High Tide is a community-centered, phygital role-playing game designed to help neighborhoods like Red Hook, Brooklyn, build trust and resilience through immersive disaster preparedness. The project transforms traditional emergency drills into collaborative, location-based missions that use AR, storytelling, and neighborhood landmarks to engage players in realistic flood response scenarios.

Rooted in growing urgency—from climate projections to local lived experiences—High Tide addresses the decision paralysis, hesitation, and confusion that too often arise during emergencies. Through our research on Hurricane Sandy’s impact in Red Hook, we found that many residents were left without clear guidance, supplies, or support networks—despite living in a high-risk flood zone. And yet, our interviews showed that a surprising number of residents don’t know where to go, what to pack, or how to respond during a flood. Several preparedness initiatives exist, but they’re often passive, inaccessible, or top-down.
By 2030, high-tide flooding will become a regular occurrence in many coastal neighborhoods. So the question becomes: What are we doing about it—together? How do we balance personal safety with community care? How can design make preparedness accessible, fun, and emotionally resonant? How might we help translate policy into real-world action?

Studio Instructor
Rhea Alexander

Designers
Sonima Katara
Vani Bhatnagar