CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE IN HISTORIC CONTEXTS

Instructed by Ammar Eloueini

Architecture is a political act that has social and cultural implications.

This research studio focused on contemporary architectural interventions in historic contexts. New Orleans is the oldest, most preserved city in the United States. It is the perfect laboratory to investigate and test possible contemporary architectural interventions. For its second year, the studio focused on the stretch of Magazine Street between Calliope Street and Jackson Avenue. In recent years, this area has undergone construction and seen some contemporary development take place, creating a “light industrial” vibe. Students studied the historic fabric and the new developments, working on a number of new proposals aimed at densifying the built environment using mixed-use developments.

The specificity of a place is constant, whereas the identity gradually evolves. It is important for architects to be aware and deliberate when making decisions of this distinction, as participants are actors in the evolution of the identity of a place.