ALEXA CARMEN RUSSELL URBAN DESIGN
INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE
PHOTOGRAPHY
table of contents:
FINANCIAL GEOGRAPHIES PROJECT ABSTRACT Since the abolition of slavery in 1834, the people of Barbuda have communally owned their land in a geofinancial model referred to as social property. Today that shared community and the surrounding ecosystems are being threatened by the government’s progressive actions to strip the community of their land rights and capitalize on the widely untouched land on the island. Prime Minister Gaston Browne is seeking to allow tourism-based development and foreign investment on the island of Barbuda similar to that of the island of Antigua, where infrastructure and revenue is primarily tourism driven. The economy of Antigua and Barbuda is largely based on tourism. In 2011, tourism accounted for 75% of the total GDP which was over 5 times greater than the global average of 14%. As of 2019, that contribution has significantly dropped to 43% of the total GDP. In 2015 the nation passed Special Economic Zone regulations that paved the way for a burgeoning special economic zone on the island of Antigua to begin construction. This SEZ will serve as a financial playground for some of the world’s biggest financial competitors, further expanding the wealth gap and used as an instrument for financial extraction. In 2017, Hurricane Irma devastated the island of Barbuda and destroyed 95% of the island’s infrastructure. Today, the island is still in desperate need of restoration and could largely benefit from the economic alleviation tourism can provide. However, contrary to the desires of the Prime Minister, the community is resistant to this large-scale tourism model of their sister island. They want to protect their untouched ecosystems and defend their social property rights. We are proposing a master plan for the island of Barbuda that protects ecosystems and rebuilds infrastructure, while simultaneously allowing for small-scale tourism in the form of community memberrun homestays and cottages, as well as ecologically conscious excursions and activities. This community-based model will provide a necessary and sustainable increase of revenue for the island economy while maintaining its natural beauty and protecting the social property rights of the community.
MEXICO
LEGEND Major Airports Minor Airports Cruise Ship Ports All Ports 100k People Mangroves Coral Reefs Maritime Boundaries
BRUMADA
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE In 2015, Antigua and Barbuda passed Special Economic Zone regulations and parceled out the new SEZ on the island of Antigua. SEZs are zones that are often adopted freely by developing countries across the world with the intention of boosting economic activity. These zones, legally separated from host nations, are governed with few restrictions on infrastructure, trade, manufacturing, civil law, and international law. Such economic zones are problematic because they act to solely benefit foreign interests and act as financial parasites on host nations.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
THE BAHAMAS
44%
THE BAHAMAS
15 mi
1.5 million tourists visit The Bahamas annually. Tourism roughly equates to 44% of the total GDP (data from 2019).
CUBA TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS (UK)
MEXICO
16%
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 6.2 million tourists visit the Dominican Republic annually. Tourism roughly equates to 16% of the total GDP (data from 2019).
10%
4%
CUBA 3.9 million tourists visit the Cuba annually. Tourism roughly equates to 10% of the total GDP (data from 2019).
PUERTO RICO
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
PUERTO RICO (USA)
3.9 million tourists visit Puerto Rico annually. Tourism roughly equates to 4% of the total GDP (data from 2019).
ANGUILLA (UK)
VIRGIN ISLANDS (UK) ANTIGUA & BARBUDA
CAYMAN ISLANDS ST. MARTIN (FR) ST. MARTIN (NL)
BELIZE
HONDURAS
VIRGIN ISLANDS (USA) 31%
JAMAICA
HAITI
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
43%
ANTIGUA & BARBUDA 1 million tourists visit Antigua & Barbuda annually. Tourism roughly equates to 43% of the total GDP (data from 2019).
ST. KITTS & NEVIS
PUERTO RICO (USA) MONTSERRAT (UK)
JAMAICA 2.4 million tourists visit Jamaica annually. Tourism roughly equates to 31% of the total GDP (data from 2019).
GUADELOUPE (FR)
SPECIAL ARANGEMENT ZONE
DOMINICA
NICARAGUA
MARTINIQUE (FR)
VENEZUELA
ST. LUCIA
ARUBA (NL) COLOMBIA
ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES CURACAO (NL) VENEZUELA
GUATEMALA BONAIRE (NL)
GRENADA
BARBADOS
EL SALVADOR
NICARAGUA
COSTA RICA
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO PANAMA
COSTA RICA
GUYANA
PANAMA
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SOCIAL PROPERTY 61.99 mi
Social property or community lands are lands owned by, or under the customary governance of, a community regardless of national recognition. Social property is variously described across the globe (Mexico refers to ejidos, Tanzania to village islands, Ghana to customary lands, China to collectives, Cambodia to indigenous lands, Barbuda to land in common, etc.). The 61.99 square mile island of Barbuda became land owned in common after the emancipation of slavery in 1834. Today, decedents of former slaves are fighting to preserve their social property rights and their land in common that the government is actively attempting to sell out from under them.
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EMANCIPATION
North Beach
In 1834, the slaves of Antigua and Barbuda are emancipated. The Codringtons leave once their lease is up and Barbuda reverts to the British Crown. Although, the former slaves are left alone on the island of Barbuda with no property titles or rent to be paid, therefore the land is shared in common by the people.
BILLY POINT GOAT ISLAND
COBB COVE
HOG POINT CEDAR TREE POINT
Frigate Bird Sanctuary
CODRINGTON LAGOON
TWO
Highland House (Ruin
THE COUNCIL Lighthouse Bay Resort
The Barbuda Council is established in 1976. When Barbudans want to build something, they consult with the council first. The council begins leasing land to developers, which is why there are a few beachfront hotels and resorts on the island (most are permanently closed). Although, Barbudans never sold any land; they just rented it out to whoever they wanted.
Darby C Barbuda Research Complex Codrington Warf The Government House (Ruins) Codrington
THE CANAL
10 mi
The Martello Towe (Ruins) River Wharf Landing
THE LAND ACT The Barbuda Land Act is put in place in 2007, where it officially confirms that the land of Barbuda is owned “in common” by the people.
Beach House Hotel
Pink Sand Beach
PALMETTO POINT
K Club Ho
CHRISTOPHER CODRINGTON A sugarcane grower from Barbados sets up a plantation on the island of Antigua. In 1685 Codrington leases the island of Barbuda from the British crown; African slaves imported to inhabit the island and work on the plantations of Antigua. Barbuda is also used as a source of supplies, such as timber, fish and livestock. The town and lagoon of Barbuda are named after Codrington.
LANDMARKS & DESIGNATED LANDFORMS Landmarks, designated landforms showing locations of natural features as well as historical ruins on the island
COCO PON
PRIME MINISTER Prime Minister Gaston Alfonso Browne pushes through an amendment to the Barbuda Land Act that commodifies the value of land in Barbuda. Residents are allowed to buy their own land from the government for $1 (all resident occupied land equates to roughly 1% of the island’s land mass). The amendment opens the door for foreign investment after the devastating destrcution of Irma.
HURRICANE IRMA September 6th, 2017, Hurricane Irma leaves the island of Barbuda in ruins, with 90% of properties damaged. All 1,800 residents are evacuated to Antigua. Barbuda has slowly begun repairs to the mass destruction caused.
GLOBAL SOCIAL PROPERTY
PROTECTED LAND Island land protected by Environmental Division of Antigua and Barbuda
Goat Point Sanctuary
K-CLUB LUXURY RESORT One of Barbuda’s few resorts/hotels, the K-Club, was closed down in 2004. The vaccation spot was Princess Diana’s favorite secret paradise.
EJIDOS OF MEXICO
NEW PLANS
Lagoon Sanctuary
Robert De Niro acquries 391 acres (roughly 1% of the land mass) of the land in Barbuda with plans to build a luxury hotel industry on the island in 2015. Many residents of Barbuda have voiced disapproval of this plan.
Low Bay Sanctuary
PROTECTED OCEAN ZONES Sanctuaries protected by the Blue Halo Initiative, in collaboration with the Barbuda Council and local citizens
SOCIAL PROPERTY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA
SEASONAL FISHERY SPECIES
ENDANGERED SPECIES
Leatherback Turtle Dermochelys Coriacea
Green Turtle Caretta Caretta
Boulder Star Coral Montastraea Annularis
American Eel Anguilla Rostrata
Hawksbill Turtle Eretmochelys Imbricata
Loggerhead Turtle Caretta Caretta
Scalloped Hammerhead Shark Sphyrna Lewini
Blacked-capped Petrel Pterodroma Hasitata
Guaiac Tree Guaiacum Officinale
Krug's Sweetwood Nectandra Krugii
Parrotfish Scaridae
NATIVE SPECIES OF INTEREST
Snapper Lutjanidae
Queen Conch Caretta caretta
Grouper Epinephelinae
Spiny Lobster Palinuridae
Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata Magnificens
Red Mangrove Rhizophora Mangle
Night Blooming Cereus Cephalocereus Peruvianus
Seaside Grape Coccoloba Uvifera
P
O FOOT BAY
ns) GUN SHOP CLIFF Indian Cave
Cave
HOG CLIFF
PIGEON CLIFF
CASTLE BAY Castle Hill Bryant Cave WELCH
otel
PELICAN POINT
Castle (Ruins) Coco Point Lodge Hotel
NT
SPANISH POINT
FLOOD RESILIENT HOUSE With Homestay Units
Ervin’s Guest House
ERC Point
~ 15 FT
TYPICAL BARBUDAN HOUSE
Byron’s Café Living Faith Church
Barbuda Research Center Zabeth Handicraft Center Digicel Barbuda Telecommunications Service Provider
Lil Linc’s Supermarket
Goerge’s Pops and Tops Home goods Store
Jazz Café
Fishery Complex
Post Office
Holy Trinity School
Harry P Abraham’s Middle Eastern Food Cd’s Café
Wanda’s Food Palace The Ginnery
Highwa Conven
Christian Church
Barbuda Seventh-day Adventist Church
Timbuk One Hotel Customs & Excise Barbuda Office
Two Foot Bay Sanctuary
ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH CENTER
CODRINGTON
With Visitor Bungalows
Locations found in the only settlement on the islands of Barbuda
Palaster Sanctuary
BARBUDAN OWNED TOURISM Asha Frank, a Barbudan business owner, owns an ecological based tourism company on the island. She hosts visitors in wooden cabanas on the east side of the island and offers nature excursions that showcase the wonderous beauty of the island. "Our visitors like to comb the beach. We have camp fires and grill nights. And a lot of the pictures on our website are of guests who catch fish, and then scale, cook and eat it on the spot." - Asha Frank
LEGEND Guest Houses Restaurants Businesses Churches Institutions
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NC-49 REDEVELOPMENT PLAN
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The NC-49 redevelopment plan is meant to provide guidance on the future development of the NC-49 corridor, otherwise known as University City Blvd, between Interstate 85 and Interstate 485. The plan is meant to re-imagine what the corridor may look like if an urban boulevard typology were to be applied in hopes to bring stakeholders together to further discuss NCDOTs planned superstreet implementations.
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The plan transforms NC-49 and University City into a healthy, vibrant, and interconnected community by improving existing connectivity, pedestrian and otherwise, to and around the university, preserving natural areas and open space in the midst of forging new connections, and revitalizing existing districts to better serve the region’s current and future residents.
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* Completed by 2021 MUD program, site 4 designed by Alexa Russell and Jacob Lyons
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EXISTING FIGURE GROUND
PROPOSED FIGURE GROUND
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S I T E A N A LY S I S Bounded by EWT Harris Blvd. & John Kirk Rd., Site 4, which includes the main campus for University of North Carolina at Charlotte and the Town Center Plaza Shopping Mall, is the main anchor between all 5 sites. Building upon existing Lynx Light Rail Blue Line, CATS and UNCC bus routes, Toby Creek Greenway, high density tree canopy coverage, and low impervious surfaces. The existing site includes an under utilized parking lot, where the Harris Teeter grocery store is located, as well as close proximity to student housing and large university lawn spaces. The site also lacks pedestrian friendly sidewalks and paths. The connectivity map illustrates the lynx blue line, abundance of CATS and UNCC bus routes, Toby Creek Greenway and proposed Back Creek Greenway. Although there appears to be some sidewalks, illustrated in yellow, there is a missing component of connectivity between the campus and surrounding communities One main creek, Toby Creek, runs directly through the site with Back creek not far from site with 100 year floodplains surrounding the two creeks. The elevation of this site is one of the highest points in CLT. Most of the land use that exist on the site is residential, multi-family, and institutional with retail and commercial anchors on either side of the campus. With University City Blvd running through the site, there is limited pedestrian connectivity which would be expected in a university area. The site, in addition to the connected sites, lacks the major components of a “college town,” which UNCC strongly desires for it’s students, staff, and visitors.
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SITE 4 MASTER PLAN The key goals of the design of site four were: to design a more urban environment in order to create a “college town,” redesign the site to promote pedestrian accessibility and the increased use of bikes, reimagine an underutilized parking lot using mixed-use typologies, connect the university to the surrounding areas so students have safer and easier access, redesign the lawn space at the entrance of the university in order to promote community engagement and student activity, enhance the connections to the greenways and create additional greenspace, develop a campus extension and office HQ to further support the university, and develop more high density housing options. UNIVERSITY C I T Y PA R K
G R A D U AT E RESEARCH CAMPUS OFFICE HQ
MIXED-USE REDEVELOPMENT
LEGEND Institutional Office Commercial Hotel Multifamily Single Family Park First Floor Retail Parking Structure
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U C B PA R K
(UNCC FRONT LAWN)
The front lawns of UNCC have been transformed into a welcoming park with a multitude of programming. The central community oriented park bridges student life with the surrounding community, furthering the goal of a college town. The proposed park includes smaller programming such as food and coffee kiosks, a children’s area adjacent to the newly built admissions center, a recreational skate park, and extended community gardens. Larger programs include lawn space for lounging, intramural sports and band practice, fronted by a large stage adjacent to the campus theater for outdoor events.
STUDENT GARDEN
FACULTY GARDEN
STUDY PAVILION GARDEN EXTENSION STAGE LAWN
FOOD KIOSKS
LAWN CHILDREN’S AREA
SKATE PARK
FOOD TRUCK PLAZA
COFFEE KIOSK
BIOSWALE BIKE BOARDWALK
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M I X E D - U S E R E TA I L C E N T E R The perspective illustrates the southern main street extension and the quality the retail plaza provides to the development. Tree lined streets, mid-rise mixed-use buildings, and a redeveloped retail plaza that is anchored by a Hotel and hotel plaza space, all contribute to the urbanization of the site and an increased sense of pedestrian comfortability. The section above illustrates the retail lawn space that can be seen from NC-49, providing a direct view to the Harris Teeter.
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UCB SECTION
BIOSWALE & RAINGARDEN
1 WATER FLOWS INTO RAIN GARDEN
4 WATER FROM CISTERN IS PUMPED FOR AGRICULTURAL USE
2 WATER IS FILTRATED IN RAIN GARDEN
20’6”
11’0”
DRIVE LANE
17’0”
BIOSWALE
19’0”
BIKE LANES
16’0”
RAIN GARDEN
23’0”
GARDEN STEPS
3 WATER IS SENT TO CISTERN
GARDEN/ CISTERN
SIDEWALK
10’0”
1 WATER FLOWS INTO BIOSWALE
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ATA N D O J U N C T I O N PROJECT OBJECTIVE Atando Junction is an underutilized industrial site, surrounded by residential areas and is three miles away from Uptown Charlotte. The objective of the project was to transform the site as a class into an area that supported surrounding communities, diversified the housing typologies, created density, and proposed a wide mix of land uses that are located within a pedestrian-oriented neighborhood, easily traversed on foot, bike or scooter. The design of the site is based on Charlotte’s Complete Ten-Minute Communities, which was introduced in the Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan. Using the Comprehensive Plan as a guide, our study site is divided into five place types: Parks and Preserves, Neighborhood 2, Campus, Innovation Mixed Use and a Community Activity Center. LEGEND Single Family Townhomes Missing Middle High-density
Hotel Civic/institutional Office
* Completed by 2021 MUD program, following site designed by Alexa Russell
Restored Buildings Retail Market Arcade
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ATA N D O J U N C T I O N NEIGHBORHOOD 2 PLACE TYPE The site plan links three neighborhood 2 place type areas together with a Linear Green boulevard named Harvey Gantt Boulevard, which was inspired by Ninth Street in Charlotte’s Garden District. The first of the three areas replaces underutilized industrial buildings with 26 market rate single family homes, as well as multiple other housing types. The new housing creates an improved transition to the adjacent single family homes in the Tryon Hills neighborhood and a successful buffer to the railroad tracks where many of the associated parking lots are located. Housing types such as fourplexes, triplexes and cottage courts, inspired by Daniel Parolek’s Missing Middle Housing, were incorporated throughout this residential area to provide affordable options. LEGEND Single Family Townhomes Missing Middle High-density
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ATA N D O J U N C T I O N The perspective to the left illustrates the housing at the western end of Harvey Gantt Boulevard. Homes are overlooking an open park space that creates an anchor point for community gathering, additionally the one way street creates slowed traffic. Complete sidewalks and paths encourage an active lifestyle among residents. This section depicts a 3 story walk up at the end of the boulevard and single family housing positioned around the open park.
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HUDSON VALLEY BREWERY * In collaboration with Marcus Avendano
PROJECT OBJECTIVE
To choose a beer brand to design a brewery around. The brewery was to be designed within Winston-Salem, NC in an existing building. The design needed to include: a taproom, bar, outdoor area, food truck space, and a production area. PROJECT CONCEPT
Hudson Valley, located in New York, is an escape from the urban lifestyle. Hudson Valley Brewery, the brand, focuses on their ingredients from Hudson Valley for their sour beer. The design for Hudson Valley Brewery reflects the essence of it’s origin, Hudson Valley, NY. Inspired by it’s vast fields, mountainous landscapes, and abandoned historic structures, Hudson Valley Brewery, combines these aspects with an ethereal atmosphere, pulled from the brand’s graphics (created by Evan Cohen). Hudson Valley Brewery is intended for visitors to feel as though they have entered a secret world; much like what people feel when they visit Hudson Valley to step away from the world around them.
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HUDSON VALLEY BREWERY
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1 Stor a ge 168 SF
M a lt R o o m 90 SF
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J a nit o r ' s R o o m 126 SF
B a t hr o o m 95 SF
ELEVATOR
3 Co o le r 346 SF
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B a t hr o o m 131 SF P r o ductio n 1593 SF
B a t hr o o m 108 SF
K e g C o o le r 76 SF
SUNKEN LOUNGE
DN
1'0"
Ta p R o o m 3454 SF
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O u t do o r Ar e a 2130 SF
0'0"
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M E Z Z A N I N E C AT WA L K The catwalk is one of the three ways visitors can access the mezzanine. The catwalk also acts as a place where visitors can enjoy their drinks, alone or with others along the bar ledge.
MEZZANINE The mezzanine overlooks the main taproom , with a large community table inviting visitors to sit among each other . The mezzanine can also function as a private event space if needed.
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OUTDOOR BAR The outdoor bar counter connects to the indoor bar, the seamless flow is meant to emulate the Hudson River. Both bars rap around the keg cooler for easy access for the bartenders. Visitors sitting outside are able to view the production room and barrels through floor to ceiling windows.
O U T D O O R TA P R O O M The outdoor taproom features custom built seating situated around a row of fire pits, lined with planters and enclosed with a glass brick wall. The wall is meant to give people on the outside a slight glimpse into the brewery in order to catch their attention and draw them in. The outdoor space also features a fiber optic lit pathway which not only creates visually intriguing wayfinding, but also creates an ADA accessible space.
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PHOTOGRAPHY
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