The flooding in New Orleans resulting from Hurricane Katrinia and the
failure of the levees not only damaged physical structures and
displaced citizens to near and far-flung locations around the country but
also it displaced the cultural landscape that the defined life in the city…
its, patterns, rhythms, flows, and ways of “being” that makes (made)
New Orleans a particular place. In addition, that cultural landscape is
(was) defined by relationships race, class, and power stewed together
and flavored by music, food, architecture, Creole culture, voodoo,
celebration, and decadence.
The intention of the design intervention is to go beyond the singularity
of the architectural object as a symbol of the existing condition to
catalyze an infrastructure to that seeks to spatialize the cultural
landscape within the urban fabric. The design proposes four
segmented bars of housing along Thalia Street at the location of the
previously demolished Guste Houses. The new housing consists of
public spaces at the ground level beneath the five-story bars. The
public spaces can serve a variety of functions from Mardi Gras Indian
parade construction to Friday afternoon “fish-frys.” Along the south
elevation of each housing bar is an “urban hedge” or vegetated scrim
that extends the landscape from ground to vertical surface and serves
as a breil-soleil to southern and southwestern sun exposures. Terraces
are located in the reveals between the vegetated scrims and the face of
each building.
Situated between the new housing bars and the existing Guste Houses
is a “tilted landscape” of outdoor programs including public swimming
pool and bathhouse, basketball courts and “pick-up” canopy, Senior
Citizen Garden and shaded seating area, Double Dutch court, and
community play areas. The “tilted landscape” ramps from east to west
and leads to the elevated porch (+8’-0” above street level) between the
tethered bars of the school building. The space between the school
bars provides an enclosed and protected play area for school children
during daytime hours.
The cross-programmed collective spaces of the school are flood-proof
and located at the street level beneath the elevated school bars. The
Community Center is a transparent volume that anchors the corner of
Magnolia and Thalia Streets and opens to the plaza / auto drop off area
at the Thalia Street entry to the school. The Band Room / Buddy
Bolden Jazz Workshop is located near the intersection of Thalia and
Robertson Streets. The Cafetorium / Community Theater / Friday
“Gumbo” Café is located along Erato Street with the P. E. Room /
Senior Citizens Aerobics Studio at the intersection of Erato and
Robertson Streets. The school administration is located at the porch
level of the Thalia Street school bar with Pre-K thru First Grade
Classrooms above at the third level. The Library / After-School
Community Internet Lounge crosses over the elevated porch and
bridges the Thalia Street school bar to the Erato Street bar containing
upper grade classrooms.
A vegetated scrim protects the south elevation of the Erato Street
school bar and extends along the urban stair from the elevated porch to
Magnolia Street. Shotgun terraced housing bars continue the
intervention across Magnolia Street and along Erato Street to S.
Claiborne Avenue. Single story housing units in scale with the existing
Shot-gun housing fabric exists in the front bar along the street with
taller four story bars of housing embedded behind. A vegetated scrim
protects the south elevation of the tall housing bars and transforms to a
roof gardens of the single story buildings.
