Losing ground Web

Losing Ground: Methods for LeevilleLSU Architecture Graduate Studio 7004

The LSU Coastal Sustainability Studio provided financial, planning, and institutional support forthiscourse.

ThankyoutothedirectorsofWater Like Stone,Michael Pasquier, Associate Professor ofReligiousStudiesandZackGodshall,AssistantProfessorofEnglish,forsharingtheirknowledgeofLeeville.

ThankyouJanetRhodusofLaunch Leeville fororganizingaboattourofLeevilleandintroducingthestudentstothejoysoffishing.

Complied by Kelli Cunningham, Architecture +LandscapeGraduateStudent

Instructor,ShelbyElizabethDoyleVisitingAssistantProfessorofArchitecture

Leeville Louisiana

“The best stories take us inside of storytelling so seamlessly, that when we emerge, the impossible is easier to imagine. This fi ction creates a space in our minds to consider other perspectives and adopt new solutions.”

Sheree Renée Thomas, Imagination Will Help Find Solutions to Climate Change, The New York Times

Methods for Leeville Preface

Symbiotic Defense (Landon Pugh) imagines a Leeville that inhabits LA-1 symbiotically protecting the highway from the climate events and re-purposing the town as a guardian of Port Fourchon’s oil infrastructure.

2100 Seasonal Fishing campLeeville, La

8019 Dupione deep seaDupione Marine Industrial fabric

ARCH 7004 Losing Ground: Methods for Leeville isthefourtharchitecturestudiointhesix-studiosequence Master of Architecture Program atLouisianaStateUniversity.ThestudioexaminedthesmallcoastaltownofLeeville,Louisianaasasurrogate for townsthroughouttheGulfSouth.Leevilleisnotprotectedbytheleveesystemandisexposedtotheimpactsofachangingclimate,coastallandloss,andincreasinglyviolentstormevents.AsaharbingerofcoastalLouisiana,thetownofLeevilleisfromthefuture.

Each student produced a method for Leeville,usingdrawing,photography,video,writing,andmodeling. These methods aim to reconsiderthe conceptual framework for the future ofsmall towns often overlooked in discussionsof urbanism. They are not intended to providerealistic or complete solutions but rather tousefictionalnarratives tomake the ‘impossibleeasiertoimagine’.Theseideaswereexploredatthedeltaic,city,building,andarchitecturaldetailscale. The methods for Leeville are identifiedhere.

Protection (Katherine Bartkowiak) imagines Leeville as a protected outpost remaining outside of existing protection infrastructure even as land recedes.

Restitching (Joshua Smith) imagines Leeville as a seasonal fi shing camp, restitched and rebuilt each year, changing and adapting to remaining structures.

Realism (Kevin Miller) imagines Leeville as a continuation of a the existing fl ood protection infrastructure and re-purposes the town as a fl ood gate managing Bayou Lafourche.

Collective Resilience (JaLeesa Sims-Smith) imagines Leeville as an act of collective resilience, where residents develop architecture to continue the geographic location of the town regardless of the changing climate.

Adaptation (James Canales) imagines a Leeville where architecture serves as the basis of a new infrastructure of land building, returning Leeville to its previous footprint.

Resistance (Kelli Cunningham) imagines Leeville as a series of contemporary three-dimensional arpents, capturing and redistributing the environmental and economic resources of the landscape.

Radical Survivalism (Karl Schmidt) imagines Leeville as an infrastructural node that is attuned to natural functions and processes of its landscape.

Introduction Leeville, Louisiana SymbioticDefense Landon Pugh Protection Katherine Bartkowiak Realism Kevin Miller Adaptation James Canales RadicalSurvivalism Karl Schmidt CollectiveResilience JaLeesa Sims-Smith Re-stitching Josh Smith Resistance Kelli Cunningham The Not Yet Mapping exercise ThingsComeApart Detail study StudioResources methodsforleeville.wordpress.com

Louisiana’scoastlineislosingwetlandsatarateof16.57squaremilesayear,equaltothelossofafootballfieldofcoasteveryhour.Thislandscapereflects the aggregate consequences of theanthropocene sooner and faster than perhapsanyotherpart of theUnitedStates. Therefore,the present conditions of the Louisiana coastrepresent several possible scenarios for thefutureofthenation’scoastandprovideareal-lifecontext for examining the tools,methods, andpracticesthatwillberequiredtocopewiththoseconsequences.

Located outside the levees along BayouLaFourche,Leevilleservesasaconnectionpointbetween Port Fourchon, the largest oil port intheUnitedStates,andGoldenMeadow,thefirsttownwithintheleveesystem.

The town, once a stopping point on LA-1, isnowbypassedbytherecentlyelevatedhighwaywhich will eventually connect Port Fourchondirectly to Golden Meadow, behind the levee,completely isolating Leeville. Bounded to the

eastbyBayouLafourchethetownremainsanimportanticeproductionpostforthecommercialand recreational fishing industries. Once hometoorangegrovesandcottonfieldsthefootprintof the Leeville has givenway towetlands (seeUSGS Map Plates), a quagmire between landand water. Amenities such as the post office,bank, and school have relocated to GoldenMeadow. Thirty permanent residents remain,otherscommutefromGoldenMeadowtowork,and during the recreational fishing season thepopulationgrowstoseveralhundredtemporaryresidents.

Thegoalof thestudiowas foreachstudent toimagineapossiblefutureforLeeville,tocreatea video narrative about that scenario, and topropose amethod for designing in that future.This process of world buildingwas introducedthroughMoira Crone’s The Not Yet, set in thecomplexandfascinatingdystopianlandscapeof22ndcenturyNewOrleans.Ms.Cronewritesofthe novel:

Leeville, Louisiana Introduction

“The United States has shrunken, become the United Authority. States along the Gulf Coast and the Pacific Rim has been cut away – too many disasters, too hard to govern. The elite Heirs, who run the Authority for themselves, live hundreds of years on nearly foolproof life-extension programs. Their upkeep absorbs all the economy’s resources. The poor eek out a narrow, illegal existence, working as slaves or performers, or hang on in restricted tribes called Enclaves.”

Resourcedistribution:economic,infrastructural,environmental, cultural, was consideredthroughout the studio. Rather than advocatingforatraditionalnotionof‘saving’or‘preserving’Leeville the studio explored the concept ofabsenceandquestionedarchitecture’smethodsforLeeville from life-extension toun-building toreconstruction. The documentary film Water Like Stone,setinLeeville,providedaprecedentfor film as a narrative media for conveyingarchitectureandurbandesigns.

Leeville,Louisiana

DarkGray:WaterLightGray:Land

L:USGSPlate1935Leeville1:24000scale

R:USGSPlate1994Leeville1:24000scale

leveesystem.Thesecanalscutby theearlyoilindustry,aswellasforfishingaccess,allowforsedimenttoberemovedfasterfromthedepthsoftheland.Thiscreatesmoreedgeareafortheinteractionbetweenlandandwaterblurringthisline as land turns to marsh and marsh turns towater.WithinLeeville land is lesssolidearththan it issaturatedmud.ExploringmethodsofoccupationwithinLeevillecouldprovideacasestudyforothersimilarcoastalcities.SincetheconstructionoftheElevatedHighwayin2009,Leevillehasbeeneconomicallybypassed

by the oil industry while having still beenimpacted by the industrial canal’s presence.Many residents have left the town, as there isnoschool,postoffice,bank,orofficialpoliticalboundarystill associatedwith this landoutsidethelevee.

TheLouisianaCoastalProtectionandRestorationAuthority’s 2012CoastalMaster Plan identifiestheareasurroundingLeevilleasapotentialsaltmarshrestorationproject.

Leeville’sprimaryindustriesarecommercialandinclude fishingandoil andgasextraction.Oneof Leeville’s last thriving businesses is Griffin’sicehouse.This isoneof last stopson thewaytotheGulfofMexicoforcommercialfishermantofilltheirhullswithicetopreservetheircatch.Griffin’s also serves as a social gathering spotwithin Leeville, a restaurant and a store. Icehas literallybecomethe lifeline forLeeville.Theculture of fishing stillmaintains a social aspectwithin thecommunityasmany residents returntofish,whilemovingtheirassetswithinthelevee.

This studio focused on ways of negotiating alandscapeinflux.Leeville’sfoundationisshiftingfromterraintowaterwhilemaintainingindustriesthat rely on edge conditions to survive. Theproject also calls for a negotiation of severalindustries currently locatedwithin Leeville. Theproductionanddistributionofice,connectiontothecommercialfishingthroughamarina,andtheideaofelectricity.Leevillecurrentlyisconnectedtothewaterandelectricityinfrastructurebehindthelevee.

Coastal Louisiana suffers 90 percent of thetotal coastal wetland loss in the continentalUnitedStates, losing16squaremilesof landayear. This amounts to 70%ofwetlands lost inthe years since1932.Evidenceof land loss isprevalentwithinLeevilleastheoldhighwaysinksinto the marsh, and cemeteries fill with water.Every stormsurgebringsLeeville closer to theedgeoftheGulfofMexico.In1893ahurricanedestroyedCheniereCaminada,aformercoastaltown,forcingresidentstomovenorthtoOrangeCity,laterrenamedLeeville,reflectingtheregion’shistoryoflossandmigration.

Leeville’s land loss has been accelerated bymany factorswithin the lowerMississippiRiverdeltaic system. Bayou LaFourche was onceconnected to the Mississippi River and couldhavebecomethemainchannelifnotforhumanintervention to protect major shipping lanesthrough the ports of Baton Rouge and NewOrleans.AtDonaldsonville,Louisianathebayouwasdammedin1903,thisstoppedtheflowofwaterandsedimentdownthebayouandtothe

marshesaroundLeeville.This lackofsedimentreplenishment is allowing erosion to continueunhindered.

In1930,oilwasfoundinLeeville,whichledtoalargeboomand increased industry in the townonce focused on orange groves. The openingof Port Fourchon in 1960, now the largest oilportintheUnitedStates,followedthisincreaseinoil industry insouthernLouisiana.Access toPortFourchonisnowprotectedbytheElevatedHighway. In2008,duringHurricane Ike,waterwashed out LA-1, cutting off access throughLeeville. In 2009, construction on the elevatedportion of the highway began. The highwaycurrently cuts off Leeville from any potentialthrough traffic. The expansion plan for theelevatedhighwayisplannedtorunpasttheleveesystemfurtherisolatingLeeville.AnindustrythatoncebroughtfortunetoLeevillenowaids in itsdecline.

Canalization is speeding up the process ofsubsidence outside of the Golden Meadow

Climatic Resilience LandonPughMethod for Leeville: Symbiotic Survivalism

The LA-1 elevated expressway is the life linebetweenPortFourchonandtherestoftheUnitedStates. This length of highway is the primarymeans of transportation for the extraction anddistribution of the Louisiana coast’s abundantresources. The centralized location of LeevillewithinthisstretchofhighwaywillallowthesupportofbothLA-1andPortFourchon.Withthethreatof unknown future climatic events, the countrywillneedtoprotectbothHighway1andLeevilleinordertomaintainthisvitalconnectiontoPortFourchon.Theelevationofthehighwayalreadyavoids the rising water, leaving the protectionfrom inclement weather to be determined.Leevillewill remainoutsidethe levee, toensurethe survival of Leeville and effectively maintainthe resource connection, the town must alignitselfwiththecurrent infrastructureandprovidethe necessary enclosure needed to withstandmostnaturalelements.

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2008 2014 Severe cold closes down LA-1 bridge

Study model of architectures interaction withexistinginfrastructure

Protective vertebrae interacting with physicalscaledbridgemodel

Inorder tosustainLeeville’scontribution to thefishing industryandtomaintainthe importanceof fishing to the economy and community ofLeeville, there needs to be an architecturalintervention that allows for easy access to seawaters without the danger of certain weatherconditions.Myproposalisaman-madeplatformstationedoffthecoastofcurrentLeeville,thatisspatiallyandprogrammaticallydesignedtobestsuit the fishing lifestyle, both commercial andrecreational, and yet has the ability to protectagainst harshweather. Itmechanically rises assealevelrisesovertime,risesintheshorttermduring storm surge, and folds up to protectagainst hurricane winds and rain. This designallow for the platform to best preform as afishinghub,butthereremainsthethreatofsevereweather.Theinterventionisrootedinplacewithpiles,buthastheabilitytomechanicallyberaisedovertimewithsealevel.Intimesofharshstormsandhurricanes,thestructurecanbesignificantlyraised to avoid high levels of storm surge. In

thesecases,theinterventionclosesinonitself,creatingasealedenvelope,providingprotectiontopersonandindustryfromwindandwater.Theferriesandfloatingreceivingdockhavetheabilityto go onshore, taking with them any fishingvisitors.Theresidentswhowishtostaybehindcandrydocktheirboatsinsidethestructureandwaitoutthestorm.Theinterventionclosesupbyunfolding thedocksand rotating themupwardtocreatewalls.Inthedrydockareas,thedockfoldsout to create a floor,withpanels rotatingdownfromtheroofaswallstocloseinthearea.

This idea foraselfprotectingstructurecanbeusedasanexample formanydifferent coastaltowns that are in danger of losing land. Thisarchitecture allows for people to inhabit thewater, to live inareas thatwouldpreviouslybeatrisk.

Offsite Leeville KatherineBartkowiakMethod for Leeville: Protection

The circulation analysis of Leeville and itssurrounding area led to the placement of theinterventionoff thesouthtipofcurrentLeeville,the intersection of several waterways, makingfor a productive launch site for day fishermen,andstoppingsiteforincomingfishermenlookingtogeticeordropofffish.Becausetheplatformrequires necessary goods for production andprovidessignificantamountsofseafoodtothemainland,itneedstomaintainconnectiontotheshore.Twoferries,oneforpeopleandone

forfish,travelbackandforthtoafloatingstructurethatstaystiedtothecoastlineasitrecedesovertime.Thisstructurehascleaningequipmentanda cold storage center as a temporary landingplacebeforethefisharesentouttodistributors.

Eventuallythepilesholdingtheinterventionwillbetooshorttoallowforcontinuedrise.Tocombatthese inevitable changes, the intervention hasthepotentialtobecomeafloatingstructure,asseeninthesitemodel,thatcantravelbackandforthfromthecoastlinetoshipsandoilplatformsprovidingice,oil,andgoods.

1935 Land Map

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Port Fourchon

1945 Land Map

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2030 Land Map

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Old LA 1New LA 1 Bridge

InterventionIntervention

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2100 Land Map Intervention

Old LA 1New LA 1 Bridge

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Inpositionone, the intervention isat its restingstate,howitisusedonadaytodaybasis.Boatscomeandgowithrecreationalandcommercialfishermen.Peoplerelaxingcangoupontopofthestructure,coveredwitha removable tensilestructure.Wheninneedofsupplies,thegrocerystore and bait shop are conveniently locatednearthehousingwiththeirownboatslips.

Position two shows the beginning stages ofclosingthestructureasastormapproaches.Theferries,floatingdockandtouristsleaveandseekshelterbehindthe levee.Thosewishingtostayputtheirboatsintoboatliftsabovetheboatslipsaroundthegrocerystore.Thoseboatslipsthencloseuparoundtheboats,protectingthemforfutureuse.Otherexistingdocksfoldoutanduptocreatewalls.Docklessareashavepanelsfolddownfromtherooftofullyenclosethestructure.

Position three is the fully enclosed structure,closed down for a storm. In preparation, thetensile structure is removed, and residentsstock upon goods. They are able to continuelivingwithin thestructure,without theeverydayactivities of fishing and distributing ice. Thejointswithinthemovingpiecesthatenclosethestructurearedesignedtobewatertight,allowingfordryinteriorspaces.Asstormsurgerises,thestructurerisestomaintainabovethewaterline.

The model demonstrates the movements ofthe intervention, thedocks foldingout andup,thepanels fromtheroof foldingdown,andtheraise and fall of theoverall structure. Thepilesaredrivendownintotheseabedabout40’deep.The interventionsitsonthewatersurface,withabout10’ofwaterbelowit.Thestructurehasa35’clearancebetweenplatformfloorandceiling.

Leeville Electricity Switching Station

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Oil Circuit Breaker Step- Down Transformer

VoltageRegulators

Switchgear

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Oil Circuit Breaker

Step-DownTransformer

Voltage Regulators Switchgear

need height

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Easy Access to Water

Docks between slips for circulation

Large dock for circulation, storage and workspace

Length for mid sized to small boats

Scale: 1/8” = 1’0”

Leeville Boat Dock

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Sacrificial Preservation Kevin MillerMethod for Leeville: Realism

Water Like Stone, depictsLeevilleasatightlyknitcommunityboundbyaveryuniqueconnectionto a rapidly changing environment. Thisenvironment is themarshland of the Louisianacoastthatwasoncehometoafishingindustryunlike any other in the United States. Afteryears of hurricanes and a recent oil spill, theland supporting the people of Leeville is beingdestroyedandwashedawayeverydayandlittleisbeingdonetochangethis.MichaelPasquieridentifies that one of the problems preventingchange is the inability of the community toaddress thesituation.Hesays that thegeneralbeliefof thecommunity is that theproblemsoftoday can be fixed tomorrow. The unfortunatedownside isthefactthatwhenever“tomorrow”comes it might be too late. Is it possible thatthe people of Leeville are already living withinan apocalyptic society?McCarthymight agreecomparingthewaythepeopleofLeevillethinktothenomadsthattravelapost-nuclearlandscapein his book The Road, “People were alwaysgetting ready for tomorrow. I didn’t believe inthat. Tomorrowwasn’t getting ready for them.

Itdidn’tevenknowtheywere.”Inorderforanypositive change to happen residents need tolosethiswayofthinkingbecause,accordingtoPasquier, residents of southern Louisiana haveheld this same belief forever.Observations on the Concepts of Place in Post-Risk Societies would identify this as a state of pragmaticacceptance. Characterized by a reluctantacceptance of the present state with theintentionof only surviving tomorrow,pragmaticacceptance fails to address the current needsof a society. It does however point to anotherstate that could potentially be the key to theirsurvival andachieved throughdesign.Throughradicalenlightenmentoneidentifiesthepotentialrisksasrealityandtakesactiontomitigatethem.Howeverisittoolate?Therecouldbeproofinthe introduction of the bridge that serves as anewhurricaneevacuationroutealongthecoast.Referencingtheaforementionedstateofradicalenlightenment this presents an opportunityto identify the need for change in Leeville andaddresstherisksthatrequirethischange.LikeDesign for the Apocalypse states this change

needs to be marketed not as the “end of” awayof lifebutasanopportunity forLeeville to“re-start and re-think” their current situation.In this case we would be addressing presentneedsofacommunitythreatenedbyerosion.AsresidentsofLeevillehavecometotermswiththereality that theywill be forced to retreat to theprotectionoftheleveeseffortsmustbefocusedonpreservingtheirculturethroughtheprotectionand development of the fishing industry, bothrecreationalandindustrial.Bysacrificingexistingpartsof thesite thatarealready threatenedbywater inundationandprotectingothersthroughnewhybridstrategiesencroachingwaterwillbeable toflow freely through thesiteallowing thefishing industry to continue to operate withoutthreatoffuturesealevelriseandpotentialstormsurge.

These diagrams illustrate the layering ofprogramwithin the context of flood protectioninfrastructure.

Inanefforttopreserveexistingwetlandsitwasimportant to limit any new construction to theexistinghardscapeofLeeville takingadvantageofmoresuitablefoundationsoil.

A series of spillways help to control waterinundationallowingittopassfreelythroughthesite.Thespillwayisalayeredtocollectsedimentaswaterpassesthroughduringlowtide.

TounderstandhowtheseawallmightbeabletomoveupanddownItookaparttheanumbrellaand put it back together that uses the sameideaofanextensionarmthatopensandclosesto provide protection. These ideas were thenappliedtotheseawall.

Coastal development requires managementof land edge conditions using retaining wallsandseawalls.Combining themost successfultechniqueofriprapandthetypicalretainingwallerosioncanbepreventedfromthiscoastaledge.

Usingasimplepulleysystemliftshelptoprotecttheboatsfromdamagingwavesandadditionalmaintenance coasts by lifting them out of thewater. Similar technology are applied to theoperable sea wall to raise and lower it duringstorms.

The operable seawall closeswhen a storm isapproachingprotectingtheinfrastructurethatisessentialtothefishingindustrybutremainsopeninnormalmoderateconditions toallowaccesstothewater.

Systematic Curation James CanalesMethod for Leeville: Adaptation

“There are old boat men, there are bold boatmen, but there are very few old bold boatmen.”Thisquote from thedocumentaryWater like Stone perfectly describes theway I wouldenvision the emotional attitude of the localresidents in Leeville, LA. Being from a placeso perfect but yet so challenging definitelydefines a person and a community. Althoughit may appear differently, Leeville, Louisiana isa very wealthy place. Wealthy with everythingexcept currency. While watching “Water likeStone”andbeing informally introduced to localresidents of this small fishing town, I beganto see an emotional trend. Regardless of theprofessions, current financial positions in life,or all aroundwell-being, the residentsgaveoffthisglowingauraofsatisfaction.EveryonefromLeevillewasproudtobefromLeeville.Ibelievethisstrainsfromthedeeprootedfamilyheritagethat still exists in Leeville. It seemsvery typicalformultiplegenerationstoliveandgrowninthissmall community. In most cases not only live,but work and play as well. The preservationof Leeville is particularly important because

of this unique lifestyle that flourishes from itssoil. Thequestionathand ishowcanLeevilleadapt in order to save what is left? Typicallywhensomethingiswrongwiththegeographicallocationinwhichyoulive,thesolutionissimple,move. However I believe this case is verydifferent.Leeville isasmallcommunity.Asmallcommunity of fisherman and towns people.Inorder forafishingcommunity likeLeeville toprosper they needaccess to one thing,water.ThisnecessityalsohappenstobetheonethingthatisruiningLeevilleasawhole.HurricaneshitthecoastofLouisianamorethananyotherplaceintheUnitedStates,secondonlytoKeyWest,Florida.ThelowercoastofLouisianaisdepletingat such an aggressive rate that small coastaltowns likeLeevilleare looking forways tostayafloat. Inasensethat isexactlywhatthistownneeds, away to float. The solutionmust stemwaybeyondbetter infrastructureand improvedhurricanesurvivaltactics.Thesemethodsproveto be effective throughout the globe, howevertheywill not be enough topreserve everythingthatLeevilleis.Morethantrailers,boats,andbait

shops,Leeville isawayof life.Looking towardthefuture,thereareways inwhichLeevillecanbepreserved.ThememoriesofwhatLeeville istoday, and was in the past, can be recorded.Howeveronedaytheworldmaychangeandthelifestyle existing in Leevillemay be lost forever.ThearticlebyJohnMcMorrough,Design for the Apocalypse, brings upmany interesting pointsabout a changing world. Some ideas includereasonswhy transformation, of a people, or aplace,maybetheonlypossibilityforexistence.John McMorrough states, “…it is scarcity,of food, water, safety, resources, amenity orpotential, that is the engine of transformationand change.” In the case of Leeville, many ofthesecommoditiesarebecomingthreatenedbynaturaldisasters.

therestoftheUnitedStates.Awayoflifethathascontinued from generation to generation. ThepeopleofLeevilleareoptimisticandcontinuallybelieve in tomorrow, because tomorrow holdshope.Hope thatoneday thesmallcommunitythat raised them will live long and prosper towatch thousands more children grow. Hopethat Mother Nature will eventually stop takingaway the soil beneath their feet. Hope that along family legacywill forever live in thehistorybooks.Leevilleisfullofhope.ToloseaplacelikeLeevillemeanstolosetradition.Itmeanstoloseadistinctculture.ToloseLeevillemeanstoloseawayoflife.

HoweverLeevilleisnotalone.Withtheinevitableforthcoming of rising water conditions inLeeville, the Louisiana coast, and hundreds ofotherplacesaround theworld, theaquabattlecontinues.Louisianacompeteswithrisingwaterbysimplybuilding levees.Theobvioussolutiontoanyfloodproblemistofortifythe“edge”.Butwhat ifadifferentapproachwastaken.What iftownslikeLeevillelearnedtolivewiththewater?Therearemanywaysinwhichabuiltcommunityand water can blend contiguously. One waywould be to design essentially waterproofstructuresthatwouldbeabletowithstandstormconditionsaswellasprovideanairtightsealfor

damage protection. Structures such as thesewouldrequirereinforcedfoundationsforstabilityand would allow us to move away from thestiltbasedhousingmodel typical in thisregion.UnfortunatelythemajordownfalltoawaterproofstructurethatissecurelyfixedtotheEarthcomesoncethefloodhitsandwefindpeopletrappedintheirhomes.Transportationisvital.TheUnitedStates isessentially foundedontheconceptofseparation.Oncetheroadsarefloodedandcarsareno longerausefulamenity,howwillpeoplegetfrompointAtopointB.Inafishingtowntheanswerseemsobvious.

Leeville,LA:Circa2030

Sealevelhasrisenupwardsof18+inches.Manyareasofmarsharefloodedandgetwashedaway.Atthispointmydesigninterventionhasbeguntobuild first the elevated housing units. Any newresidents of Leeville are required to follow thenewbuilding regulations thatensureprotectionfromhurricanesthroughtheyear2100.


SeaLevelhasrisenupwardsof32+inchesfromitslevelduring2014.MuchofLeevillebecomesflooded and lost. Another area of elevatedstructuresbegins todevelope justsouthof thefirstarea.Theelevatedstructures,whendesired,could be connected with a pedestrian bridge.A parking area is constructed to maintain thevehicularconnecttoLeeville.


Sea Level has reached upwards of 6-7 feetabove sea levee from 2014. Leeville is entirelyunderwater, with some places submerged asmuch as 4 feet. At this point the interventionbegins to preserve Leeville’s existence on thewater. Floating marinas are introduced alongBayou LaFourche which allows the seafoodeconomytocontinuetoprosper.

On a planet where such disasters cannot bepredicted, it isonlyamatterof timebefore theworldasweknow itchangesbeforeoureyes.Thisphenomenon,orApocalypseasdescribedin the article, will force humans to rethinksocietyandthewayinwhichwelive.Thearticlediscussesthe“end”asonlythemomentbeforethe“beginning”.ThegloomingApocalypsegivesusashumansthechanceto“restartandrethink”the world around us. The article also raisesinteresting points related to the architecture ofthe“beginning”.JohnMcMorroughstates,“Howwould architecture act in a post-apocalypticmode?Andwhatistherelationofarchitectureto


Old Highway LA-1 is currently the onlytransportation route between Golden MeadowandGrand Isle, including Port Fourchon. Thelocal economyof the small townbenefits fromthe high number of commuters passing by ontheirwaytoPortFourchonorGrandIsle.

capitalwhenthereisnocapital”.Thisprovokingconceptthatarchitecturewouldeventuallystemback to its primal purposes of mere shelter,andmoveaway fromtheprizedartwork ishasled itself to become today, offers interestingopportunities. The idea that architecture maybecome a condition. The idea that being anarchitect is somethingwe allmust understandas people for survival. These ideas make usreconsider the true value of architecture anddesign. In the case that the world does not“end”, and the apocalypse does not unfoldbeforeoureyes,wemustcontinuetoplanaheadandprogress.

Recent advances in technology have allowedus to predict the path and strength of distanthurricanes and tropical storms, givingcommunities the time needed to prepare, orin some cases, evacuate when necessary.Unfortunately thiswas not the case in the latenineteenth century when Cheniere Caminadakilled hundreds of Leeville residents. Thelegacyofthose lost issomethingthepeopleofLeevillearedesperate topreserveandprotect.Hurricanes almost tend to define Leeville. Thecommunityhasenduredsomuchstrugglethattheyallseemtoleanoneachotherforsupport.Leevillerepresentsalifestylemuchdifferentfrom


TheyearfollowingHurricaneKatrina,phaseoneof the new elevated LA-1 project begins. TheelevatedhighwaynowforcesallvehiculartrafficaroundLeeville,creatingadead-endcondition.Tourismandtheeconomybeginstosuffer.

Leeville,LA:July2009

Phaseoneoftheelevatedhighwayiscompleted.The newly created LA-1 currently connectseverything south of Leeville, including GrandIslandandPortFourchon,tooldLA-1justnorthof Leeville. Phase two plans on extending thebridgefurthernorthtoeventuallyendinGoldenMeadow, where traffic would be protected bytheleveesystem.

Leevillebecomesatownorientedtoboattraffic,survived by elevated homes and an artificialground floating above thewater level. The siteplan illustrates how all the commercial fishinghasbeenpushedalongBayouLaFourcheandtheelevatedstructuresareontheoppositesideof the main pedestrian bridge. The pedestrianbridgeservesasaspineconnectinganetworkofprogram.

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Leeville exists today in a beaten and batteredstate.Howevermultiplesystemsallowthetowntoexistandprosper.Mysiteanalysisconsistedof identifying such “productive systems” andimplementing their attributes into the futureproposal. The systems identified as the lifelineforLeevillearetheEconomicSystem,includingthecommercialseafoodeconomyandtourism,Transportation System, including multipleboat docks both public and private as wellas the connection to the newly oriented andgovernment protected elevated highway, Utility

System, including all necessary services forsurvivalsuchaselectricandwater,andlastlytheenvironmentalconditioninwhichLeevilleexists,theMarshEcosystem.

Above show 3 prototypes in the test model.Eachprototypewasdocumentedfor20minutesand the resultswereanalyzed. Ineverycase, Iidentifiedstrongcasesofscouroccurringonthefrontfacingedges.Thisscourpushedthewateraround the outside, whipping the sedimentaroundthebackwhereitbegantocollectinthecalmareas.

An important aspect of the housing units arethewaythestructuralelementsmeetthewaterand earth below. This model shows how thearchitecture becomes productive and worksto control sediment deposition and eventuallycreateanewmarshbelow.Overtimethehomeownertakesownershipoverthenewmarshandintroducesvegetationtostabilizethesoils.

Usingasedimentflowmodel,Ibuiltandtestedmultipledesignoptionsforthestructuralspreadfootingsutilizedbelowtheelevatedstructures.

Peripatetic Urbanism KarlLaneSchmidtMethod for Leeville: radical survivalism

Theprojectisanextremeformofafuturewhereinhumansmustoccupyspaceinameansthat isattuned to natural functions and processes ofthatplace,exploringtheoutcomeofthisrealityand a human propensity toward complex,large scale infrastructural solutions in a deltaiccondition.Theinterventionrespondstochangingconditions, keeping the built environmentaligned to the saturation threshold [ land /waterinterface],bybecomingamechanismforstrategicsedimentdepositionorganizedarounda mobile, reconfigurable infrastructure allowingthegeographicrepositioningoftheurbanzone.Architecturesofindividualprogramsorfunctionsexistwithinthisfluctuatingmatrix,therelationshipof architecture to infrastructure remainingrelatively stable [ though constantly changing ]astheurbanzoneadaptstotheshiftingcontext.ThisprovidesinternalstabilityforLeeville,whilstprovidingprotectionforoccupantsandkeepingthe urban condition and human occupationadjacenttothedynamicbayouedge.Leeville has embedded in it an essential relationship to water: transportation, economy,

sustenance,andrecreationrelyontheconnectiona coastal town has with the adjacent water.Yet Leeville is a place tied to the land: floatingstructurehaslittlenopermanentoccupationandresidencesaresituatedon“ground”.Additionally,circulationandinteractionoccurlargelyonland,or proximate to land; identity is derived fromthemeetingof landandwater.Leevillepersists[economically ] largelydue to theexistenceofanamplesupplyoficeandrecreationaltourism.TotheextentthatessentialcharacterofLeevillesurvivesitwillbeplacederivedfromthemeetingof land and water. Leeville is less “ground”than the zone of highest relative saturation ofsediment in a water-sediment gradient withzonesofrelativedensity.Inaddition,thechangein salinity that coincide with the disturbanceof the water-sediment balance will alter theproportion of oyster shell and plant materialsrelative toexistingcommunities, furtheralteringthecharacteristicsoftheoccupied“ground”.

Leevilleexistsatwhat isnowtheendofbayouLaFourche, the bayou itself formerly the lower

forkoftheMississippiriver,andthepotentialforthe loss of communities on themain channel,including New Orleans, is not inconsequential.The current fear for the potential of theAtchafalaya river to “capture” the Mississippi[ and therefore become the Mississippi ] isinteresting for the fact that,had theLaFourcheveinnotbeensevered,therewasthepossibility[ifonlyslight]thatLaFourchecouldhavebecomethemain artery as the river chose the path ofleast resistance to the coast [ as it had in thepast].

The proposalmakes use of the stability foundin thepilingsandpoles in theurbancondition,thestrongverticalelementsstandingincontrastwiththehorizontalland-watermixandholdingstrong via interaction with layers of slowermovingsedimentfoundbelowthewaterlevel.

The intervention is comprised of Nodes,Platforms, and individual programmed spacesandstructures.

Adaptive Culture JaLeesaSims-SmithMethod for Leeville: Collective Adaptation

“The people of Leeville have a resilient culturethatmanifests as social interaction, the fishingindustry, and a flexibility to survive despite thefluctuatingwaterlevelsandprecariousweather.Historically,thisresiliencyhasallowedthepeopleof Leeville to adapt over time- from rebuildingafter hurricanes, to adjusting planted crops, toerectingmakeshift structures-while attemptingto address the city’s wavering environmentalconditions. Their ability to adjust to the everchanging climate proves that humans canadapt to uncertain environments andby doingso can create a better world than what iscurrently present. This adaptive culture mustbe preserved. Architecture is one medium bywhich this is achievable. In the New Leeville,redeveloped pause points- physical locationsof social interaction- constant access to thewater,andadjustablemodularpieceswillallowthepeopletoadaptandactivelyrecreateatheircommunitybasedonvaryingclimaticconditions.Leeville’s water level is constantly fluctuating,so adaptive measures must be implemented . By using adjustable elements, the people

of theNew Leeville are able to transform theirenvironment for cultural reasons – gatherings,festivals, and the like– as well as climacticreasons–hurricanes,tornadoes,etc.

ThecurrentLeevilleisacloseknittown.Becausetheyspendalotoftimewithoneanother,eachadjustablewallmust have at least 2people toassemble it. This builds camaraderie withinthe community, and it solidifies the recycledculture of the New Leeville – a culture ofcollective interaction Unfortunately, becauseof Leeville’s location along the coast, it isoftentimessusceptibletohurricanes.Thedesignof themulti-family residences addresses thesedamaging storms. During nice, sunny weatheror rain and thunderstorms, the new complexremains in itsmulti-storycondition.However, ifthreatening weather is approaching, the wallsof the entire complex are able to retract intothemainwall, creatinga single story complex.The programmatic design of the first floor –having a communal kitchen, a bathroom, anda potential sleeping space in the living room

– allows residents to live on the first floor aslongasneededshouldtheupperwallsneedtoretractinanemergencysituation.Thisallowsforincreasedprotectionwhenenduringahurricaneorotherthreateningstorms.Also,theroofactsasadrainagesystem,sowhenthereisasurplusof rain, the newcommunitywill still be able tofunctionwithoutbeingconcernedwithflooding.

Interlockingspaces–extrusionsandrecessions– within the floor plan of the residences arereminiscent of the interactive, social spacesfound in the current Leeville. Throughout theresidence,therearemultiplepausepoints–suchas thepausepoints found in thecurrentcity–thatprovideopportunityforverbalinteractionaswell as non-verbal interaction. The non-verbalspacesareequallyas importantas thespaceswith traditional, verbal formsofcommunicationbecause they house the silent extrusions andrecessions that remind each resident thatLeevillewasandwillcontinuetobeacommunityconnectedwhereoneisneveralone.”

InthemultifamilyresidentialcomplexofthefutureLeeville,thereareseveralspacesthatencouragesocial interaction, both verbal and nonverbal.These spaces re-envision the characteristicsof the pause points currently seen throughoutthe town. The interlocking spaces, garden,communal kitchen, and adjustable wallsencourage verbal or nonverbal interaction andcultural significance based on their placement,adjacencytoadjoiningspaces,anddesign.

Pause Points

Interlocking Spaces found in Apa rtment 2

Interlocking Spaces found in Apa rtment 1

Interlocking Spaces and Pause Points

Interlocking spaces within the floor plan arereminiscent of the interactive social spacesfound within the old Leeville. Throughout theresidence, there aremultiple pausepoints thatprovide opportunity for verbal interaction aswell as non verbal interaction. The non verbalspaces are equally as important as the verbalones because they are the silent extrusionsand recessions that remind each resident thatLeeville is a community connected and one isneveralone.

Thesediagramsaddressresponsivesystemstotheweather conditions. If it is sunnyor rainingslightly, the residential complex remains twostories.However,ifastormisapproaching,theresidentsareabletocollapsethehousingunitstoonestory.Becauseofthedoublewallsystemfoundinthecomplex,thearchitectureisabletoprotecttheresidentswithwallsthataretwiceasstrongasa regularwall.Also, in thecaseofasevererainstorm,theroofofthecomplexactsasadrainagesystemwhereitallowsthewatertoeasilyflowdownwards.Thisexcesswater iscollectedintanksandusedtowatertheherbalgardensthroughouttheresidentialunits.



Leeville’s is inconstantflux,deteriorating land,tropical storms,water level rise, and through itall people continue to because of their strongnomadic tendencies. In 2100, Leeville willsustain seasonal recreational fishing camps.Each spring large crowds of fisherman returnto the remaining remnants of storm damageddeterioratingarchitectureinLeeville.Eachyearlocalized marine industrial fabrics are used topatch and reprogram these spaces to providetemporarysheltereachfisherman. Eachpatchhasapersonalstorytotell,andaccommodatesthe levelof living thatfishermancandesign forhimself. Each fishing camp is then activatedfor the entire season until thewinterwhen thetown is abandoned and undressed until nextseason.ThiscycleispresentsaneverchangingadaptationandreprogrammingofarchitectureinLeevilleeveryyear.Thisinterventionpromptstheinteractionof fabricsandarchitectureorsimply“fabricarchitecture.”Standingatanypointinthissmalltownitisevidentthattheprimarilysourceoftraffichappensonthewater.Atthecenterofitallthefisherman.

Seasonal Fishing Camp Joshua SmithMethod for Leeville: Adaptation



angeled steel plate support

coated polymesh fabric

metal coated ring

cable connector detailcable connector

TENSILE CONSTRUCTION DETAILS

Leeville Realigned KelliCunningham Method for Leeville: Resistance

Louisiana’soilindustry’shasdestroyedaccesstootherresourceswithinthelowerdeltaicregion..Big oil, canalization, and the elevated highwayhavedeformedthelandscapeofLeeville,starvingit of resources, impeding its ability to survive.Thearchitectural interventionwithinLeevillewillrealigntoprovideequalaccesstotheresourcesfound within this industrial landscape. ThisrealignmentwillvisualizetheinequalitywithintheinfrastructurallandscapethathasdestroyedtheeconomicwelfareofLeeville.Theurbandesignofthisprojectdeploysthehistoricprecedentofthe arpent system which spatialized resourceasamethodforlanddivisionanduse.Thisnewarpentisathreedimensionalarchitecturalizationof resource access in the current deltaiclandscape.

The elevatedhighwayhas cut Leeville off fromthe economic pipeline of lower Louisiana. ThelowerMississippirivercorridorhasbecomethesacrificezonefor theoil industry.Traditionallyasacrificezone refers to theagriculturalpracticeof deliberately degrading one area of land to

increase productivity in another, but scholarshavebegunusingtheterminexplicitlyaccusatoryways to refer to areas degraded by modernindustrialsocietiesinpursuitofeconomicgain.

TransportationandresourceshasshapedfrenchlanddevelopmentinthisareaofLouisiana.Thearpentsystemequalizedaccesstoallresourcesfound within the landscape. I am proposingthatwe reorient the public land survey systemLeeville currently falls into, and realign allowingequalaccess to, thestabilityof thebridge, themarshforfishinghabitats,iceindustryofLeeville,the old road bed of LA-1, the navigablewaterchannels,currentoilwellsandthecurrentoystercommunities.Leevillehasahistoryofreorientingto resources, from orange farming, to fishingallowing this urban scalemove to fall into thelonghistoryofplace.The people of Leeville are dissatisfiedwith theimpendingfuturedystopiawillresistthecurrentpathof landscapedestructionandwillbegintohoard what resources they can get a hold ofbeforetheeffectsof theoil industrycompletely

devastatetheregion.Peoplebeginbyfortifyingresources and claiming volumetric space theninhabitthese3dimensionalpropertylines.Theseproperty lines snake around one another some takingstabilityfromothersstructure.

This reaction of realignment is within the toolsofbuildingwithinthedeltaicregionofLouisiana,the extent at which people will begin to claimresourcesstemsfromareactiontotheelevatedhighway. This visualization of resources withintheLeevilleiswarningofafutureinwhichpeopleare forced to fendof themselvesproducinganad hoc architecture that responds only to theindividualsneedforresources.Thisfuturecouldbeappliedtomanycoastalplaces.

PUBLIC LAND SURVEY SYSTEM

BAYOU

20 ARPENT

40 ARPENT

BACKSWAMP

LA-1

HWY 3235

LEVEE

SALTWATERMARSH

ARPENTS REALIGNED

ARPENTS REALIGNED

LEEVILLE

PORT FOURCHON

GOLDEN MEADOW

ThelowerMississippiRivercorridorhasbecomethesacrificezonefortheoilindustry.Traditionallyasacrificezonereferstotheagriculturalpracticeof deliberately degrading one area of land toincrease productivity in another, But scholarshavebegunusingtheterminexplicitlyaccusatoryways to refer to areas degraded by modernindustrialsocietiesinpursuitofeconomicgain.

Transportationandresourceshasshapedfrenchland development in this area of Louisiana.Starting along the bayou with the arpent

system land was divided perpendicular to thebayou stretching out to grasp the breadth ofthe landscape to maintain equal access to allresourcesembeddedwithinthegroundsection.

Moving from transportation on the bayou, thehigh ground allowed for housing structures tobe elevated from flood waters, then a flexibleslopeallowing for farming indrierseasonsandtrappinginwetterone.

The people of Leeville dissatisfied with theimpendingfuturedystopiawillresistthecurrentpathof landscapedestructionandwillbegintohoard what resources they can get a hold ofbeforetheeffectsof theoil industrycompletelydevastatetheregion.Peoplebeginbyfortifyingresources and claiming volumetric space withflimsyblowoutstructures.

Theythenbeginto inhabit these3dimensionalproperty lines with more hurricane resistantstructures. These property lines snakearound one another some taking stability fromothers structure. The realigned arpents are3 dimensional property lines but the actualstructuresareplacedwithinthesearpentsbasedon need to access resources. This bottom upapproachtoarchitectureallowsfortheresidentsofLeevilletotakebackcontrol.

LIVING INDOOR

ELECTRICITY

ICE

OYSTER

BOAT CHANELS

COMMUNITY SPACE

NAVIGABLE WATER ACCESS

RESIDENTIAL

PEDESTRIAN PATHS

ROAD BED FOUNDATIONS

OIL WELLS

ELEVATED HIGHWAY

ARPENT RESOURCE ACCESS

ARPENT CIRCULATION

LEEVILLE REALIGNED

ELEVATED HIGHWAY SITE KEY [2014]

North

The world building of The Not Yet, by Moira Crone, was a strategy used by the studio toimagine a future for Leeville in which to site aproject.

The Not Yet Future Louisiana Coast

Clock DisassemblyThings Come Apart,abookandprojectbyToddMcLellan inspiredthefollowingexerciseswhichexamined dynamic objects as precedents forarchitecturaldetails.

Things Come Apart DynamicObjects

Organizations

LA1Coalitionwww.la1coalition.org

The LA 1 Coalition coordinates the dissemination of public information about the highway system between Grand Isle and U.S. Highway 90, once passing through Leeville.

LaunchLeevillewww.facebook.com/launch.leeville

Launch Leeville is a non-profit which is dedicated to the preservation of Leeville.

Louisiana’s2012CoastalMasterPlanwww.coastalmasterplan.louisiana.gov

The 2012 Coastal Master Plan provides the information Louisiana’s coastal citizens need as they seek to take care of their families, manage businesses, and plan for the future. The projects in the plan strike a balance between providing immediate relief to hard hit areas and laying groundwork for the large scale efforts that are essential if we are to protect communities and sustain our landscape.

LSU Coastal Sustainability Studiowww.css.lsu.edu

The LSU Coastal Sustainability Studio (CSS) is a trans-disciplinary program of the College of Art + Design, College of Engineering, and School of the Coast & Environment.

PortFourchonwww.portfourchon.com

Louisiana’s southern most port which brings in over 18 percent of America’s total supply of crude oil and natural gas located 13 miles from Leeville. The Greater Lafourche Port Commission, a political subdivision of the state of Louisiana, facilitates the economic growth of the communities in which it operates by maximizing the flow of trade and commerce.

Videos

ParadiseFadedwww.amazon.com/Paradise-Faded-The-Fight-Louisiana

Paradise Faded: The Fight for Louisiana is a compelling look at the causes, effects and solutions to the largest environmental disaster in American history: the loss of Louisiana’s coastal wetlands and the impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005

VeinsintheGulfwww.veinsinthegulf.com

Veins in the Gulf is a documentary that traces the history of rapidly disappearing bayous, the environmental crisis of southern Louisiana, and the international impact of Cajun culture, which is quickly losing ground.

WaterLikeStonewww.waterlikestonefilm.com

A Film, about Leeville’s current situation by Zack Godshall and Michael Pasquier.

Studio Reference Texts

Atbottomof Louisiana,OneStoreKeepsTownAlive John Harper

DesignfortheApocalypse : John McMorrough

Observationson theConceptsofPlace inPost-RiskSocieties Kiel Moe

ThingsComeApart Todd McLellan

TheControlofNature John Mcphee

TheFloodNextTime Justin Gills

The Not Yet Moira Crone

Resources References

Losing ground Web

Art & Photos

Transcript of Losing ground Web