This 'genius' architect just won $625,000 to save cities from rising sea levels - take a look at her solutions

Rising sea levels, coastal flooding, and biodiversity loss are stark realities for many cities across the United States.

By 2100, there is a 90% chance that global mean sea levels will rise anywhere from eight inches to 6.6 feet, according to a recent National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report. As the world becomes more urbanized, cities can lose wetlands (which protect against flooding), trees (which fight CO2), and native flora and fauna.

Landscape architect Kate Orff, founder of the urban design firm Scape Studio, aims to address those issues in her work. She is a 2017 recipient of the MacArthur fellowship, also known as the "genius grant," announced on October 11. Every year, the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation awards $625,000 each, paid over five years, to people who "have shown extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits and a marked capacity for self-direction."

Orff's projects focus on finding practical solutions to ecological problems facing cities. Check out some of her most fascinating ones below.