Looking Back, Moving Forward
A Jewel in the Crown of Russian Landscape History: A Discussion of the Simbirsk Defensive Line as a Sacred Emblem View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Sally Stocksdale
Built in the mid-17th century, the Russian Defensive Line was a great wooden wall punctuated with forts, stretching 2,300 kilometers from eastern Ukraine to the fortress of Simbirsk which was located on a bluff overlooking the Volga River. The Line was built to protect the burgeoning Muscovy state from raiding invaders from the East and the South. (From 1600-1630 alone, approximately 200,000 Russians were kidnapped and sold into slavery in Crimea, the Ottoman Empire, and beyond.) In this paper I introduce the topic of the Russian Defensive Line as a construction of epic proportions, which shaped the landscape and thus rendered it “Russian.” It both symbolically and literally symbolized Russian expansionist power. And it effectively protected the interior from the brutal raids from the South and Southeast. I briefly describe how it was managed for the time period that it existed. Because it was built from wood and not stone or concrete, and because Russia’s expansion continued thereafter beyond the Line’s demarcation, it fell into disrepair and disintegration, and eventually vanished. Today all that remains of this massive undertaking is a “notch” and the occasional indentations of the forts that punctuated the Line. The larger point of my presentation has to do with meaning. The notch is a remnant, an artefact, a scar on the landscape, which is a memory keeper and a reminder of a rich and complicated history. In this regard, the notch is a primary source, a text which can be read symbolically, atavistically.
Enhancing Links Across History in Salem, Massachusetts: Streetscape Design Studio Investigations
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Andrew Brody
Salem, Massachusetts is a small city north of Boston with a long and somewhat notorious past. For at least 2000 years, the peninsula Salem sits on was known as Naumkeag to the local eponymous indigenous peoples. Since the arrival of Europeans 1626, Salem has been home to religious zealots, whalers, slave traders, waves of immigrants, a military presence, swarms of tourists, and suburban commuters into Boston. Each of these groups has left their imprint on the city’s rich urban fabric, with streets winding through the center of town connecting the docks with the inland residential and industrial areas, highways, and a commuter rail. The modern city centers on Essex Street, which has a 90’s-era pedestrian zone past historic buildings and tourist attractions, ending abruptly by the visitor’s center, which is housed in an old warehouse structure. Just east of the pedestrian area is the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM), an assemblage of historic buildings, including the East India Marine Society, a 200-year-old trading center which remains largely preserved, and the Yin Yu Tang house, imported from China and reconstructed on site. Incorporating these historical buildings required a clever and dramatic architectural solution by Moshe Safdie. The PEM owns two historical structures approximately 200 yards down Essex street, including a prominent corner yard. Architectural studies students were challenged to redesign the streetscape of the main pedestrian zone and extend it to include the PEM and it’s two historic residential structures, synthesizing the historical fabric with contemporary sensibilities.
Environmental Impact Analysis of Disasters in Emerging Economies: Best Practices for Preparation, Managing Through Event and Recovery View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Miriam Porter
We are seeing an unprecedented number of worldwide disasters which are raising havoc in the lives of people. The cost of natural disasters alone in 2022 was $313 billion worldwide. The destruction and chaos causes no less pain and anguish to people in the developing world than in the developed world. However there are distinct advantages to those in the developed world. There are resources available to carry out disaster related efforts in developed countries. In contrast, there is a pressing need for resources in developing countries. My research focuses on the unique circumstances of developing countries in respect to their ability to respond to disasters. Little research has been done to understand the preparedness, management, and impacts of disasters in developing country. My onsite research has focused on Ghana in west Africa and the Asian country of Nepal. Both have undergone annual and periodical disasters.This review expands the breadth and deepens knowledge of disaster impacts in the developing world.
