Research and Design Project - Urban Planning and Design, Savannah, GA

Land+Water+City

Living with Water:Architecture and Urbanism in the Era of Sea Level Rise

Anushka Reddi

Formation of Savannah

Barrier Island geology of the Georgia Coast

Gradual accumulation of sand and sediments carrier by ocean currens and rivers creating barrier islands that are parallel to the mainland.

1733

• Establishment by General James Oglethorpe

• Names the 13th and final colony of America - Georgia

• On a bluff along the Savannah River - First city of Georgia - Savannah

• A new start for England’s working poor

• Freedom of worship; Ban on alcohol, lawyers and slavery

1751

• Ban on slavery lifted.

• Institution of slavery becomes integral to the cityDevelopment & Plantations.

1778 - 82

• British Control

• Rich soil and climate ideal for Cotton & Rice Plantations

• Slavery became profitable - Transatlantic slave trade

1812

• Wealth from trade contributed to the development of the city.

• Savannah becomes a significant port for slave trade - Plantations rely heavily on enslaved labor.

1801

• First Toll Bridge - Connecting Savannah to Hutchinson Island.

1790s

• Expansion of city - Development of streets like Broughton - A commercial thoroughfare.

1820

• Ruin - Yellow fever kills 10% of the population; Hurricanes and Fires

• 1820s - Development of streets in the historic district; Economic prosperity from cotton trade and expansion of Georgia Railroads.

• 1817 - Savannah-Ogeechee canal

1830

• Central of Georgia Railway established in the city.

1861- 65

• Civil War - Savannah presented to President Lincoln by General Williams.

• Slavery abolished.

• 1865 - 68 - Aid to transition former slaves into free people - AfricanAmericans in Georgia gained the right to vote.

1870s 1880s 1890

• Reconstruction; Beginning of Streetcars - Urban development with local transport

• Expansion of industries - Manufacturing & Shipbuilding.

1954

• 1953 - Establishment of Georgia Ports Authority.

1928

• Completion of Eugene Talmadge Memorial Bridge.

1960 1964 1966

• Civil Rights Movement impacts Savannah

• Interstate 16 - Connection to Atlanta & Macon

• Hutchinson Island - Opening of Savannah International Trade and Conference Center

2000s

• 1993/97 - Phase 1 and 2 of Casey Canal built.

• Expansion of Airport, Improvement of major roads, Rehabilitation of Talmadge bridge.

• 2004 - Phase 3 of Casey Canal built.

2013 Today

• Completion of Savannah Harbor Expansion project - Deepening shipping channel.

• Continued growth, tourism, pride of Savannah’s historic charm.

Site - East Savannah Gateway

Historic Rice Plantations

Situated next to Oglethorpe’s Savannah, because of the easy access to the river and stormwater draining out through the site, it began to be used as a ‘Rice Plantation’, dependent on enslaved labor.

Impact of Rice Plantations in the city

Historic Rice Plantations

The dependence of Rice plantations on enslaved labor increased the demand of labor and subsequently slave quarters.

Slave quarters in Savannah were primarily small structures within the premise of their masters’ mansion grounds. There is no evidence of slave quarters near the rice plantations on the site.

Rice harvesting, Savannah, 1859

Slave Quarters on Rice Plantations, Savannah, 1859

Unloading Rice Barges, Savannah, 1870

Abandoning of the Rice Plantations

East Savannah Gateway

Floods in the mid-1800s along with numerous hurricanes destroyed the rice plantation and the harvested crop. The fields were never revitalised, leaving the site abandoned, to function merely as a drainage basin. Due to the dramatic topography of the barrier islands, the site being low-lying, development continued all around the site, cutting it off further. Today,it stands isolated and cut-off from the rest of the historic city of Savannah.

Drainage Basin Map

Casey North

Bilbo Basin

Essential Features of the Project

East Savannah Gateway

Features that have shaped the site since the establishment of the city, affected its evolution during the rise and fall and the growth of the city, and continue to shape the existence of the site as a part of the city and a stage for social interactions in the city.

Barrier Island Geology

Riverine Ecology

Slave Economy

Abandoning of the Rice Plantations

East Savannah Gateway

Connection of the site to the city - Wheaton street, visible on the earliest maps of Savannah, connects Skidaway Road, inbetween the barrier islands of Savannah to Downtown Savannah. These streets are visible on maps of Savannah from the early 1800s when the map showed beyond the fortifications of the city. Therefore, early on the city of Savannah expanded transport connections across the natural geology. Map - Site

Public Housing over the Years

East Savannah Gateway

Public housing developed within the city over 50 years was concentrated in the region around the site Driving along the edge of the city, we observed a difference in the urbanscape of Savannah - Different streets, far traffic, lesser trees, racial segregation, no walkability The cut-off from the historic city is apparent This segregration is across East Broad Street, reinforced by the concentration of public housing and Jim Crow’s system of Racial segregation denying African-Americans access to public spaces and facilities - segregrated neighborhoods, municipal playgrounds, lunch counter, water fountains, housing complexes

Development of Public Housing in Savannah

Fred Wessels Homes - 1954; Redeveloped in Progress (2018)

Robert Hitch Village - 1955; Redeveloped in Progress (2018)

Edgar C Blackshear Homes - 1984; Redeveloped in Progress (2018)

Garden Homes - 1940; Redeveloped Stubb Tower - 1970; Demolished

Disregard of the Plantations

East Savannah Gateway

Construction beginning in March 1990, in phases from 1993, 1997, to 2004, Truman Parkway sliced across the site of the historic rice plantations, disregarding its natural features Entering the site on the level of the city, the road bridges high over the plantation, generating a complete disconnect from the history of what lies under The large mass of infrastructure and fast traffic slices across the segregated neighborhoods, public housing and greens in the city, emphasizing the disconnect of the region between the barrier islands from the historic part of the city All these actions have resulted in the site being cut-off and perceived to have no value

Truman Parkway on the Site

Analysis - Sea Level Rise - 2, 4 and 7 Feet

East Savannah Gateway

At 2 Feet of Sea Level Rise, the river water will rush into the site, making the higher land developments islands and flooding in the plantations Further, by around 2050, either flooding or hydrostatic pressure from the ground, or both will flood the site further Additionally, water draining from the stormwater drainage basins will add to the accumulated water Sea Level Rise cannot be stopped, the water will keep pushing ahead This gives us an opportunity to accept the water into the city, developing a more meaningful relationship with the river

Map showing an overlay of Sea Level Rise at 2, 4 and 7 Feet

Analysis - Sea Level Rise - 2, 4 and 7 Feet

East Savannah Gateway

At 2 Feet of Sea Level Rise, the river water will rush into the site, making the higher land developments islands and flooding in the plantations Further, by around 2050, either flooding or hydrostatic pressure from the ground, or both will flood the site further Additionally, water draining from the stormwater drainage basins will add to the accumulated water Sea Level Rise cannot be stopped, the water will keep pushing ahead This gives us an opportunity to accept the water into the city, developing a more meaningful relationship with the river

Map showing an overlay of Sea Level Rise at 2, 4 and 7 Feet

Analysis - Sea Level Rise - 2, 4 and 7 Feet

East Savannah Gateway

At 2 Feet of Sea Level Rise, the river water will rush into the site, making the higher land developments islands and flooding in the plantations Further, by around 2050, either flooding or hydrostatic pressure from the ground, or both will flood the site further Additionally, water draining from the stormwater drainage basins will add to the accumulated water Sea Level Rise cannot be stopped, the water will keep pushing ahead This gives us an opportunity to accept the water into the city, developing a more meaningful relationship with the river

Map showing an overlay of Sea Level Rise at 2, 4 and 7 Feet

Analysis - Storm Surge - Category 1, 3 and 5

East Savannah Gateway

Map showing an overlay of Storm Surge at Category 1, 3 and 5

What happens?

East Savannah Gateway

Important roads like the Presidents street and Truman parkway become redundant - leading to water. Retaining this infrastructure will cause immense expense to raise them enough to accomodate rising water levels. Second, areas getting flooded are primarily those inhabitated by marginalized sectors of society - African-american communities, low-income groups, people not having basic education, all residing on land of low value and high social vulnerability.

Redundancy of important roadways

What is happening?

East Savannah Gateway

Dredging of the Savannah River - The channel was deepened from 42 to 47 feet, with the project taking place from 2015 to 2022 The project was a part of the Georgia Ports Authority effort to increase the river’s capacity and facilitate economic benefits from allowing larger and heavier ships to use the harbor with fewer restrictions The plan for deepening the river again is in process This project may also include widening the river at strategic points and can take over 10 years Before the last proejct, a similar project was undertaken abotu 25 years ago The aim is to deepen the channel between 50 to 52 feet

Deepening of the River

Observation and Analysis

East Savannah Gateway

Sea level rise affects the city at its entire waterfront. Although, the difference in topography is evident in the intensity of water entering the city from the riverside. The quickest and most intense inflow of water will be at the face of the site projected to the river and at the natural marshlands towards the east that were filled in for industrial development. This hints at water taking over areas where historically it had greater and more natural access, therefore a chance to revitalize the historic ‘Georgia Coast’.

Points of Water at 2, 4 and 7 Feet of Sea Level Rise

Observation and Analysis

East Savannah Gateway

A closer look at the apparent disconnection visible driving around the site portrays topographical lines, racial segregation, private property boundaries getting overlayed over decades and intensifying the disconnection in and around the site. Looking at the impact of 7 feet of sea level rise, water seeping out from the plantation area and in from the south will primarily segregate those who built the city and were harshly confined to the region.

Observable disconnections, differences and stark edges in the urban fabric around the site.

Area of primary displacement

Disconnection - Today and Tomorrow

Observation

East Savannah Gateway

Identifying problems at a finer grain of the site.

East Savannah Gateway

Letting Water In.

East Savannah Gateway

Repurposing Truman parkway as public infrastructure.

Re-routing important roadways - Truman parkway and President’s Street.

Move

East

Savannah Gateway

Stitching the site back to the city of Savannah - Rethinking Oglethorpe’s grid. Development of Public housing at a land being developed to be of higher value.

Move

East Savannah Gateway

Planting mangroves along the new coast as a means of preventing soil erosion, dissipating tidal waves and attempting to restore the historic Georgia Coast

Developing a natural stage to pay respect to the historic railway line

East Savannah Gateway

Developing the Master Plan

East Savannah Gateway

Developing the Master Plan

East Savannah Gateway

Developing the Master Plan

East Savannah Gateway

Developing the Master Plan

East Savannah Gateway

Developing the Master Plan

East Savannah Gateway

Developing the Master Plan

East Savannah Gateway

Developing the Master Plan

East Savannah Gateway

Developing the Master Plan

East Savannah Gateway

Developing the Master Plan

East Savannah Gateway

Developing the Master Plan

East Savannah Gateway

Developing the Master Plan

East Savannah Gateway

Developing the Master Plan

East Savannah Gateway

Developing the Master Plan

East Savannah Gateway

Developing the Master Plan

East Savannah Gateway

Developing the Master Plan

East Savannah Gateway

East Savannah Gateway

Dialogue with Water – River Street – Sea Level Rise

East Savannah Gateway

Dialogue with Water – River Street – Tide Levels

East Savannah Gateway

Dialogue with Water – River Street – Storm Surge

Project

Design - Plan East Savannah Gateway

Project Design – Section at River Street

Project Design – Section at Canal Street

East Savannah Gateway

Project Design – Section at Public Reservoir