Join us at Arch Ex to celebrate the Emerging Leaders in Architecture (ELA) Class of 2025 as they unveil their project for this year:  a thoughtful exploration of the challenges of flooding within the city of Norfolk, examining past, present and future strategies with a focus on the historic West Freemason District.

A historic district is a geographically definable area that possesses a significant concentration, linkage, or continuity of sites, buildings, structures, and/or objects united by past events or aesthetically by plan or physical development. It is a neighborhood knitted together by some visual commonality and historical experience.

These districts are also held to specific requirements defined to protect and preserve their longstanding contribution to a City and its cultural + community heritage. Due to the required need to preserve these districts as Historic and maintain their aesthetic and contributing nature, significant changes and improvements to these districts are prescribed.

This presents a challenge when Historic Districts are in low-lying coastal areas that are directly impacted by climate change. Intensive flooding, rising heat and environmental concerns are putting pressures on the ability of Historic Districts to adapt and change while still maintaining their distinction.

This seminar focuses on this delicate intersection and explores the ways that Architects, designers and contributors of the built environment can leverage resources, build in community perspective and expand the opportunities for design solutions.