Avian/Human Architecture

Abstract

Belonging to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Rota, the southernmost island in the Northern Mariana Island archipelago, is home to a naturally protected avian sanctuary that hosts critically endangered species of birds found nowhere else in the world. The island's unique environment has attracted the interest of academic institutions and international visitors focused on learning more about the island's ecosystem. While attempting to address the CNMI's tourism issues, the most recent tourism master plan for the islands, NMI Tourism Master Plan 2012-2016, fails to recognize Rota as a major candidate for economic growth. This thesis proposes a solution to both address tourism issues as well as educate locals and visitors of the importance of ecological sustainability through critical and creative exploration of the interaction between avian and human architecture.