New Urbanism, Close to Home

     Starkville, Mississippi is home to Mississippi State University, thousands of college students, and numerous neighborhoods full of families. When I visited Starkville for the first time while on a college visit, I walked through Starkville's Cotton District appreciating it, but not really understanding what it was. It was a rich community tightly packed on a relatively small piece of land. It was a convenient mixture of restaurants, bars, apartments, small houses, and retail shops. I found it quaint how easily the residents who lived there could get some food or visit a nearby shop. Every building had a complimentary pastel color that brought brightness to the downtown area. The roads were narrow and the sidewalks plenty. The Cotton District seemed like such a fun and energetic atmosphere, and I'd soon come to find that it is the heart of life in Starkville. 

    Upon this first visit, I had little to no experience in the world of architecture, landscape architecture, or urban planning. I didn't truly understand what I had experienced. I only knew that it worked, it felt special, and it created a unique place. 

    Three years later when I finally decided to spend the next chapter of my life in Starkville, I was reminded of the Cotton District while sketching a set of stairs in one of the Cotton District buildings for architecture studio. It was there when I asked one of my professors what made this place so special. He looked at me and smiled replying, "New Urbanism." 

    From that day on, I had a greater respect for the power of architecture and design. The power to create place. A place that was unique and special. A place that was walkable and brought me closer to the built environment. 

Starkville's Cotton District

“Starkville & Campus.” Starkville & Campus | Vet Med. Accessed November 27, 2023. https://www.vetmed.msstate.edu/student-life/starkville-and-campus.

    The beloved Cotton District is a New Urbanist development designed and planned by Dan Camp. The Cotton District, in fact, came to fruition before New Urbanism was really a thing. That makes the project officially "Pre-New Urbanist", but shares the qualities of New Urbanism. Today, it is labeled as New Urbanist, but when it was designed, New Urbanism wasn't an official term. Camp's first building broke ground in 1969 while New Urbanism wasn't officially established until the 1980s and 90s by leading urban planner Andres Duany. 

Dan Camp and A Few of His Town Homes

Steuteville, Robert. “New Urban Pioneer Dan Camp Is Gone.” CNU, November 13, 2020. https://www.cnu.org/publicsquare/2020/11/12/new-urban-pioneer-dan-camp-passes.

    Regardless of the timeline, the Cotton District is an efficient, mixed-use environment that promotes connectivity and reduces placelessness. Starkville has this little gem that brought me closer to the world of architecture and made me instantly more passionate about my education and career choices. It is a special place to call home for this chapter of my life.