In light of rising sea levels and flooding events threatening metropoles around the world, this proposal investigates a maritime urbanism where the built fabric of the city shifts from traditional solid ground to a floating existence in harmony with the ocean. ‘Vers la mer’ – ‘towards the sea’ utilizes the potential of the Queens riverfront and Anable basin for such an investigation. Rectilinear volumes based on the built fabric on land are coming loose and float, anchored in the enlarged Anable basin and are surrounded by a floating water garden in which the public can enjoy and experience life on the water.