The waters that have for so long plagued New Orleans should be reconsidered as an amenity, not a curse, according to this commentary.
Architecture critic James S. Russell argues that New Orleans should be a city of scenic canals, not of ugly levees. One architecture firm is trying to make that happen.
"Architect Ramiro Diaz has taken me along the Bayou St. John, from its mouth at Lake Pontchartrain on the northern edge of the city, past the huge City Park.
Bridges arch across and trees overhang the serene waterway as it wends through several neighborhoods to its terminus in the Mid-City area.
Diaz and his boss, David Waggonner of the New Orleans firm Waggonner & Ball, would like to thread lushly landscaped waterways like Bayou St. John throughout the city to retain water during the city's frequent deluges."
FULL STORY: New Orleans Needs Scenic Canals, Not Grim Levees: Commentary
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This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
