lifting yourself up from floods. Developed with input from the Emergency Fire & Rescue Director of Miami and an FDOT engineer, RYZE is built from marine-grade steel and recycled, watertight plastic to withstand extreme weather. Integrated sensors connect to an app that alerts users, tracks flood data, and guides them to safety.
Design process
The design process for Miami RYZE began with my personal experience of flash floods in Miami and research into the urgent need for safe refuge. I started by sketching ideas and building my own scale mockups using PVC pipes, sealed containers, wooden circular frames, and foam to test buoyancy and flotation. Early models floated but tipped unevenly under weight, so I added a central guiding pole with vertical tracks to keep the platform stable as it rises. While I couldn’t use real hydraulic verins in my mockups, I simulated their effect with simple dampening materials to test smooth, controlled movement during elevation. Through these hands-on tests, I refined the platform’s shape, balance, and materials. I consulted with Miami’s Emergency Fire & Rescue Director and an FDOT engineer to ensure the design meets safety and engineering standards. To make this design circular, the materials chosen were either recycled, could be remolded, or recyclable. Finally, I decided to integrate water sensors into the concept to trigger alerts and connect with a flood warning app, in order to not only give a last-resort solution, but a prevention solution too.
How it is different
Miami RYZE is the first flood-resilient structure designed specifically for urban flash floods. Unlike tsunami towers or France’s Gois de Noirmoutier refuge (which are large, static, and used only in emergencies), RYZE functions as everyday public seating and automatically transforms into a life-saving refuge when flash floods occur. Its passive floating system, guided by a secure track and stabilizers, requires no power, no activation, and no setup...making it instantly accessible. Built-in sensors and app connectivity provide real-time alerts and guidance. No other existing solution combines daily urban function, flood response, and digital awareness in one! As flash floods intensify due to climate change, RYZE fills a critical infrastructure gap. Recent tragedies, like the Texas flash flood that killed several children, show just how urgent the need is. RYZE is unique because it’s simple, scalable, and designed for the future. It floats when cities drown.
Future plans
Next, the ultimate goal is to develop a full-scale prototype to test in real flood conditions and refine the design with engineers. On the business side, pursuing partnerships with the City of Miami, FEMA, and private developers through public funding or private incentives would be ideal. The goal is to launch RYZE in Miami, then scale to other flood-prone cities, combining physical platforms with a digital app for alerts and navigation. The mission is clear: make flood resilience a permanent, visible part of everyday urban life.
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