Mud Creek: Shifting Landscapes and Evolving Memories

Abstract

Wolfville, Nova Scotia, is shaped by tides, changing cultural landscapes, and daily routines. Originally named Mud Creek, the town sits at the threshold between the Minas Basin and the South Mountain of the Annapolis Valley. A harbour once located at the town’s center marked the boundary between saltwater and freshwater; today, however, Wolfville faces restricted water access and a shortage of public infrastructure. With the threat of escalating climate change, this thesis asks: How can architecture mediate a relationship between landscape, ecology, and cultural memory? Using mapping and ethnographic research, the study proposes an education and public bathing facility. This intervention enables direct interaction with the tides and the town’s historic muddy harbour, while embracing evolving ideas of social equity and local identity. By reconnecting the community to its dyke landscape, the architecture serves as a bridge between the town’s cultural heritage and its future resilience.