Alluvial Decoder

Raleigh, NC—On June 1, 2022, the first day of hurricane season, A Gang of Three launched the Alluvial Decoder. The public art installation is designed to raise awareness about the devastating effects of the flooding caused by Crabtree Creek in Raleigh. This small stream has seen water levels rising more than 12 feet above the road during Hurricane Fran in 1996, one of the worst storms in North Carolina's history. Further, since the construction of Crabtree Valley Mall in 1972, several buildings and roads have been built on the floodplain land, resulting in heavy floods caused by rainfall.

The Alluvial Decoder is situated on a bustling greenway path that runs alongside Crabtree Creek. The design considers the viewpoints from the path and afar such that the installation is visible and easily accessible to both pedestrians and vehicular traffic. It employs patterned graphics, color-coded pylons, and text to recount the significant story of Raleigh's flooding history. The site has twenty-five striped storm markers implanted in the ground, indicating the historic flood heights that the place has experienced to date. The project exemplifies how art, design, and landscape can be seamlessly combined to capture the essence of a location, integrating ecological context, site analysis, and data into an experience that is both narrative and memorable.

Designed to flood, the Alluvial Decoder reveals the real-time relationship between the current landscape and flooding events in the past. An informative mural summarizes the key events with dates and names, with a visual language and color system inspired by maritime signal flags. It serves as an experiential reminder of the hazards of unplanned development, the wonder and fury of nature, and the simple steps we might take to mitigate such challenges now and in the future. The project has also championed biodiversity by reinstating the native meadow to create a natural riparian zone along the green trail. 

Since completion, Alluvial Decoder has renewed environmental interest, boosted accountability to and by the public, and initiated discussions on responsible development near waterways. The landscape interventions have reduced stormwater runoff, improved biodiversity, and become a sought-after destination for the local population. At present, the Raleigh City Council-approved regulations restrict new construction in floodplains like the one around Crabtree Creek, affecting 400 properties and 1,545 acres of land citywide.

The project has been bestowed with several awards, such as the Raleigh Medal of Arts, an Editor's Pick Best of Design Award from The Architect's Newspaper, and accolades from the American Planning Association and American Institute of Architects NC. The initial budget allocation for the project was $35,000, but the city decided to expand the scope, which increased the budget to $50,000. This funding was entirely dedicated to the project's execution, with no artist or design fees taken. It ensured that every resource was directed towards making the intervention as impactful as possible.