For the last three years, D.C. United and the District of Columbia have been negotiating a site for a new stadium for their soccer club. The owners of United wanted to take a small parcel of the land now known as "Poplar Point", an undeveloped brown-field on the Southeast side of the Anacostia River. The switch from the Anthony Williams to the Adrian Fenty administration in 2007 has proven unkind for the club, which to this day is embroiled in negotiations with the City for the Poplar Point site. While following this debate in the media, I couldn't help but question why United was not pursuing a plot of land on their current site. The club now plays in RFK Stadium, a venue ill-equipped for the sport that costs the club millions of dollars a year because they cannot fill its stands. The site, however, is located on axis with the Capitol, the Washington Monument, and the Lincoln Memorial. My initial research brought me to France in the 18th century. / Master of Science

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Catholic University of America, 1942. / Bibliography: p. 58-59.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Catholic University of America, 1942. / Bibliography: p. 58-59.

Urban designers are trained to think systematically, to simultaneously see the big picture for numerous human systems in the city—including multiple modes of transportation, barriers faced by the city's inhabitants, and food and waste systems—and synthesize them into a coherent design. However, many urban designers use architecture as their sole means of shaping our cities, rather than employing other design disciplines as well. One solution to this limited focus on the built environment is "landscape urbanism." First appearing in the 1990s, landscape urbanism is a theory that argues that the best way to organize a city is through the design of its landscape, rather than the design of its buildings. At its best, landscape urbanism encourages a new way to understand cities: through the horizontal domain that acts as every city's connective tissue. At its worst, landscape urbanism can emphasize a purely aesthetic view of nature in the city, rather than recognizing its full potential as an additional functional system within the urban landscape. This failing of landscape urbanism can be addressed by its next evolution: ecological urbanism. As MIT Professor and Landscape Architect Anne Whiston Spirn writes in The Granite Garden, we need to recognize nature as "an essential force that permeates the city." By embracing the presence of nature's processes within the city, we can create an ecological urbanism that combines human and natural systems for the betterment of both. "The realization that nature is ubiquitous, a whole that embraces the city, has powerful implications for how the city is built and maintained and for the health, safety, and welfare of every resident" (Spirn). Currently, the Anacostia River and the neighborhoods to the east are neglected parts of Washington D.C., and most of the river's tributaries are buried underground. This neglect is similar to cities' historic disregard for the productive processes of nature, settling instead for a superficial, idealized abstraction of nature in the city. What if the city decided that instead of viewing urban streams as a nuisance that needed to be hidden, the Anacostia River and its tributary system could provide a beautiful, functional, and memorable organizational structure for the East of the River neighborhoods? Highlighting the presence of this large natural system within the city could be an opportunity to develop an "urban ecology" and frame our future relationship with nature. Using Washington DC's Anacostia River, its tributaries, and the East of the River neighborhoods as its framework, this thesis explores a possible step past landscape urbanism by advocating for an ecological urbanism that demonstrates how human and natural systems can work together in an urban environment in a way that is ecologically productive, regionally connected, and mutually beneficial. / Master of Science / Urban designers are trained to think systematically. They must simultaneously see the big picture for numerous human systems in the city—including multiple modes of transportation, barriers faced by the city’s inhabitants, and food and waste systems—and synthesize them into a coherent design. However, many urban designers use architecture as their sole means of shaping our cities, rather than employing other design disciplines as well. One solution to this limited focus on the built environment is “landscape urbanism” which recognizes that cities (like landscapes) are constantly undergoing processes of change. First appearing in the 1990s, landscape urbanism is a theory that argues that the best way to organize a city is through the design of its landscape, rather than the design of its buildings. At its best, landscape urbanism encourages a new way to understand cities: through the horizontal domain that acts as every city’s connective tissue. At its worst, landscape urbanism can emphasize a purely aesthetic view of nature in the city, rather than recognizing nature’s full potential as an additional functional system within the urban landscape. This failing of landscape urbanism can be addressed by its next evolution: ecological urbanism. As MIT Professor and Landscape Architect Anne Whiston Spirn writes in The Granite Garden, we need to recognize nature as “an essential force that permeates the city.” By embracing the presence of nature’s processes within the city, we can create an ecological urbanism that combines human and natural systems for the betterment of both. “The realization that nature is ubiquitous, a whole that embraces the city, has powerful implications for how the city is built and maintained and for the health, safety, and welfare of every resident” (Spirn 5). Currently, the Anacostia River and the neighborhoods to the east are neglected parts of Washington DC, and most of the river’s tributaries are buried underground. This neglect is similar to cities’ historic disregard for the productive processes of nature, settling instead for a superficial, idealized abstraction of nature in the city. What if the city decided that instead of viewing urban streams as a nuisance that needed to be hidden, the Anacostia River and its tributary system could provide a beautiful, functional, and memorable organizational structure for the East of the River neighborhoods? Highlighting the presence of this large natural system within the city could be an opportunity to develop an “urban ecology” and frame our future relationship with nature. Using Washington DC’s Anacostia River, its tributaries, and the East of the River neighborhoods as its framework, this thesis explores a possible step past landscape urbanism by advocating for an ecological urbanism that demonstrates how human and natural systems can work together in an urban environment in a way that is ecologically productive, regionally connected, and mutually beneficial.

Thesis--Catholic University of America. / Bibliography: p. 31-33.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Delaware, 2006. / Principal faculty advisor: James E. Pizzuto, Dept. of Geological Sciences. Includes bibliographical references.

For years, Ward 7 in Washington, DC, has been a neglected area cut off from the rest of the city. For decades, the Anacostia River has served as a dividing line between Wards 7 and 8 from the rest of Washington DC. However, the neighborhood has much more to offer than being characterized as a location of violence, unemployment, insecurity, and isolation. The neighborhood is home to many people of color. This thesis poses the question: How can a community abandoned and neglected for decades be revived into a place of refuge? The project's target demographic includes families, students, and the community. However, the neighborhood has several obstacles, including food deserts, a lack of community gathering spaces, nearby amenities, residents having to drive to get necessities, and a lack of accessibility, transportation, walkability, and affordable housing. The first thing that needs to be acknowledged about Ward 7 is the lack of equal treatment and opportunities compared to the other wards. Children and adults should not be forced to travel long distances to get necessities. They should not feel afraid and unsafe to travel around and feel left out of social gatherings by choosing to live in Ward 7. The main goal of this thesis is to design and build a community in Ward 7 to accommodate housing and transform the neighborhood into an urban environment by enhancing different types of spaces to work in harmony to create an inclusive community experience for all. This thesis will also adapt sustainable elements to build a sustainable living environment that contributes to their well-being and the health of the individual community and the environment. This project introduces affordable housing with various amenities, grocery shops, a gym, a community space for study and work, sit-down restaurants, outdoor seating places, a neighborhood café, a pavilion, and two bridges: One is an amenity bridge that links the building to the pavilion. The other is a pedestrian bridge that allows residents and community members to stroll or bike to Kingman Island. / Master of Architecture / For decades, the Anacostia River has served as a dividing line between Wards 7 and 8 from the rest of Washington DC. The neighborhood is home to many people of color and green spaces, and an attractive and vibrant community for everyone. However, I feel that this community, like any other, needs equality. Children and adults who reside in the area need a higher standard of living. Equal opportunities should be provided. This thesis poses the question: How can a community abandoned and neglected for decades be revived into a place of refuge? The project aims to create an inclusive community experience by enhancing different types of spaces and adapting sustainable elements to build a sustainable living environment that contributes to their well-being, individual health, and environment. The neighborhood has several obstacles, including food deserts, a lack of nearby amenities, residents having to drive to get necessities, accessibility, transportation, walkability, and affordable housing. The project proposes affordable housing with various amenities, grocery shops, a gym, a community space for study and work, sit-down restaurants, outdoor seating places, a pavilion, and two bridges. An amenity bridge links the building to the pavilion; the other is a pedestrian bridge that allows residents and community members to stroll or bike to Kingman Island.

This project presents a resilient mixed-use residential design in Anacostia Park, fronting the Anacostia River: With climate change projections indicating a potential sea level rise of up to 5.25 feet by 2100, addressing flood hazards is critical. The design employs three primary adaptation methods: alleviation, embracing water, and elevation techniques. Alleviation involves integrating functional spaces, such as recreational areas and green spaces, that absorb and manage water runoff. Embracing water focuses on fostering community engagement and emotional resilience by designing spaces where residents can experience different scenarios pre-flood and post-flood. Elevation techniques include the use of permeable surfaces, green gardens to control runoff, and raised structures to prevent water from entering the building. The building features a two-story commercial base and nine stories of residential units, totaling 225 units. The first story includes retail stores, while the second story houses a food club, a food court, and a health club. The residential units above offer diverse living spaces to accommodate various needs. This design aims to enhance the quality of life for residents and contribute to the sustainability of the Anacostia Park community. It serves as a model for future developments in flood-prone areas, demonstrating innovative solutions to environmental challenges. / Master of Architecture / This project introduces a resilient mixed-use residential building located in Anacostia Park, right by the Anacostia River. With climate change causing sea levels to rise, potentially up to 5.25 feet by the year 2100, it's crucial to address flood risks. Our design uses three main strategies: alleviation, embracing water, and elevation techniques. Alleviation means creating spaces like parks and gardens that can absorb and manage water. Embracing water foct where people can interact with water and prepare different flood scenarios. Elevation techniques involve using mat help control water runoff and prevent flooding inside the building. The building has two floors of commercial spaces, including shops, a food club, a food court, and a health club. Above these, there are nine floors of residential units, totaling 225 apartments. These homes are designed to meet variety of needs and preferences. Our goal is to improve the quality of life for residents and support the sustainability of the Anacostia Park community. This project serves as a model for future buildings in flood-prone areas, showcasing innovative solutions to environmental challenges.

My thesis is about transforming the Anacostia waterfront with a rhythmic approach to seamlessly integrate it into the overall fabric of Washington, D.C. My design involves establishing seasonal celebrations throughout the year, including a redbud festival, and zooming in, to craft a space that celebrates the rich dance culture of Anacostia. My thesis goal is to foster a celebratory atmosphere through an interconnected design that harmonizes with its environment. My research involves exploring the relationship between dance, architecture, and trees to create an experience that would be enjoyed by the community and to bring people to Anacostia, which has historically been a neglected part of the city. The Anacostia Redbud Festival will be the waterfront's own version of the Cherry Blossom Festival, it'll be an opportunity for a celebration of this Native tree and to increase the city's tree canopy. It's a transformative approach for the Anacostia Waterfront as a whole, and I'll be proposing an overall, rhythmic site plan to enhance the recreational experience there. Zooming in, I chose a particular portion from my overall site proposal to intervene and place my dance structure. My design approach has been to explore vertical elements along with trees to create structural movement to mimic dance. Jazz dance will be the foundation that my design will be based upon. I chose Jazz instead of Classic Ballet, which is universally known as the foundation of dance, to teach people that idea is euro-centric and neglects the history of other dance types. Jazz dance was invented by African slaves who shared it when they were brought to the U.S., they never codified it so white people took the chance to claim it for themselves. My design will be a celebration of Black culture and teach people who the true pioneers of Jazz dance are and how that's the true foundation of all dance. Approaching the design of my structure, the idea of having an inhabitable roof took precedence because it allows for the structure to seamlessly intertwine with the existing park. The inhabitable roofs are made from long ramps that bring you from the ground to a rooftop experience that reaches into the surrounding tree canopy. The rooftop also has different pockets where one can find platforms to perform on or to just relax on. This whole ramp structure sits on top a dance pavilion that houses a casual theater, dance studios, gallery spaces and a café, allowing people to also enjoy dance inside and outside, blurring the lines between architecture and landscape. Furthermore, the building is surrounded by small vertical poles that act as structural elements, as well as an important façade element for shading. The small poles are placed in a loose order to imitate a forest of trees. The ramps and orientation of the building give emphasis to the new 11th street bridge structure that will be coming to Anacostia and overall creating a vibrant park that encourages movement and celebrates true D.C. culture. / Master of Architecture / This work holds significant value in its ability to transform the Anacostia waterfront into a vibrant cultural hub. It brings together the community through seasonal celebrations and highlights the rich heritage of dance, particularly jazz dance, which is deeply rooted in African American culture. By challenging Euro-centric narratives and educating the public about the true origins of jazz dance, the project fosters a greater appreciation for diverse cultural contributions. The importance of this project lies in its potential to revitalize a historically neglected area, drawing visitors and investment to Anacostia. By enhancing the city's tree canopy and creating a unique cultural destination, the project contributes to environmental sustainability and urban beautification. The impact creates a dynamic recreational space that encourages physical activity and cultural engagement. The integration of architecture and nature offers an immersive experience that blurs the lines between architecture and nature, promoting a deeper connection to both. Ultimately, this project has the potential to transform the Anacostia waterfront into a celebrated part of Washington, D.C., enriching the lives of residents and visitors alike.

This thesis analyzes how social and environmental inequalities have interacted throughout Washington, D.C.’s urban and environmental history to shape the Anacostia River and its Near Southeast waterfront into urbanized and industrialized landscapes. Drawing on the principles of environmental justice, urban political ecology, and environmental history, I examine the construction of urban rivers and waterfront space over time. I link the ecological and social decline of the Anacostia River and Near Southeast neighborhood to a broader national pattern of environmental degradation and social inequality along urban rivers that resulted from urban industrialization and federal water management. Finally, I discuss the recent national trend in redevelopment of formerly industrial urban waterfronts. In particular, I focus on two brownfield redevelopment projects in Near Southeast: the Washington National’s baseball stadium at Nationals Park, completed in 2008, and the ongoing construction of The Yards mixed-use development complex. The Anacostia River has served as a touchstone throughout Near Southeast’s shifting neighborhood identity and land use. This thesis uses the river as a starting point at which to begin an exploration of a long history of social and environmental inequality in waterfront Washington, D.C.