acase@tulane.edu

Following World War II, across the board, veterans and their families took advantage of the provisions of the GI Bill and moved to newly constructed, “modern” suburbs. These developments were often built out overnight and contained a few repeated floor plans throughout entire neighborhoods of mass-produced housing. Suburban populations were demographically singular, home to exclusively the white middle class. As a result of this mass migration away from urban cores, the postwar suburban lifestyle pervaded common consciousness and became synonymous with the “American Dream.” However, over a half-century later, economic, demographic and cultural circumstances today require a critical look at suburbia’s place in the future. Today, suburbia is no longer home to exclusively white middle class nuclear families. Rather, many suburban pioneers remain in their homes and the population is concentrated with single elderly people. In addition, minority and immigrant populations are on the rise. Lastly, poverty rates in suburbs are currently higher than their urban counterparts. However, despite this demographic diversity, housing options remain uniform. Coupled with the economic realities of the mortgage and foreclosure crises, postwar suburban housing types are not only disconnected from demographic trends, but also unaffordable. While suburbs cannot adequately serve current needs, they do account for over half of the nations housing stock. In light of long waiting lists for affordable housing, we are forced to address how what we already have can be modified rather than destroyed. First-ring suburbs along transit lines have been targeted by policy research as promising regions for redevelopment. As a result of their existing infrastructure and close proximity to metropolitan centers, first ring suburbs have the potential to prosper once again. This study explores the implications of policy both in terms of current conditions as well as the potentials of legislation to drive future redevelopment efforts. Park Forest, Illinois is located outside Chicago in Cook County along existing Metra train lines. Often cited as the first “GI suburb,” the town was a model for post-war developers. Today, it suffers from high foreclosure rates and a degree of sprawl. The proposed architectural thesis utilizes a prototypical suburban block to test multiple options for diversifying housing stock. These interventions implicitly critique current practices and intend to spark a new paradigm in future development. / acase@tulane.edu

Between 1960 and 2000, Detroit experienced a 43% population drop. Of Detroit’s 138 square miles, 20 are reported to be vacant. Yet the city is more populous and more dense than Memphis, Denver, Portland, or Atlanta. How can Detroit’s abundant available land and buildings be transformed into an asset that serves the over 700,000 residents of the city? How does vacant landscape become productive, enabling Detroit to “right-size” without resident relocation and additional urban erasure? Built in 1903 by Albert Kahn for the Packard Automotive Company, the Packard Plant is a Detroit landmark. Kahn, “The Builder of Detroit,” revolutionized American industrial design with Packard #10. Now, the plant is famous for being one of the world’s largest ruins and the adjacent neighborhood nearly vacant. Packard Farms is an adaptive reuse project that utilizes vacancy at the ground level for bioremediation and fuel crops while using vertical farming techniques within the building. Packard Farms capitalizes on Michigan green energy initiaties and the growing urban farming movement to create a largely self-sustaining building and community. / acase@tulane.edu

acase@tulane.edu

acase@tulane.edu

acase@tulane.edu

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 today’s 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 flood 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 flood walls. However, the river embodies great potential for revitalization due to its quality resources; various fishery groups have stressed the value of aquaculture, especially for catfish 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 catfish aquaculture and fishery 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. / acase@tulane.edu

acase@tulane.edu