Reimagining Mississippi River Models as Hybrid Objects
Faculty Mentor Information
Dr. Lori Smithey, University of Idaho
Presentation Date
7-2025
Abstract
This research explores two large-scale representations of the Mississippi River, the Mississippi River Basin Model (MRBM) and the Mud Island River Park Model, as hybrid objects that exist between architecture, infrastructure, and environmental imagination. The MRBM, constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers between 1943 and 1966, functioned as a working hydraulic model used to simulate flood behavior and guide water management policy. In contrast, the Mud Island model, designed by architect Roy Harrover in 1976, was built not for function but for symbolism, serving as a monumental public artwork and educational experience. This project goes into a deep investigation of how these models operate at the intersection of engineering precision, spatial design, and cultural narrative. Drawing on site visits, archival research, and construction analysis, the study compares their materials, form, and technical documentation while applying Bruno Latour’s “Parliament of Things” to consider how each model gives the river representational agency. The goal is to understand how physical modeling shifts across historical and disciplinary contexts, from predictive infrastructure to immersive artifact. This work contributes to broader discussions on environmental modeling, architectural meaning-making, and design as a mediator of human-nature relationships.
Reimagining Mississippi River Models as Hybrid Objects
This research explores two large-scale representations of the Mississippi River, the Mississippi River Basin Model (MRBM) and the Mud Island River Park Model, as hybrid objects that exist between architecture, infrastructure, and environmental imagination. The MRBM, constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers between 1943 and 1966, functioned as a working hydraulic model used to simulate flood behavior and guide water management policy. In contrast, the Mud Island model, designed by architect Roy Harrover in 1976, was built not for function but for symbolism, serving as a monumental public artwork and educational experience. This project goes into a deep investigation of how these models operate at the intersection of engineering precision, spatial design, and cultural narrative. Drawing on site visits, archival research, and construction analysis, the study compares their materials, form, and technical documentation while applying Bruno Latour’s “Parliament of Things” to consider how each model gives the river representational agency. The goal is to understand how physical modeling shifts across historical and disciplinary contexts, from predictive infrastructure to immersive artifact. This work contributes to broader discussions on environmental modeling, architectural meaning-making, and design as a mediator of human-nature relationships.