Here is Part III in our 7-part series on architectural renaissance-ready American cities. Previous entries: Buffalo, New York and Detroit, Michigan.
It would be easy to discuss the city of New Orleans without reference to its history prior to 2005; after all, it’s streets were so thoroughly soaked from just three days of water, wind, and [...]
New Orleans is unlucky. Since 2005’s low point, it has been victim to the worst exhibits of public stewardship and post-disaster response possible. Beginning with foolishly-designed shipping canals/ levee-systems and unprepared disaster-response officials, missteps soon graduated to hopelessly inadequate provisions for temporary (and shoddily-built) emergency shelters, misappropriation-of-funds / self-dealing scandals, and a new crop of long-range planning initiatives that were tone-deaf to [...]
The good news: yesterday, Make It Right (MIR), Brad Pitt’s high-profile New Orleans non-profit dedicated to repopulating that city’s Katrina-ravaged Lower Ninth Ward with 150 livable, modern homes, released yet another batch of home designs.
The not so good news: belying the admirable, somewhat experimental, progressive character of the organization, a couple of the selected designs [...]