Rebuilding Africville

Abstract

This thesis examines the 1960’s 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 this 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. The homes are designed to be inclusive to three groups of homeowners: former Africville residents, Africville descendants, and new Africville community members who simply have an interest in reestablishing Africville. Rebuilding Africville does not attempt to replicate what once existed over forty years ago; it will, however, attempt to extract elements that were once highlights of Africville and graft them with modern ideas.