Design Speculation
Measured Change: Transformation in the Louisiana Long Lot
Project Team:
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PROJECT LEADERS
- Jeff Carney Former Director, Coastal Sustainability Studio
- Michael Pasquier Associate Professor of History + Religious Studies
- Kristi Cheramie
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STUDENTS
- Ben Wellington
- Kirk Oldenberg
- Danae Faulk
The French introduced a unit of land division, known as the arpent or long lot system, to Louisiana during the 18th century. Since then, residents along the waterways of coastal Louisiana have adapted this original mode of settlement to suit the changing environmental and social landscape of the region. Measured Change: Tracking Transformations on Bayou Lafourche brings together a multidisciplinary team of scholars who are committed to understanding how such a resilient system of land management can help current inhabitants face future challenges to coastal living.
Bayou Lafourche, the project’s primary site of investigation, is one among several waterways in the Mississippi Delta with a deep dependence on the long lot system, as well as a history of constructing canals and levees that have dramatically affected the economic potential and cultural fabric of Louisiana. By understanding the intricacies of life along Bayou Lafourche, we add to our knowledge of how people dwell on land and with water in sustainable ways.