NOLA On the Rise

The project envisions New Orleans in 2045, when rising sea levels have reshaped the Mississippi River Delta into a landscape of water-based living. Rooted in Louisiana’s cultural traditions and infrastructure such as boats, levees, and stilt houses, it explores how communities adapt to this new reality while resisting disappearance beneath the waves. Centered on the French Quarter, the study examines zoning, regulations, and edge conditions to speculate on how water redefines urban life. From this analysis, three hybrid building typologies of stacked, stilt, and floating were developed to preserve New Orleans’ architectural identity while enabling resilience. Complementing these strategies, a streetcar boat hybrid extends the city’s cultural continuity through water-based transportation. Through narrative, mapping, and design, the project presents a vision of New Orleans that sustains its traditions while embracing innovative forms of adaptation as the city rises with the water.