PREMISES

CLIMATE ACTION

Our way of life is under threat from the unpredictable and disruptive patterns caused by a global climate emergency. Under-served communities, like those on the eastern side of the Mississippi River, are especially vulnerable to threats from environmental contamination and flooding.

Governments at all levels must immediately 1) invest in large-scale projects to increase the utility of landscapes whenever possible, 2) strategically transition privately-held land to the public realm where critical infrastructures can mitigate extreme weather events, and 3) enact public policies that promote the long-term survivability of all living species. Workshop proposals will respond to the urgent nature of the crisis and the scope/scale of necessary projects.

COUNTERING THE AMERICAN MYTH

The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, MO, once known as The Jefferson Memorial of Westward Expansion, was built to valorize the idea of Manifest Destiny. It is one of several high-profile monuments in the United States built during the 20th century to perpetuate a favorable version of U.S. history, accounts known collectively as the “American Myth.” The Arch is not universally representative of all people and alienates some populations, ignores some traditions, and connotes a narrative that runs counter to the lived experience of many citizens, including local under-served and under-represented populations. The workshop site selection provided the means for design proposals offering contributions to more inclusive and factual counter-narratives.

STORYTELLING

Storytelling was used in the workshop 1) as a means of embellishing and explicating the process of implementing the design proposals, and 2) to recognize events and lived experiences that are not part of the traditional “American Story.” Each student developed a set of invented narratives to foreground the process of site transition, including the quasi-fictional stories of inhabitants, project players, future visitors, and the varied circumstances that in turn hasten and hinder the development of the corridor.