Linguistic Spaces Within the Urban Fabric: Music, Story, and Collective Memory in New Orleans
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Abstract
The modern American city has been shaped by the aggressive
domination of circulation and efficiency leading to a continual decline in
urban public space. The potential of qualitative public space are often
unmet by modern design solutions. Architects and city planners have
deemed language as unnecessary, alternatively shifting their focus to
pragmatic, functionalist design concerns failing to offer participatory
and communicative spaces within the city. This being just as relevant
in cities deep-rooted in stories and narrative such as New Orleans,
Louisiana. Canal Street being a historically infamous street in heart of
Downtown New Orleans sits as a reflection of the failed built environment
that plagues the urban design of modern cities. Rows of palm trees,
luxurious hotels and shops distract from the fact that streetscape and
public spaces along Canal Street are unpleasant and dull. How can we
incorporate a cities linguistic history and narrative into the design of
public space? How do we construct cities around experience rather than
efficiency? A combination of historical research, narrative exploration
and case studies will be used to provide an opening between language
and urban design in order to establish a reimaginitive master plan for
Canal Street.