I based my project on the idea of the Indian mound, the high ground protecting people from flood. The studio project began with a sequence of sections showing the lowland and highland of New Orleans. The Gentilly Ridge is located in the middle of New Orleans, separating the bowl of the city into two parts.
The proposed canals and urban spillway try to connect these two lowlands. Canals combine with the existing pump stations to drain water out of the city to the lake.
The ridge becomes a series of safe islands, hence being the first areas to rebuild after Katrina.
Right next to the Gentilly Ridge exists another thin highland, the railroad. The islands can expand in the area in-between islands and the railroad. It would be filled in two directions by healthy floodwater sediments: Either from the railroad or from the ridge.
First, the dike structures along the railroad are built to hold the sediments (sand), gathering water in the stripe and drain out underneath the railroad. Second, plants begin to grow at the relatively low area Then, the new residential areas are implemented on the high ground.