C A T F I S H C O N N E C T I O N :linking community to the river in greenville, mississippi

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jordan leigh matthews

cordula roser-gray, adviser

tulane university, ahst 6110/dsgn6100

greenville, missippi, authors collage

3c o n t e n t s

thesis question + abstract 4

research paper 5

bibliography 14

cubic armature 16

research + analysis, precedent as inspiration + research 18

research + analysis, precedent as research 24

case studies 44

site selection + analysis 46

programming 70

appendix 80

design proposal 83

4t h e s i s q u e s t i o n

Can architectural design successfully reformulate the symbiotic relationships between economy,

community and ecology that are currently missing from post-industrialized Mississippi River cities?

What are the spatial opportunities offered from current disconnect between the river and the

citizens?

Currently, many cities are struggling with inner-urban blight and disjointed, divided communities

due to high unemployment and lack of economic opportunity. Towns along the Mississippi River are

prime examples of such distressed urban spaces, due to a combination of declining industry, lateral

physical expansion away from the center and into suburbs, shifts in American revenue generators and

todays generally poor economic climate. The banks of the river are vacant with many Main Street

storefronts unoccupied. Cities offer little to no waterfront commerce, entertainment or gathering

for locals and tourists alike besides steamboat casinos. In addition, treatment of the Mississippi

River is especially conservative, cautious and careful due to its strategic international importance

and fl ood plain sensitivity; leading to the acceptance of early 20th century river control methods,

with little room to engage or experience the waters. Visual and physical access to the river is denied

due to levees and fl ood walls. However, the river embodies great potential for revitalization due to

its quality resources; various fi shery groups have stressed the value of aquaculture, especially for

catfi sh cultivation, as a strong source of employment and revenue across the state of Mississippi.

This thesis project seeks to investigate a sustainable model for large-scale redevelopment of

decaying downtown spaces that respectfully links landscape and design while addressing problems

tied to the current decline of American cities and towns. Mississippi River communities, especially

in the state of Mississippi, require redevelopment with the three-fold intent of highlighting regional

history, establishing an economy and providing space for the community to gather. The proposed

means of re-urbanization an urban catfi sh aquaculture and fi shery center prescribes an

ecological, economic and productive cultural infrastructure that highlights the river and layers

historical and social spaces to reinvigorate the relationship between city and its place on the water.

a b s t r a c t

thesis question + abstract

5r e s e a r c h p a p e r

research paper

[ c o n t e m p o r a r y

declining communities]

fi gure 1: mississippi riverauthors diagram

Without a doubt the Delta is economically one of the poorest spots in America. The tough life of the majority clashes with the apparent richness of soil and the great amounts of capital that are invested in farming it. - travelers Report to Mississippi1

Currently, contemporary American cities struggle with depopulated neighborhoods

and disjointed, divided communities as a result of mechanization, high unemployment, de-

industrialization and lack of economic opportunity. Local businesses succumb to commercial strip

malls with nationally recognized chain stores. High inventory surpluses and manufacturers overseas

outsourcing led to employee downsizing. Between 2010 and 2012, national unemployment rates

fl uctuated between eight and ten percent.2 Small cities along the Mississippi River are prime

examples of communities in distress as a result of declining industry in the region, urban exodus

into the suburbs, and todays poor international economic climate.

With a 1,245,000 square mile fl ood plain that drains 41% of the continental United States,

the Mississippi River is an integral part of the nations landscape; the rivers cities embody the

independence and community of the American spirit each with its own Main Street, regional

specialities and civic pride. Local businesses and industries are out of business due to the

economic climate, which now promotes the prevalence of suburban big-box stores and leaves

behind abandoned storefronts in historic districts. The state of Mississippi has had a steady ten-

percent unemployment rate over the past decade, the sixth-highest unemployment in the country.3

However, there are still three regional industries that tend to dominate the Mississippi job market

due to their place-specifi city. Manufacturing, tourism and agriculture combined provide more than

660,00 jobs for the Lower Mississippi region4 (the rivers communities south of Cairo, Illinois,

fi gure 1) and all three markets rely heavily on their relationships to the waterfront to execute

shipping, sightseeing and irrigation. In addition to the fi scal issues for these communities areas in

the Lower Mississippi River are bound by a complex levee system, which limits the waterfront

access to which it is so intimately and economically linked. Taking into account the Mississippi

Rivers dichotomous land value and agricultural wealth with extreme unemployment and poverty

serves as a call to action for mediation via architectural design. Considering the fi nancial systems 1 Anurdha Mathur and Dilip da Cunha, Mississippi Floods: Designing a Shifting Landscape. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2001), 53.2 United States Department of Labor, Databases, Tables and Calculators by Subject, Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LASST28000003 (accessed November 17, 2012).3 Ibid.4 Robert Black, Stephanie Hutchinson and Chris Warshaw, Economic Profi le of the Lower Mississippi River Region (Cambridge: Industrial Economics Inc, 2004) ES-5

6[ r e m e d i e s

for urban blight]

fi gure 2: greenville casinosphotos by the author

of the river communities without equal or greater consideration of the Mississippi Rivers own

complexities creates a fundamental, spatial disconnect, thus denying a true understanding of the

regions economic issues and potential solutions.

International urban development strategies attempt to combat inner-urban blight with the

introduction of downtown malls, sports stadia, casinos and cultural production spaces (museums,

galleries, etc.)5, however the sustainable longevity of these proposals do not consider the intricacies

of each individual community. Such attempts neglect to respond to the site-specifi c character of

such small metropolises, like Mississippi River communities. Jack Nasar and David Julian report

on the sociological issues of a dissolving community in The Psychological Sense of Community

in the Neighborhood, noting Americans nostalgia for interdependence of small town life in an

age of high automobile-dependence, technology and commercialization.6 The authors suggest the

importance and signifi cance of establishing communal relationships as a means of resolving urban

issues; either through a community of place, a group sharing a similar defi ned environment, or a

community of interest, a group sharing similar interests.7 Many efforts of the past twenty years

focused on construction of projects that might spur a community of place where citizens would

both work and spend their money, however these efforts encountered few successes. For example,

the trend of downtown mall developments in the late twentieth century are now predominantly

in decline; as urban planner Pierre Filion reports, downtown malls could not sustain suburban

competition and have regressed to...much devalued structures, affl icted by high vacancy rates

and hosting mainly low-order activities such as bargain stores.8 Filions study confi rms that the

convenience of suburban shopping centers in an automobile-centric society is problematic for

downtown malls as a means of re-stimulating production and consumption. Casinos currently

dominate the landscape of the Mississippi River, and have proven highly profi table for their adjacent

communities. In the case of Greenville, Mississippi - a small city of 34,000 people two casinos are

tucked behind the levee and hidden from the historic downtown (fi gure 2); in 2005 these gambling

centers contributed $2 million to the city and county in taxes to augment the annual budget and

school districts.9 In considering adding more casinos to Greenvilles waterfront, City Clerk Tommie 5 Sharon Zukin, Urban Lifestyles: Diversity and Standardization in Spaces of Consumption, Urban Studies 35:6 (1998): 825.6 Jack L. Nasar and David A. Julian, The Psychological Sense of Community in the Neighborhood, Journal of the American Planning Association 61:2 (1995): 178.7 Ibid., 179.8 Pierre Filion and Karen Hammond. When Planning Fails: Downtown Malls in Mid-Size Cities, Canadian Journal of Urban Research 17:2 (2008): 2.9 David Lush, New Casinos Add to Greenvilles Economy, Mississippi Business Journal (June 2006), http://msbusiness.com/2006/06/new-casinos-add-to-greenville8217s-economy/ (accessed September 24, 2012).

7Jefcoat argued: What it means is more tax dollars for the city and county and employing 300

to 400 people who will probably spend their paychecks in the area.10 Jefcoats hypothesis never

reached fruition as the casino project ended before design development, and one of the existing

casinos recently closed with the economic recession. This example underlines the fragile nature of

the gambling industrys winning streaks and subsequent downswings.

Conversely, urban theorist Sharon Zukin defi nes a symbolic economy as the contemporary

method for redevelopment: re-appropriating the city for creation of ...such abstract products

as fi nancial instruments, information and culture ie. art, food, fashion, music and tourism.11

These techniques simply serve as vessels to spend money, with emphasis on transmission of

culture rather than product. However, Zukin notes that ideas that promote this culture refl ect

an absence of traditional resources for competing for capital investment and jobs.12 Ultimately,

cities in contemporary economic turmoil require jobs the aforementioned traditional resource

that allows a community to prosper, thrive and grow into a strong and unique entity. Considering

the psychological desires of a community of place and/or interest, neither the downtown mall

nor casino is appropriate for Lower Mississippi River cities; in conjunction with a long term and

sustainable industry, the symbolic economy may serve as an initial format for reviving small urban

centers in the state of Mississippi.

Riverside cities in Mississippi are relatively small centers where history and industry meet

at the waters edge. Explored by Hernando de Sotos team in the 16th century, Mississippi was

a muddy aggregation of glacial silt and clay sediments, rich with natural resources.13 The Native

American Mississippian tribe developed and cultivated corn farming, as well as squashes and

grains; the area has a millennia of agricultural experimentation.14 In addition, Mississippian peoples

constructed tall ceremonial mounds to celebrate the land and observe the adjacent Mississippi

River; these sites exist today and stand out from the extremely fl at alluvial expanse. With the

arrival of the French in the late 17th century, the Mississippi River Valley underwent a series of

transformations: the French both adapted to the land and adapted the land to meet their needs.15

10 Ibid.11 Zukin, Urban Lifestyles, 826.12 Ibid., 826.13 Christopher Morris, The Big Muddy: An Environmental History of the Mississippi and Its Peoples, from Hernando de Soto to Hurricane Katrina, (New York: Oxford University Press, 2012) 9.14 Ibid., 16.15 Ibid., 50.

[ what is a

symbolic economy?]

[welcome to

m i s s i s s i p p i ]

8Parcelling acres and developing boundaries became a sign of wealth in the United States, and the

landscape of Mississippi still bears the scars of cleared forests, drainage ditches, fences and levees

to denote property lines.16 Currently, this area is known as The Delta, the fl at territory between

the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers (fi gure 3). Self proclaimed as the most southern place on earth,17

the Delta is an agrarian community, where the cotton farming and plantation lifestyles led to the

melancholy twang of Blues music. Tourism in the Delta revolves around marketing this southern

charm and distinctly American music, encouraging visitors to explore the regions small towns

and cities via blues museums and performing venues as well as southern cooking establishments

and idyllic historic homes and downtowns.18 Greenville, advertised as The Heart and Soul of the

Delta19 is the largest metropolis in the region, seeking to preserve its small town charm with

an infl ux of marine-oriented industry. Moving in from Greenvilles periphery, cotton fi elds bind

the city limits until the pavement expands to a series of suburban shopping malls and eventually

into the shaded live oak lined streets of the historic and residential downtown. Due to a number

of forces - including factory closings, poor school systems and a tumultuous economy - current

unemployment in Greenville rates are between fourteen and eighteen percent, with a median

household income of $27,717.20

Mississippi is, as evidenced by its name, deeply linked to and infl uenced by the Mississippi

River. Over thousands of years, the river and its alluvial plains have naturally shifted, meandered and

swerved through middle America. In changing courses and routes, the Mississippi River deposited

hundreds of nutrient-rich soil layers, making prime farmland for cotton, rice and soybeans. With

each fl ood, the river widened and expanded out over the farmlands, wiping out harvests yet

leaving a new layer of fertile sediment behind and a natural sediment levee of three to four feet.21

Frequently, the Mississippi River would cut off a ribbon of its sinuous path, leaving an oxbow lake:

a slack water (non-tidal) lake, a reminder of the rivers former path.22 Harold Fisk, a member

of the US Army Corps of Engineers documented the various changes in course in 1944 which

16 Ibid., 21, 59.17 John M. Barry, Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How it Changed America, (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997), 95.18 Greenville and Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Greenville and Washington County Tourism, Green-ville and Washington County, http://www.visitgreenville.org (accessed November 1, 2012).19 Ibid.20 US Census Bureau, American FactFinder: Selected Economic Characteristics, 2006-2010, http://factfi nder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/searchresults.xhtml?refresh=t (accessed November 17, 2012).21 Barry, Rising Tide, 40, 97.22 US Army Corps of Engineers, Ports of Natchez, Vicksburg, and Greenville, MS, and Ports on the Lower Mississippi River, Miles 255 to 620 AHP, (US Army Corps of Engineers. Port Series no. 72. 1991), 3.

fi gure 3: the deltaphotos by the author

[mississippi +

the mississippi river]

9demonstrates the wide swings from the rivers high-paced fl ow (fi gure 4); Greenville, Mississippi

is one such oxbow still connected at the base to the Mississippi River and thus still vulnerable to

rising fl ood waters.23 Greenville author William Alexander Percy described his citys early levee

system and its infl uence on the landscape: The low levees of 1893...[had] certain real advantages.

When they broke, the water trickled in gradually, stood quietly over the land two or three weeks,

deposited a fi ne nutritious layer of sediment, and withdrew without having drowned anybody

or wrecked any buildings or prevented a late planting of the crop.24 However this constant and

unpredictable fl ux was not desirable for settled farmers with investments and livelihoods at stake

thus, towns from Louisiana to Illinois augmented the height, width and strength of the natural

levees originally formed by the rivers erosion pattern. Buffering the levee with concrete, berms,

drainage methods, vertical walls and occasionally sandbags, levees became fortifi cations against

the fast-paced Mississippi.25 The devastating and deadly Flood of 1927 involved eighteen months

of high rains, fl ooding and increased river speed; when the levee broke twelve miles north of

Greenville, a crevasse inundated hundreds of acres of the plains (fi gure 5). The need for regulation

and protection of the levee system was resolved via the Flood Control Act of 1928, holding the

federal government responsible for engineering, construction and maintenance of the levees; the

act initiated an infrastructure of tall levees and fl ood protections 2,203 miles long.26

Levees, while immensely protective for both people and property, are equally challenging

for spatial connections and continuity. Development of the levee system was huge in scale, fi nancial

investment and ecological alteration. President Calvin Coolidges Flood Control Act of 1928

reportedly cost between $300 million to $1 billion to implement.27 The construction of the new

fl ood protection system was extreme, increasing the human manipulation over the land with

heavy machinery, engineering and visual boundaries. Percy compared this severity of the new

levees in his book Lanterns on the Levee: [the four-foot tall levee] had been built by Irishmen

with wheelbarrows and paid for by local taxation; it always broke. The levee of today is forty feet

high, has been built by caterpillars and drag lines and paid for by the United States government; it

23 Harold Fisk, The Alluvial valley of the Lower Mississippi River, Radical Cartography, http://www.radicalcartography.net/?fi sk (accessed September 24, 2012).24 William Alexander Percy, Lanterns on the Levee: Refl ections of a Planters Son, (New York: Alfred A. Knoff, 1966), 243.25 Mississippi River Commission. The Mississippi River and Tributaries Project: Controlling the Project Flood, Louisiana State University Law, Science and Public Health Program, (2007), biotech.law.lsu.edu/climate/docs/MR-T-info.pdf (accessed October 9, 2012).26 US Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District, The Mississippi River, US Army Corps of Engineers (May 19, 2004) http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/pao/bro/misstrib.htm (accessed October 9, 2012).27 Barry, Rising Tide, 406.

fi gure 4: Fisk Alluvial Maps, GreenvilleHarold Fisk, 1944.

[fl ood protection

s y s t e m s ]

10

sometimes breaks.28 While the Mississippi River Commission touts that no project levee built

to Mississippi River Commission standards has ever failed29, the spatial disconnect between

people and the river is highly problematic and requires consideration. Environmental historian

Christopher Morris explains: Levees reconfi gured the human relationship with the environment,

by separating land and water so as to enhance human control over both. Water touched land

when people permitted it to do so.30 For example, early American farmers placed their homes

and barns on the highest ground near the rivers, primarily allowing for fl ood protection along with

views and association with the water; when constructing the new levees, these homes were forced

to relocate in lower areas more prone to fl ooding and less in tune with the natural processes of

the Mississippi.31 However, for engineers, lawmakers, and victims of the fl ood, levees allowed for

control and containment of the river. Levees protected land from the river. More than that, they

transformed the river from a destructive power into a force for improving the land. At least,

that is what landowners saw when they looked at a levee: human power triumphing over natures

power.32 However, by continuing the same fl ood protection systems of the early 20th century in

the present day 21st century, citizens in urban centers are not able to engage with the river (fi gure

6). To understand and develop a relationship between the city and its natural environs does not

require triumph or control but rather comprehension and respect, then mitigation. The two-fold

challenge of protecting valuable civic assets from the Mississippi River and maintaining a symbiotic

relationship between the people and the river is an urban issue for river communities, that can also

be resolved with economic generators.

Considering the challenges of downtown malls, casinos and symbolic economies as

presented by contemporary scholars in conjunction with the intricacies of the Delta in Mississippi

and its engineered context, fi nding a strategy for economic development involves careful and

conscious planning. For architects Sarah Whiting and Charles Waldheim, the answer is context-

specifi c, landscape-linked infrastructure. Whiting explains:

In the contemporary debate, you could possibly say there are cultural infrastructures and institutional infrastructures, and they might be ways that cities can offer an identity to other structures in the city. If the larger-

28 Percy, Lanterns on the Levee, 242.29 Mississippi River Commission. The Mississippi River and Tributaries Project: Controlling the Project Flood, Louisiana State University Law, Science and Public Health Program, (2007), biotech.law.lsu.edu/climate/docs/MR-T-info.pdf (accessed October 9, 2012).30 Morris. The Big Muddy, 95.31 Morris. The Big Muddy, 59.32 Morris. The Big Muddy, 95.

fi gure 5: Flood of 1927, crevasse breakingMathur, MississippiFloods, 2+55.

[ s y n t h e s i s :

e c o n o m y +

r i v e r +

c o m m u n i t y ]

11

scale cultural and institutional amenities are linked in some way, whether it is formal, economic, or through the politics of city boards, it could almost be even more powerful than a network of freeways. The current- day cultural city has not capitalized on cultural infrastructure as a new model of productive urbanism.33

This cultural infrastructure involves fi scal, contextual institutions with design as problem solving at

an urban scale.34 Whitings proposal of combined and juxtaposed infrastructures initiates a dialogue

for Mississippi communities to both develop the culture that makes it a unique American area, in

addition to nurturing and fostering a productive urbanism as a long term, sustainable economic

source. Waldheim offers landscape as a method for such urban repair, noting that ...all of a sudden

landscape emerged as a medium...because it was fl exible, it wasnt terribly expensive, it could have

these environmental claims, and it could do something similar to planning.35 In Mississippi, a state

founded solely on the quality and expanse of its landscape, urban landscape design has strong

potential and historic signifi cance. James Corner, landscape theorist, goes beyond landscape as

urban planning in his book Recovering Landscapes and proposes a shift from landscape as a product

of culture to landscape as an agent and producing and enriching culture.36 Therefore, Corner

advocates for landscape infrastructure as a means for productive urbanism when he states: Thus,

recovering landscape is less a matter of appearances and aesthetic categories than an issue of

strategic instrumentality.37 In many ways, mending the divide between people and environment

serves as the foundation for an ideal economic generator.

In conclusion, architectural design is charged with the integration of Delta cities to

historic land with a creative and generative urban infrastructure in an area of unemployment, poverty

and general urban disconnect and decline. Mississippis relationship to the river is prevented by

levees of engineered protection; their opaque facades towards the city deny a cultural connection

between urban center and wild river. Despite their symbiotic interdependence, the citys economy

and the rivers ecology are visually abstracted, disjointed and neglected. In order to acknowledge

and remedy the areas historical signifi cance, establish a long term and sustainable economy

and provide a center for the re-urbanization of the community, architecture must respond in a

sensitive and place-specifi c manner. Considering the balance between people and place, ecological 33 Michael Maltzan, No More Play: Conversations on Urban Speculation in Los Angeles and Beyond ( Ostfi ldern: Hatje Cantz Verlag, 2011), 63.34 Ibid., 63.35 Ibid., 87.36 James Corner, ed, Recovering the Landscape: Essays in Contemporary Landscape Architecture (New York: Princeton Architec-tural Press, 1999), 4.37 Corner, ed, Recovering the Landscape, 4.

fi gure 6: Greenville leveephoto by the authorp y

[solutions in

a q u a c u l t u r e ]

12

considerations are high priority, maintaining the fl ood protection standards while breaking down

their visual barriers. To initiate such re-urbanization, a catfi sh aquaculture and fi shery center is

proposed to bridge historic Downtown Greenville and the forty-foot tall levee to reconnect

citizens to the waterfront (fi gure 7). A dynamic facility, the metropolitan fi shery offers state of the

art fi sh production and hatching, in addition to a fi sh market/co-op and restaurant. Hundreds of

local employees will work together throughout the processes of fi sh production, reestablishing

a communal spirit and reactivating the work force. Spaces for educational programs, community

gathering and Mississippi River observation serve as the connective tissue for Greenvilles citizens,

providing an arena for celebrating the resilience of their town and creating a community of both

place and interest. The lateral nature of the facility spans over the levee, allowing for comprehension

of the rivers powerful nature and reconnecting Mississippians to their place. Situational and

considerate productive infrastructure in an urban environment strengthens the communitys sense

of place, fi scal health and communal vitality.

fi gure 7: catfi sh farminghttp://mshistorynow.mdah.

state .ms.us/articles/217/

catfi sh-farming-in-mississippi

13

14

b i b l i o g r a p h y

bibliography

Barry, John M. Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How it Changed America.

New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997.

Black, Robert, Stephanie Hutchinson and Chris Warshaw. Economic Profi le of the Lower

Mississippi River Region. Cambridge: Industrial Economics, Inc, 2004.

Corner, James ed. Recovering the Landscape: Essays in Contemporary Landscape Architecture.

New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1999.

Filion, Pierre and Karen Hammond. When Planning Fails: Downtown Malls in Mid-Size Cities.

Canadian Journal of Urban Research 17:2 (2008): 1-27.

Fisk, Harold. The Alluvial valley of the Lower Mississippi River. Radical Cartography.

http://www.radicalcartography.net/?fi sk (accessed September 24, 2012).

Greenville and Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Greenville and Washington

County Tourism. Greenville and Washington County. http://www.visitgreenville.org

(accessed November 1, 2012).

Lush, David. New Casinos Add to Greenvilles Economy. Mississippi Business Journal (June

2006), http://msbusiness.com/2006/06/new-casinos-add-to-greenville8217s-economy/

(accessed September 24, 2012).

Mathur, Anurdha and Dilip da Cunha. Mississippi Floods: Designing a Shifting Landscape. New

Haven: Yale University Press, 2001.

Maltzan, Michael. No More Play: Conversations on Urban Speculation in Los Angeles and

Beyond. Ostfi ldern: Hatje Cantz Verlag, 2011.

Mississippi River Commission. The Mississippi River and Tributaries Project: Controlling the

Project Flood. Louisiana State University Law, Science and Public Health Program.

(2007) biotech.law.lsu.edu/climate/docs/MR-T-info.pdf (accessed October 9, 2012).

Morris, Christopher. The Big Muddy: An Environmental History of the Mississippi and Its Peoples,

from Hernando de Soto to Hurricane Katrina. New York: Oxford University Press, 2012.

Nasar, Jack L. and David A. Julian. The Psychological Sense of Community in the

Neighborhood. Journal of the American Planning Association 61:2 (1995): 178-184.

Percy, William Alexander. Lanterns on the Levee: Refl ections of a Planters Son. New York: Alfred

A. Knoff, 1966.

United States Department of Labor. Databases, Tables and Calculators by Subject. Bureau of

Labor Statistics. http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LASST28000003 (accessed November

17, 2012).

US Army Corps of Engineers. Ports of Natchez, Vicksburg, and Greenville, MS, and Ports on the

Lower Mississippi River, Miles 255 to 620 AHP. US Army Corps of Engineers. Port Series

no. 72. 1991.

US Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District. The Mississippi River. US Army Corps of

Engineers (May 19, 2004) http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/pao/bro/misstrib.htm

(accessed October 9, 2012).

US Census Bureau. American FactFinder: Selected Economic Characteristics, 2006-2010.

http://factfi nder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/searchresults.xhtml?refresh=t

(accessed November 17, 2012).

Zukin, Sharon. Urban Lifestyles: Diversity and Standardization in Spaces of Consumption.

Urban Studies 35:6 (1998): 825-839.

15bibliography

Filion's article demonstrates the issues of planning in mid-size cities in the 20th century. While planners hypothesized that redevelopment and reprogramming the city's core would lead to sustained economic success, Filion describes the key factors (ie. transportation) resulting in the decline of such downtown malls.

Maltzan compiled interviews on refl ections of Los Angeles, with principles relevant to most American cities. Whitings interview expands upon urban theories on cultural infrastructures posing: What role do architects have in public exchangehow do we get the people to interact and have a collective experience again?

This article addresses disparate American communities and the impacts of physical space on social behavior without solving the design issues of non-social communities. The authors identify urban planning as defi ned by its contexts: of place or interest. Mixed-use neighborhoods were the most social with smaller neighborhood blocks, paths, shared parking lots and yard spaces.

Barry is the foremost authority on the Flood of 1927 and his extensive, comprehensive research on the Flood in American history is vital, especially because so much of the book is set in Greenville. The book is focused on engineering principles as well as the political ramifi cations of the fl ood.

This article, written for the business community, illustrates the planning efforts and economic stimuli for casinos along the waterfront. With its focus on Greenville, the article describes the conditions of the region before the economic recession, providing insights into the recent planning initiatives of Washington County.

Zukins article describes the various methods of urban development and the trends towards cultural production and a symbolic economy. Her theories illustrate the need for artistic-related businesses as economic revenue sources. Zukin is an authority on urban studies and her opinions are high regarded in the fi eld.

Understanding the ecological and environmental history of the River is essential for a comprehensive design project. Morris recent publication is an ambitious account of the Mississippis history, but there are key sections that demonstrate the effect of human settlement on the land, especially with regards to fl ood control.

James Corners compilation of landscape architecture essays is an updated synthesis of the contemporary theories and methodologies in design. Because the project is so heavily linked to the land, Corners essay is important to revisit often as it breaks down means of fostering culture in landscape architecture.

Mississippi Floods is a mapping and visual exploration to uncover both the history and current conditions of the river. This spatial exploration is provide landscape and geographical information on the river, and the body of research behind their travels is insightful yet concise.

The Army Corps of Engineers researched and published various information on the Mississippi River, ranging from the size of the fl oodplain to the speed of the water fl ow and to the cargo capacities of various barges. The information is helpful in understanding the river as a functioning, productive system of both land and water.

16 cubic armature

c u b i c a r m a t u r e

Initial theoretical topicswere spatially tested viathree 5 x 5 x 5 cubes, an exploration of key themes in abstract form. All cubes are derivedfrom one chipboard construction - a solidcube with a series of boolean subtractions, reused booleansubtractions and fi gure-ground of the solid. From these cubes, 5themes surfaced: formalconnectivity, economy of materials, palimpsestof process, engagement of users, and spatial fl ow.

17cubic armature

18

a range of precedentsff

19

p r e c e d e n t s

permeability | connectivity | processional

weather+weathering+time | layered materials | ecological considerations

Architecture is responsible for the link between people, place, time and environment with consideration of the temporal nature of a design. Moving through an architectural project unfolds the dialogue between people and time, exploring the complex layers that connect space and place.

20

w e i s s m a n f r e d i

t a e k w o n d o p a r k

k o r e a

2 0 0 8

permeabilitytemporalindoor+outdoorfl ow between spacesecological protection

research + analysis, precedent as inspiration

21

L T L

w a t e r p r o v i n g

new york city

2 0 1 0

research + analysis, precedent as inspiration

22

connectivityprocessionaltexturetopographic interactionsweather+weathering

research + analysis, precedent as inspiration

r i c h a r d h e i n

c h a p e l - h o l y c r o s s

sedona az

1 9 5 6

23

l o u i s k a h n

s a l k i n s t i t u t e

la jolla ca

1 9 6 6

research + analysis, precedent as inspiration

24 siting + location

b i g

v i n t e r b a d

c o p e n h a g e n

2 0 0 4

BIG juxtaposed a thermal bath and spa in the river - allowing visitors to swim inside and out. The building is derived from local geometries and seeks to blend into the docks landscape. Utilizing a simple system of folds and fi ssures, the barge accommodates diving, jumpingand seating. The project imposes contemporary architecture and landscape design overlaidwith urbanism - while keeping in context of the city and providing an economic program.

25research + analysis, precedent as research

26 siting + location

diller scofi dio

i c a

boston mass

2 0 0 7

Diller Scofi dio Renfros Institute of Contemporary Art on the Boston Harbor creates a dialogue between museum, visitors and waterfront, constantly synthesizing ones experience of the buildingas ones experience with water. The multi-tiered areas, while extremely prescriptive for the visitor, provide an interesting backdrop, and some encourage public engagement with the permeable space.

27research + analysis, precedent as research

permeablepublic

r e f l e c t i o n

blocked sight inopen

sight ou

t

open sight in

coonsnstructed tottopographyy

cultural production

28 theoretical intentions

r e n z o p i a n o

c u l t u r a l c e n t e r

n e w c a l e d o n i a

1 9 9 8

Renzo Pianos Jean Marie Tijbao Cultural Center in New Caledonia is a sensitive, noninvasive reinterpretation of site creating a communal space that echoes the landscape. The forms are derived from traditional patterns and building methods, thus continuing a dialogue between the history and future of a place. The centers relationship between land and water mediates thresholds and is passively cooled as well.

29research + analysis, precedent as research

30 theoretical intentions

r e x

v a k k o

i s t a n b u l

2 0 1 0

The Vakko Fashion Center is based on the reuse of an existing, unfi nished concretestructure; the client mandated recycling the structure. REX used a variety of innovative solutions to incorporate new and old structures - including a structural glass panel system -while also re-imagining circulation and communication in a traditional offi ce environment. The building has multiple rhythms in conjunction with a responsible reuse strategy.

31research + analysis, precedent as research

2 elevators

exit stair

exit stair

programmaticcirculation

rectalinear grid for egress + safety

angular grid foorexperiential quualities

entry to exit stairentry to exit stair

32 program + use

weiss manfredi

o l y m p i c p a r k

seattle wash.

2 0 0 7

Olympic Sculpture Park has a dynamic connection to the water via a series of stepped, ramped and sloped programmed routes. The complex includes the Seattle Art Museum, but also the site mediates roadways, train lines and topography to facilitate volumesof visitors. Running paths, sculpture tours and green spaces allow for engagement with the waterfront as well as reintroducing natural elements into this highly urban zone.

33research + analysis, precedent as research

34 program + use

At Pier 17, SHoP considered the layers of urban occupation in New York, however the architectsdenied the practical aspects of urban life in their design. While outdoor gathering/performance space is needed, economic contributors are only in a mall format. New York is certainly not at a loss for shopping districts, and such redevelopment is proven to be short lived. Pier 17 is active 24/7 with public thoroughfare inside a protective shell - presenting safety issues.

S H o P

p i e r 1 7

new york city

2 0 0 4

35research + analysis, precedent as research

36 material considerations

saue rb ru c hhu t t on

g sw h e a d q u a r t e r s

b e r l i n

2 0 0 0

Technological advancements in the GSW Headquarters are nearly a decade old, yet thestrength and effi ciency of its passive systems are resounding. Sauerbruch Hutton useda layered, louvered facade system to allow occupants to both control their own naturallight and natural ventilation. Studies have shown that by using such personal-controltechniques, users are signifi cantly happier and more productive than in a typical offi ce setting.

37research + analysis, precedent as research

A AB B

38 material considerations

lassila hirvilammi

s h i n g l e c h u r c h

ka r s amak i f i n l a nd

2 0 0 4

The Shingle Church in Finland is a refi ned and simple materiality study to defi ne space. Byusing both a variety of wood types and cladding techniques, Lassila Hirvilammi shows a poeticrespect for the environment and a poised space for refl ection. The space is naturally lit witha single strategic aperture, illustrating the power of the material selection. Such a small spacebrings focus to the details as well, which are centuries-old methods in contemporary sensibilities.

39research + analysis, precedent as research

operable axis

circulation axis

vertical circulation axis

natural light

framing wood (a)

PU[LYPVYUPZO^VVKIPU[LYPVYUPZO^VVKJL_[LYPVY^VVKZPKPUNK

40 culture + context

w i l l i a m s - t s i e n

lincoln center

new york city

2 0 0 4

Tod Williams-Billie Tsiens renovation of the Lincoln Center atrium redefi nes the boundarybetween public and private by eliminating threshold. The cultural signifi cance of Lincoln Center to the arts community extends out into the citys populace - literally bringing thecanopy to the sidewalks edge and drawing visitors within. The space allows for both gatheringand contemplation, with complex indoor-outdoor qualities in a culturally signifi cant siting

41research + analysis, precedent as research

42 culture and context

p e t e r z u m t h o r

k o l u m b a m u s e u m

c o l o g n e

2 0 1 0

Peter Zumthor contextually blending past and present through the Kolumba Museumin Cologne. By incorporating the architects studies of texture and mass with historical and traditional brickwork, expressing the relationships between spatial history andfuture. Zumthors study of porosity, as a direct refl ection of the historical materials inthis case, also serves to defi ne the scale of the new building in relation to its surroundings.

43research + analysis, precedent as research

44 case studies

c a s e s t u d i e s

In order to understand a range of strategies for the projects design, two precedents were analyzedin more detail. Both examples are relevant in terms of program and site development. Plan and section studies reveal techniques for waterfront sites and community engagement.

b i g

v i n t e r b a d

c o p e n h a g e n

2 0 0 4

45case studies

s n o h e t t a

o p e r a h o u s e

o s l o

2 0 0 9

46

mississippi river, lake ferguson + greenvilleffffff

47

s i t e s e l e c t i o n + a n a l y s i s

region | neighborhood | site

unemployment | green space | fl ood protection | transportation | fi gure ground

In considering Mississippi River towns, three cities in Mississippi offer a range of spatial conditions on their waterfronts. The following is a comparative, multi-scale (from city to neighborhood and site) study of Vicksburg, Natchez and Greenville, seeking to understand fl ood protection systems, regional densities, unemployment, transportation, treatment of the Mississippi River and development potential.

48 site selection + analysis

v i c k s b u r g, m i s s i s s i p p i

s i t e

5.8% unemployment

6.7% unemployment

city-scale

neighborhood-scale

49vicksburg, mississippi

g r e e n s p a c e

h e a v y t r e e c o v e r

b u i l d i n g s

f l o o d w a l l

s t r e e t s

p o t e n t i a l s i t e

a x i s

f i g u r e - g r o u n d

economicgenerators

ssisisisiisiissss tetetetetetet -s-s-ssssssscccacacaacacaccaacaleleleeeleee

sisisisissisisisis tetetetetteee--s-s-sssssccacacacacaaaccc leleleleele

sssisiss teteteee-s-s-ss-s-scaccacacacacacaaleleleeleee

50 site selection + analysis

s i t e

6.5% unemployment

2% unemployment

7.5% unemployment

city-scale

neighborhood-scale

n a t c h e z, m i s s i s s i p p i

51natchez, mississippi

h e a v y t r e e c o v e r

h i g h f l o o d i n g

b u i l d i n g s

c l i f f s

s t r e e t s

a x i s

g a t h e r i n g s p a c e

f i g u r e - g r o u n d

potential site

g r e e n s p a c e

sisisiisisiiiiiiiiiiisiiiissisis tetetetetetteeteteteteteetetettttetetettetttetetettttetetetettetttetttetetttttttttttttteteeteeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-s-s-ssscacacaaleleele

sissisisiiisitttetetettt -s-s-ssccacacaccaacacac leleleeele

sssisisitetettee-s-s-ss-s-s-sccacacac leleeee

52 site selection + analysis

g r e e n v i l l e, m i s s i s s i p p i

s i t e

15% `unemployment

11% unemployment

18% unemployment

12% unemployment

r a i l r o a d

city-scale

neighborhood-scale

53greenville, mississippi

g r e e n s p a c e

h e a v y t r e e c o v e r

b u i l d i n g s

l e v e e

s t r e e t s

p o t e n t i a l s i t e

a x i s

f i g u r e - g r o u n d

economicgenerators

h i g h f l o o d i n g

ssisisisisissiitetetetettteteeeeeeeeeee---s-s-s-s-------- cacaaaaaaaaccaaleleleleleeeeleleleeelle

sisisisisisisiisittteteteteteeeteteeeeee------s-s-s-s-s---s-s--s-- cacacaaacaaleleleleleeeelleee

sisisisisisisisiiteteteeteettetettttttttteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee----s--s-s-s-s-s-s----s-ss-s--s-s---s-s-------s----- cacaacacacacacaaaleleeeeeleeleel

54 site selection + analysis

In choosing a city, key considerations included: potential for prototyping along the Mississippi, strength of regional economy, and waterfront conditions. Greenville offers each of these variables - shockingly high unemployment rates, a tall levee system found in most river towns of the Lower Mississippi and casinos extending into the water. In addition, the towns historical signifi cance is noteworthy for 20th century politics as well as its geological meanders and oxbows. The former site of the fi rst SteinMart in Downtown Greenville is in dire need of redevelopment and will connect citizens to the waterfront most effectively.

55exploring greenville, mississippi

confl uence of lake ferguson and the mississippiflflflflflflflflflflflflfl ffffffff fffffffff

washington avenuehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiii ttwhere main street meets the river

on site artifactsfffffffffffffffatop the levee at sunset

56 site selection + analysis

behind the levee

site context

57site information

the levee and Lake Ferguson [Greenville, Mississippi]

site, Washington Avenue and South Poplar Street [Greenville, Mississippi]

58 site selection + analysis

h i s t o r i c d o w n t o w n g r e e n v i l l e

site, originally the

fi rst steinmart

1 9 6 4

a n d s p e a k i n g o f -

w h i c h . b l o g s p o t . c o m

site, originally the

fi rst steinmart

1 9 6 4

a n d s p e a k i n g o f -

w h i c h . b l o g s p o t . c o m

59historical greenville

site aerial

2 0 0 6

a i r p h o t o n a . c o m

greenville postcard

~ 1 9 3 8

th em i g h t ymudd y . c om

60

h i s t o r i c d o w n t o w n g r e e n v i l l e

sanborn map

1 9 3 1

61

lt o p o g r a p h i c a l

map, usgs

1 9 7 0

62 site selection + analysis

vacant casino +

ZOPUNaVUL

casin

o

vaca

nt

I\KNL[OV[LS

vaca

nt

\ZPULZZ

SVJHSI\ZPULZZLZ

bar

ZOVWJHML

JHZPUVZ\WWVY[

WVSPJL

OVTL

casino

VMJL

VMJL

150

134-6

392-525-10

184-1043

13-9

485-2

12-2

65-6

9-2

site plan, ~ 1 = 200

site section, ~ 1 = 200

63site information

vacant casino +

ZOPUNaVUL

casin

o

vaca

nt

SH^VMJL

pav

I\KNL[OV[LS

vaca

nt

I\ZPULZZ

SVJHSI\ZPULZZLZ

bar

ZOVWJHML

casin

o su

ppor

t

WVSPJL

OVTL

casino

VMJL

VMJL

site plan, ~ 1 = 200

site section, ~ 1 = 200

64 site selection + analysis

OPZ[VYPJKPZ[YPJ[ZWYH^S

VVKWYV[LJ[PVU

[YHUZWVY[H[PVU

\ULTWSV`TLU[

PUK\Z[YPHSHNYPJ\S[\YHS

]HJHU[JVTTLYJPHSZWHJLZ

i n v e s t i g a t i n g g r e e n v i l l e

65investigations

m.s. highway 1

us route 1

city roads

lake ferguson

railroads

VVKWYV[LJ[PVU

HSS\]PHSWSHPU

VVKWYV[LJ[PVU

[YHUZWVY[H[PVU

66 site selection + analysis

historic downtown

Z\I\YIHUZWYH^S

vacant commercialZWHJLZZHSLYLU[

]HJHU[JVTTLYJPHSZWHJLZ

OPZ[VYPJKPZ[YPJ[ZWYH^S

67investigations

4.2 %

11 %32 %

15 %

18 %5.3 %

agricultural zones

industrial zones

\ULTWSV`TLU[

industrial + agricultural

68 site selection + analysis

m i s s i s s i p p i r i v e r d e v e l o p m e n t

new orleans, la

180.6 sqmi

1904 people/sqmi

+11 sea level

[ c i t y - d a t a . c o m ]

natchez, ms

13.2 sqmi

1196 people/sqmi

+230 sea level

vicksburg, ms

32.9 sqmi

725 people/sqmi

+200 sea level

greenville, ms

26.9 sqmi

1280 people/sqmi

+125 sea level

fl ood wall

levee

loess bluff

69development

highway 1

waln

ut +

pop

lar s

treet

s

washington ave + main street

alexander street

highway 82

oldest commerce axis, high vacancies

current commerce axis, low vacancies

Mississippi River towns expand and develop due to a number of factors; yet by understanding the patterns between fl ood protection systems and community axes, a common spatial strategy develops. Rather than following angle of the given fl ood system (levee, fl ood wall or geological loess bluff), economic and communal spaces pivot and intersect the river. Flood systems hinder parallel expansion and point to perpendicular arteries for economic development with no room for community gathering. Flood systems then act as a jarring stop to the city promenade, forcing an unresolved experience with the Mississippi.

shifting commercial axes over time, downtown vacanciesffff

parallelperpendicular

70

urban catfi sh fi sheryfi fi

71

p r o g r a m m i n g

At mile 537 of the Mississippi River, the city of Greenville grapples with challenges of a post-industrialized economy: up to 19% unemployment, vacant main streets and decaying infrastructures. To support a sustainable economy, this urban program uses a fi shery - a successful, agrarian, regional economic model on the river banks. Productive fi shery spaces will also serve to educate students and feed locals while civic spaces solve issues of disconnect and strive to replace the few decaying community landmarks. Sited to bridge the citys downtown over and across the levee to the waterfront, this program de-constructs the visual barrier created by fl ood protection systems. Using the existing levee as a fulcrum, the program will extend out into both the historic downtown and towards the river, balancing existing conditions and innovative techniques. The siting will need to address traffi c patterns on the street and river but will need to address and mitigate the citys proclivity for extreme fl ooding, as seen in 1927 and 2011. The nature of the program should be conceived with prototypical ideas for implementation along the Mississippi River.

The program heavily relies on the relationship between river and city - and therefore the spaces will blur the thresholds between inside/outside. The building will need to conform to the zoning restrictions for the historic downtown, while creating open and inviting spaces - the structure will need to adequately support long spans in a light fashion. Most of the program should be visible to guests for transparency and education, however the employees and visitors will be physically separated to avoid contamination and ensure productivity. There are no specifi c or noteworthy proportions or dimensions, but there are hierarchies in access to the waterfront, access to the street(s) and the sequencing of visitors versus employees.

project description

spatial qualities

72 programming

p r o g r a m m i n g

Programmatic considerations (types and sizes) were determined from combining typical marine research centers with marine laboratories and marine hatcheries (Humbolt State University, Auburn University). Community centers and museums (in Jackson, MS) contributed to the sizing of the civic spaces, with direct input from Greenville residents - who requested adding in space for the city to gather for small events due to the independent book stores closing last month, a noted hub of the area. Restaurant and small food shops were researched as well. The Urban Fishery is an amalgamation of multiple programs tailored to suit Greenville, Mississippi. The three sites in consideration will fi t the program.

a note on sizing

s p a c e s lobby 500 sq feet interior primaryfi shery beds 150,000 sq feet interior primary [approx. 35 10,000 tanks]small lab 2,000 sq feet interior primaryobservation [a] 1,500 sq feet interior primaryobservation [b] 1,500 sq feet exterior primaryoffi ce 10 @ 250 sq feet interior secondaryemployee break room 250 sq feet interior secondaryloading dock 500 sq feet exterior secondary

gross: 158,250 sq feet

processing 35,000 sq feet interior primaryrestaurant [a] 2,000 sq feet interior primaryrestaurant [b] 1,000 sq feet exterior primarykitchen 1,000 sq feet interior secondarysales 1,500 sq feet interior primaryrefrigerators 1,500 sq feet interior secondaryoffi ce 2 @ 250 sq feet interior secondary gross: 42,500 sq feet

education 2,000 sq feet interior primarygathering [a] 2,000 sq feet interior primarygathering [b] 2,000 sq feet exterior primarygathering [c] 4,000 sq feet interior primaryoverlook 2,000 sq feet interior primary gross: 12,000 sq feet

[total program area + 30%]rest rooms interior secondarycirculation interior secondarymechanical interior secondary

gross: 276,575 sq feet net: 212,750 sq feet

f i s h e r y

d i s t r i b u t i o n

c o m m u n i t y s p a c e s

s u p p o r t

73defi ning the project

[ p r o g r a m m a t i cp r e c e d e n t ]

n . e . e . d .

f i s h w o r k s

n e w y o r k c i t y

2 0 0 8

74 programming

m.r.

levee

r e l a t i o n s h i p s , s e q u e n c i n gg u e s t s +e m p l o y e e s ]

75 programmatic diagram

[ v i e w s +v i s i b i l i t yinternal+external]

76 programming

m.r.

levee

[programs proximityto water or levee]

77programmatic diagram

p r o g r a m s y s t e m a t i c a l l y ]

78 programming

TANK

PUMP

CTRLFILTER

AIR PUMP

RIVER WATER

WASTE

[ s e c t i o n a ldynamics, fi shery p r o c e s s e s ]

79diagram of key spaces

[ p r o g r a mconnectivity, section]

80

mississippi rivers levees + fl ood walls flflflflfl

81

a p p e n d i x

catfi sh farming

fl ood protection

82 appendix

APPENDIX: c a t f i s h f a r m i n g

in 2005, mississippi

produced 350 m i l l i o n pounds of catfi sh

[ thats 55% of US production, over only 100,000 acres ]

400,000 sq feet

4-6 fee

t

constructed levee walls

alluvial clay

groundwater

mating pond

hatchery

nursery

production

freeze-40F

pro-cess

clean

processing

distribution

30 m

inut

es18

mo

nths

typical inland farming confi guration

farming cycles

7,000 sq feet

4-6 fee

t

jumbo tank barge

lake ferguson

1 iteration, proposed waterfront farming confi guration

83catfi sh farming

75% of worlds fi sh species are over exploited / depleted[food and agriculture o r g a n i z a t i o n ]

farm grows corn + beans

corn + beansprocessed

JH[ZOMLKJVYU+ beans

JH[ZOprocessed

alluvial plain riverside industrial

export

farm grows corn + beans

corn + beansprocessed

JH[ZOMLKJVYU+ beans

JH[ZOprocessed

alluvial plain riverside industrial

export

proposed cultivation, continuous loop and locallzed effi ciencies

typical cultivation, circuitous routes and backtracking

84

indianola, ms[catfish feed]

25 miles

50 miles

greenville, ms[catfish farming]

belzoni, ms[processing]

mississippi

ethanol = 2x $ corn = $ gas

= traffic= pollution

= farm= catfish feed

appendix

85

farming[on site]

soybean feed[on site]

processing[on site]

shipping[MS river]

shipping[rail lines]

greenville, mississippi

soybeans= corn

= local $= MS catfish farms

shipping= gas/pollution

catfi sh farming

86 appendix

APPENDIX: f l o o d p r o t e c t i o n

steep slope with limited pathways

no sight line to water by foot

no sight line to water from homes

typi

cally

pla

nted

for

incr

ease

d st

abilit

y

slur

ry w

all p

reve

nts

seep

age

rock soil

cobble

levee foundation

clay + gravel[compacted, impervious soils]

no sight line to water by foot

no sight line to water from homes

patrol road

city road

concret

e revetm

ent

drain

rein

forc

ed c

oncr

ete

concrete parking lot, unused interstitial spacerail

silts + sands

~25 wide base spans 10015-40 tall

~2 wide buildings set back 1/2 -1 city blockOLPNO[[V^P[OZ[HUKWYVQLJ[VVKSL]LSZ

Current levee and fl ood wall systems function as divisions between town and waterfront. The disconnect created by strategic water protection methods creates a fundamental disconnect between people and place, denying citizens comprehension of their landscapes.

The design of levees and fl ood walls are consistently monitored and patrolled, yet rarely spatially questioned. Societys understanding of levee failure is functional, as an unusual event due to fl ooding. Architecturally, levees fail daily, blocking visual and physical connection between city and its siting.

87fl ood protection

examples of mississippi river fl ood wallsfffff flflflflfl

examples of mississippi river leveesfff

88

d e s i g n p r o p o s a l

Current economic conditions in america have lead to high inner urban blight and post industrialization coupled with high unemployment and lack of economic opportunity. Mississippi River towns are prime examples of such distressed urbanism with vacant river banks and storefronts, yet here evidence of the recession is compounded by complete spatial disconnect from the river itself due to fl ood protection systems like fl ood walls and levees. This denies a visual and physical connection to the river to which the city is so inextricably linked.

This thesis seeks to investigate a sustainable model for redevelopment of decaying downtowns while addressing problems tied to the current decline of Mississippi River towns. Proposed national techniques for redevelopment call for mixed use spaces, like downtown malls. However, along the Mississippi River, fl oating steamboat casinos offer high profi ts for their communities, yet the volatile nature of gambling is not economically sustainable nor stable.

Can architectural design reformulate the relationships between productivity, community and connectivity presently absent from Mississippi River cities?

Sited in Greenville, Mississippi, I am designing an urban catfi sh farm and community center. The site was selected for its high levee and its historical signifi cance as the epicenter for the Flood of 1927 which initiated national fl ood protection legislation. It is located in the Mississippi Delta on a connected former oxbow of the Mississippi River called Lake Ferguson. This formerly bustling historic downtown no longer has spaces for communal gathering; contrastingly the industrial areas are vacant and contribute to the citys 18% unemployment rate, nearly 3 times the national average.

Utilizing the terminus of Main Street at the levee, moving in from the highways and big box stores through a dilapidated historic downtown, the design removes a portion of the levee and replaces it with a moveable fl ood wall to be used for emergency situations.

This new terraced levee becomes a network of constructed, water fi ltering wetlands, connected to an array of channels which feed the catfi sh farm tanks and soybean plots, supplying the catfi sh themselves and their feed.

Catfi sh farming in the Mississippi Delta has a long history, yet it is a disjointed, travel intensive, and multi step process that requires shipping in feed to the farm, transporting fi sh to the processing plant and then distributing the product - resulting in nearly 100 miles of transit before ultimate distribution. Catfi sh farming is hindered by the increasing price of corn for the catfi sh feed. Also traditional farms are miles inland from the water and fed by irrigation.

A framework of modest, striated buildings open up to the new levee with a variety of program to fi rst offer a stable economic generator and jobs for the local community via catfi sh cultivation, and secondarily a place for recreation and celebrating Greenvilles small town charm and history.

The buildings are connected by a series of pathways derived from the immediate context of Greenvilles Downtown USA streetscape, extruded, scaled and mirrored to encourage occupation of the topography and the batture.

For catfi sh production, water is drawn in from Lake Ferguson to the catfi sh ponds, each sized for various stages of the catfi shs lifecycle and development. Upon harvesting, the catfi sh are processed in one of 3 facilities, equipped with a conveyor belt to perform the needed processing tasks and ultimately the conveyor belt transports the processed product on pallets to the barge loading dock.

design proposal

89

For community engagement, programmatic spaces are concentrated on the levee, the batture and the water. This includes a wide range of activities, like an observation tower, internet cafe, education center, fl oating swimming barge, an area dedicated to noodling (hand-caught catfi sh), an aquarium, spaces for gathering, a boathouse, an expanded museum for the fl ood of 1927, and marina; ultimately concluding in a theater and restaurant, where the river sets the scene for drama and traveling barges provide temporary backdrops. The catfi sh farm and community center heightens the processional experience of moving from an urban fabric, through the section cut of the levee and out into the open water.

From this point on, the architecture fl oats and reacts to changing water levels. towards the city, capital-heavy elements are protected and elevated, while fl ood-vulnerable elements are easily repaired.

The light framework and contextually-customizable kit of parts is designed for future expansion, so that one day the levee might be fi lled with soybean plots and a series of catfi sh farms line the Mississippi River. Elements may be added, altered or removed depending on the communitys future needs and development.

By designing an architecture that is responsive and productive, community is reestablished in Greenville.

narrative

90

processing a 4,800 sq feet interior primaryprocessing b 2,000 sq feet interior primaryprocessing c 1,400 sq feet interior primarycatfi sh tanks 7,000 sq feet exterior primarysmall lab 2,000 sq feet interior primarylobby 500 sq feet interior secondaryoffi ce 600 sq feet interior secondarygreenhouse 350 sq feet interior secondaryloading dock 800 sq feet exterior secondary

gross: 19,450 sq feet

education 640 sq feet interior primaryobservation tower 3,000 sq feet exterior primaryinternet cafe 675 sq feet interior primarygathering a 200 sq feet interior primarygathering b 575 sq feet interior primaryaquarium 840 sq feet interior primarylocker room 425 sq feet interior secondaryswimming barge 1,450 sq feet exterior primarynoodling area 3,000 sq feet exterior primaryfl ood of 1927 museum 700 sq feet interior primarymarina 4,000 sq feet exterior primaryboathouse 1,000 sq feet interior primaryrestaurant 2,300 sq feet interior primarytheater 2,800 sq feet exterior primary

gross: 21,605 sq feet

[total program area + 30%]rest rooms interior secondarycirculation / walkways 30,000 sq feet exterior primarymechanical interior secondary

gross: 53,371 sq feet gross + walkways: 84,371 sq feet net: 41,055 sq feet

f i s h f a r m

c o m m u n i t y

s u p p o r t

u p d a t e d p r o g r a m

91

collage of greenville

92 design proposal

vacant commercial + industrial corridorthe mighty mississippi

fl ood protection + transportation

unemployment + historic downtown greenville

93

greenville unemployment rates

18%

worlds fish species over exploited or depleted

75%

US catfish production inmississippi [100,000 acres]

55%

mississippi cafishproduction in 2005

350 MILLION POUNDS

ECONOMY COMMUNITY ECOLOGY

median income in greenville vs. mississippi vs. US

$27,717

$36,646

$50,221

ggree

nville

mmiss

issip

pi

uunite

d st

ates

35.8

06

greenville population change-22% decrease since 1995

41,7

2343,4

94 2005

20001

995

33,9

0820

11

race in greenville

77% black

20% white

7% asian0.7% 0.9% hispanic9%

top industries in lower mississippiriver region + revenue [in millions]

manufacturing383,000

tourismtourism183,000

agri/aquaculture103,000

residents in urban clustersvs.rural areas

78.3%

21.7%21.7%

%49.1%

50.9%50.9%was

hing

ton

coun

ty [g

reen

ville

]

miss

issip

pi

urba

nru

ral

diagramming

94

no sight line to water

planted to increase stability

slurr

y w

all

rock soil

cobble

foundationclay + gravel [compacted soils]

patrol road 25 wide

silts + sands

base spans 100batture spans 200-400

city road

]

city roadcity road

[

historic downtown, high vacancy main street, u.s.a. residential area

alluvial soils from past floods deposits result in highest ground

city fabric moves in from highways

levee stops development + ceases sight lines

average

high flooding

low water

EXTRUDE regulating lines from adjacent CONTEXT MIRROR lines, moving DENSITY to levee + batture SCALE lines to full site boundaries

design proposal

typical levee conditions

understanding greenville

parti diagram

95

96

catfish pond

g eegggggreenhgreenhgreenhene ouseouseeouseo

soybeeanse

teereatataatataaawwwwwwtioonoaaaatttrarafiltrfiltrfiltrrtr

g

aatt

g eeegg

wawarrr

design proposal

97

nggdlingnodlnoonn dldlldldldldoooooo ngngngngnnnn

tficatfiscatfishhshippishippishipp nnggg

theatetheatetheateer +r + r + restaurestauestaurantranr

fishinfishinsh g pierg pierpierer

hhhh

plan + perspective

viview froom lake ffere guguson

sitetete pplalalal nn

9888 design proposal

processing facility + main streetffff

9999renderings + sections

moving through the levee

100000 design proposaldesign proposal

swimming pool barge

1011101renderings + sectionsrendeeeerinngggss +++ sseeccttiiooonsss

theater + lake fergusonff

102 dddesign pppropoossali l iserial sectionsi l i

103serial sections + parti

parti diagram

sketches

104 design proposal

105exploded axon + site section

exploded axon

site section

106 design proposal

107fi nal presentation boards

108 design proposal

collage, city scalellllll lll

109models

model stand / collage, downtown scaleddddddddddddddd lll ddddddddddd /////// lllll dddddd lll

110 design proposal

early study models

111models

abstract city collage

112

parti models - extrude context

113

parti models - scale

114

parti models - mirror density

115

parti models - occupy topography

116

117

fi nal model, 1 = 50fififi 0

118

fi nal model, 1 = 50fi 0

119

120

121

section model, processing plant b, 1 = 16 66666666666