ABSTRACT
A scale of recovery equivalent to the task at hand in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast is beginning to be witnessed elsewhere across the globe. The magnitude and number of recent storms in conjunction with rapid land loss along the Gulf Coast have demanded development proposals that simultaneously address needs and opportunities for social, ecological and economic innovation. Many objectives are at stake, such as community vitality, infrastructural integrity, flood control, sustainable coastal ecosystems, and commercial and recreational activities.
This chapter introduces New Orleans since Katrina in 2005, and explores the definitions of social resilience that are needed in this post-disaster context. It then goes on to introduce a range of architectural responses at varying scales. These have been designed in conjunction with multiple stakeholders, not only to increase the likelihood of successful implementation, but to facilitate the development of policies and funding mechanisms that build social resilience. The projects documented investigate the contextual relationship between community, water and infrastructure, connecting community-based and non-profit organisations, private-public investment, government agencies and academia in order to reduce vulnerability through knowledge-sharing, community-driven idea development and policy advocacy.
