RETHINKING DEVELOPMENT IN EAST NEW ORLEANS

Abstract

With the present issue of climate change, dangerous flooding events will become an issue that many communities must grapple with. New Orleans is one such city with a long history of inundation. After Katrina, neighborhoods were devastated by a failure of the levee system. This caused many residents to reflect on the viability of a city in constant danger of flooding. Investigating how communities in the past handled flooding events will help inform a path forward. The Louisiana region has a rich history of building vernaculars and settlement patterns. Comparing the strategies used by deltaic communities that share similar issues to New Orleans can inform a settlement pattern that addresses the unique challenges that the city faces. This thesis aims to create a neighborhood plan that addresses the unique climatic factors of East New Orleans, while creating a more cohesive community within the disjointed settlements.