Students discuss sea level rise with Dwayne Jones, Executive Director of Galveston Historical Foundation. Image: Ian Caine
The studio visits Galveston’s famous sea wall. Image: Ian Caine
This semester the COTE (Committee on Technology and the Environment) studio, led by Ian Caine and Dr. Hazem Rashed-Ali, is designing an eco-hotel in one of the most beautiful and ecologically harsh environments in the United States: Galveston Island, Texas. On September 8, 1900 a devastating hurricane swept through Galveston, killing between 6,000 and 8,000 thousand residents. In 2018, our graduate studio is re-examining the critical topic of coastal resilience as it relates to the future of Galveston Island. We are also embracing the goals and methods of the Architecture 2030 Challenge, which commits that all new buildings and major renovations will be carbon-neutral by 2030.
The students received a tour of the Strand Historic District from Dwayne Jones of the Galveston Historical Foundation; talked architectural resilience with local architect Chula Ross-Sanchez; and discussed urban issues with Dustin Henry, Coastal Resource Manager for the City of Galveston. Along the way we ran into water researchers from TU Delft and enjoyed dinner at The Spot, a burger joint along Seawall Boulevard. All-in-all a very educational, hot, and humid day!