Funafuti, Tuvalu
Coastal Adapatation Plan
Greenfield in the big blue.
TCAP 1A is Tuvalu’s most ambitious climate-adaptation project, creating new, elevated land that protects the nation’s capital while setting a blueprint for resilient urban growth. It transforms coastal protection into a liveable civic precinct that responds directly to sea-level rise. Meck Studio led the development of the Land Use Concept Plan, translating engineering, coastal science and community priorities into a clear, buildable urban framework. Working with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Tuvalu, we shaped a walkable, climate-safe neighbourhood grounded in Tuvaluan culture and everyday life.
Sea Level Rise & Other Drivers of Change
Sea level rise is the defining driver of change in Tuvalu, placing unprecedented pressure on land, housing and national infrastructure. TCAP 1A responds by turning climate risk into opportunity, creating safe land that supports long-term resilience, liveability and sovereignty.
Securing Tuvalu’s Future through Adaptation
TCAP is Tuvalu’s flagship adaptation programme, responding to climate change by protecting vulnerable coastlines and creating new, climate-safe land for future generations. It moves beyond defence, using engineered reclamation to secure space for housing, community life and essential national infrastructure. In doing so, it turns adaptation into a nation-building exercise rather than a temporary response. At its core, TCAP is about giving Tuvalu physical certainty in an increasingly uncertain climate future.
New Land Development Starts with Understanding the Existing Place
New land only works if it grows from a deep understanding of the place it connects to. Meck Studio grounded TCAP 1A in close analysis of Funafuti’s climate, culture, daily life and spatial patterns, ensuring the new land extends the logic of the existing village rather than imposing something foreign. This place-based approach shapes how streets, housing, public space and community life are structured on the reclaimed land.
Co-Design with Community and Stakeholders
TCAP 1A was shaped through a co-design process grounded in direct engagement with government, community leaders and residents. Meck Studio translated local knowledge, priorities and lived experience into a plan that reflects how Tuvaluans use space, share land and build community. The result is a framework that is both technically robust and genuinely owned by the people it is designed for.
A Climate-Safe Blueprint
Meck’s plan for the new land translates climate resilience into a practical, tropical design framework shaped by breeze, shade, landscape and water. It applies core principles of tropical design, using orientation, ventilation, greenery and compact walkable structure to create comfort without relying on heavy infrastructure.
Key features include:
60–70 new climate-safe residences
New government and civic infrastructure
An evacuation centre
New parks, green space and shared community areas
Integration of everyday social services
Built form and public realm shaped by Tuvaluan culture and way of life
Sustainable Housing Typologies
A key feature of the design is sustainable, low-cost and durable housing types created specifically for Tuvalu’s climate and to withstand cyclones. The typologies use lightweight construction, cross-ventilation, deep shade and rainwater harvesting to reduce reliance on mechanical systems while improving everyday comfort. They are shaped around outdoor living, gardens and shared spaces that support resilient family and neighbourhood life.
Location
Funafuti, Tuvalu
Scale
Medium
Client
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Collaborators
Intercoastal Engineering, Hall Contracting