Desired Gulf Futures Symposium

Introduction
Current lifestyles throughout the Gulf Coast region are made possible by the design of the built environment and the laws underpin it, all of
which embody specific values. The dominant urbanization model that governs the built environment is the 'industrial model' which is
rooted in particular values, viewing the environment as akin to a factory assembly line, where the efficient management of time and
resources is seen as critical. This Neoliberal Anthropocene in which we find ourselves has heightened global and regional inequalities. The
goal must be to transition towards a Democratic Anthropocene—a design challenge that calls for all disciplines engaged with the built
environment, as well as every individual residing within it —to engage with this transformation.
The future of the Gulf Coast as a 'collective landscape architecture' is a design question latent with choices citizens can make at local and
regional scales. The shaping of these futures cannot be solely dictated by a handful of corporations driven solely by global economic
motives. Instead, the region must strive for greater self-governance and a say in the way the region transforms in the coming decades. In a
truly democratic society, the notion of choice should extend beyond merely selecting employment; it should encompass envisioning desired
futures and charting pathways to reach them.
Across democratic nations, numerous cities and regions have urban labs in which it is possible to design alternative futures to be discussed
democratically before implementation. While these processes may span years, once they crystalize within society, they have the potential to
catalyze large-scale change and attract investments that yield rightful returns, all while serving the common good and broader societal
objectives. This symposium aims to contribute to this culture centered around 'designing alternative futures' for the Gulf Coast region.

Symposium
Climate change brings about unpredictable weather patterns such as floods and droughts and exacerbates a decline in overall livability due
to issues like pollution, exhaustion, and inequality. This is true across the globe but increasingly apparent in the Gulf Coast Region. In
response, urbanized areas must adapt to these changing conditions in the short-term while also adopting radical cooling strategies to
address global warming over the medium to long term. What are the envisioned outcomes of these 'desired futures'? Moreover, how
will these desired scenarios be deliberated upon and put into action?
The one-day, Desired Gulf Futures, symposium aims to tackle these questions through the lens of three distinct panels, each focusing on
different aspects on this potential transformation. Participants from a diverse array of fields, including landscape architecture, architecture,
urban planning, law, river and coastal engineering, civil engineering, geography, geology, mathematics, finance, real estate, and beyond.
Have been invited to attend.