Genevieve - The Multifaceted Development of Creole Architecture
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2016-04-18T19:36:16-07:00
The Creole Cottage: New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, sometimes referred to as the northernmost Caribbean city, is unlike any other U.S city. The uniqueness of New Orleans comes from the history of the city, and the local culture that developed called Creole. The original residents of New Orleans were the Native Americans of the Woodland and Mississippian cultures, but in 1718 the city became a French territory, and one of North America’s most important ports (New Orleans). Still, today the city is an important port. Forty-five years after French control and influence, New Orleans became a Spanish territory in 1763, and for the next forty years was dominated by Spanish culture (Spanish History in New Orleans). In 1803 New Orleans was purchased by the United States, but by this time, a result of the blending of cultures brought by the French, the Spanish, and the port, a rich local heritage already existed, called Creole (New Orleans). Today, Creole culture, especially Creole architecture, is celebrated, and is one of the main tourist attractions for the City of New Orleans. Creole architecture, particularly the Creole cottage, develop from the necessity to adapt to the weather of Southern Louisiana, and by utilizing the architectural styles from the different types of people who made up New Orleans, French, Spanish, African, and Caribbean.
Adapting to the Weather of Southern Louisiana
The City of New Orleans is located along the bend of the Mississippi River, 100 miles from its mouth. New Orleans is entirely surrounded by water, by the Mississippi River, Lake Pontchartrain, Lack Borgne, and the Gulf of Mexico (New Orleans). The site of New Orleans leaves it very susceptible to the surrounding natural environment. Thousands of hurricanes have hit New Orleans, numerous being disastrous, most recently Katrina in 2005, and residents of New Orleans dealt with yearly flooding from the Mississippi until 1930 (New Orleans). The city is a swampland, with extremely high levels of heat and humidity year round. Living in New Orleans, especially before air conditioning or modern levee and damn systems, required special adaptations. Many of the characteristics of Creole architecture were practical adjustments needed to live in such a hot, humid, flood prone environment.
In a way, Creole Architecture responding to the environment when it was first being built in the 18th and 19th century, was an early and unsophisticated form of Frank Lloyd Wright's Organic Architecture, which Amanda talks about in her project. Early in the 19th century, Wright started to use what he called "organic" designs in his architecture, focusing on a harmonious relationship between materials, form, and function. Wright wanted to take his built structures to relate to the natural environment and climate of the surrounding area. Out of necessity, Creole architecture was connected to and reflected the nature that surrounded it, long before Wright was born. Almost all the characteristics of Creole architecture developed from the demands of the surrounding climate. Had Creole architecture not related to the natural environment, the structures would have been unlivable. Wright was a professionally educated architect, who developed and published his ideas on Organic Architecture, but some of his themes can be found in Creole Architecture which developed hundreds of years earlier. For instance, the correlation with nature, and simplicity in design. Creole architecture is very simple, usually based around the same symmetrical design, very often the only embellishment on a Creole cottage are the shutters to the french doors.
Multicultural Influences
The word Creole means “mixture,” which accurately describes the Creole people, as a mixture of French, Spanish, African, Caribbean, and now American influence. However, beyond "mixture" Creole is not easily defined. At first Creole referred to European children born in the New Orleans colony. Then in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, as a result of Hispanic Creoles seeking independence from Spain, Creole became a term of superiority for people born and bred in New Orleans, regardless of race or even class (Edwards, "Creole World). However, Europeans viewed Creoles as inferior, lacking refinement or social control. Still, today, Creole is not easily defined, but refers to people from New Orleans (particularly those who's families have been there for generations and generations), and New Orleans unique culture. Spanish and French culture did impact Creole culture, but so did African and Caribbean. African influence came to New Orleans through the slave trade, particularity because New Orleans was such a major port (Zewde). However, under Spanish rule, New Orleans had a thriving population of free African-Americans. Caribbean influence in New Orleans came largely from Haiti, in particular in 1809, after the Haitian Revolution, when large numbers of Haitian refugees migrated to New Orleans. In 1809, New Orleans population doubled as a result of the Haitian refugees, and property in the city became a premium. The refugees, needing a place to live, quickly built homes on the fringes of the city in a style they were familiar with, that would not take up too much space, today known as the shotgun (Edwards, "Shotgun"). The combinations of vastly different civilizations, lead to Creole culture. In design and decoration, Creole architecture reflects the communities of the people who built it.
Despite its rich history, today New Orleans is bustling modern city, with a population of over 300,000 (Population Estimates). In her project, Brittney discusses some of the impacts city's architecture has on the enviroment, particularly how it contributes to the Urban Heat Island phenomena. Although when Creole architecture was developing, many of the technological advances that contribute to Urban Heat Island, like asphalt and skyscrapers, did not exists, today, the city of New Orleans faces many of these same environmental problems. Perhaps, traditional Creole architecture will adapt to better help the city combat these problems, and start to include features like green roofs.
Work Cited
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