Rebuilding Africville
Thesis work completed at Dalhousie University’s School of Architecture
Supervisor: Richard Kroeker
Advisors: Gene Daniels + Monica Sweetapple
External Examiner: Brian Carter
This study examines the 1960s relocation of over eighty families from the former community of Africville, in the North End of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada into nearby public housing. It investigates the narrative of what was, is, and could perhaps one day be. Rebuilding Africville challenges the idea of re-stitching community and character back to the former site of Africville. The intent of the dissertation is to design multi-owned housing for the site, as well as a central civic structure that will act as the community’s anchor. Rebuilding Africville doesn’t attempt to replicate what once existed over forty years ago, but it does however, attempt to extract elements that were once highlights of Africville and graft them with modern ideas. Today, Africville is a National Historic Site of Canada; ironically, it is also designated as a dog-walk park by Halifax Regional Municipality.
*Featured artist at the Canadian Museum of Immigration.
*Permanent Collection at The Africville Museum, Halifax, Canada.
