Context and Location
Located in Central America in the Eastern Caribbean Sea, is the island of Saint Lucia. Forming a part of the Caribbean Ports, Saint Lucia was first established by the Dutch in the 1600’s and is now a Sovereign Island that thrives off tourism and fruit exports. Its rich history and volcanic hilly terrain has shaped the island into the culturally diverse country it is today. Saint Lucia Island is divided into

11 districts of land with the Capital being Castries city, where over 30% of the

islands population live (Saint Lucia Guide, 2011). Under the influence of the

French and British from 1765 onwards, Castries quickly developed into a major

port city boasting the largest naval port in the Caribbean. In recent years it has

gained recognition as a tourist destination, hosting one of the two airports on

the island and is frequented by cruise ship liners from around the world

(Castries City Council, (n.d.)).

History, Typology and Layout
Since its beginnings Castries city has been prone to disaster; with fires,

hurricanes, and a long standing war between the French and British all, at

some point, causing major damage and destruction to the city. Due to this no

official documents or maps of Castries early settlement are available. However

few records of the city’s history still exist, which present information that can

be extracted and give evidence as to how port Castries developed. Port Castries

initially emerged as a safe haven for ships carrying European explorers due to

its mountainous landscape. The city itself, formerly known as Carnage,

originated from the French in 1765. However contestation over ownership

between the French and British created problems on the island until 1814,

whencontrol was taken by the British and remained until it became an

IndependentState in 1979 (Castries City Council, (n.d.)). Like several

other coastal cities on the island, it grew from small village communities of

high density, and dwelling placement was influenced by the steep terrain and water’s edge. Buildings were typically small and clustered around flat pockets of land, in between the edge of the port and topography of surrounding mountains. Connecting paths also followed the curved landscape giving the city an organically arranged urban form (Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, 2011). However, as the city quickly developed around the activities in the port, areas of the urban environment changed as officials allowed locals to reclaim plots of land from the harbour and a planned urban form was designed (Castries City Council, (n.d.)). This planned urban environment now forms the city centre grid, with residences still occupying the surrounding spaces in an organic nature. From early on, the built infrastructure in Castries has been challenged with many disasters. In 1796, the city faced its first major tragedy when it was bombed by the British in response to attacks on troops from the French republic. This bombing levelled the town, destroying the entire built environment, and caused Castries to rebuild. Fires ravaged the city in 1813 leaving little in their wake, and what remained was destroyed by a cyclone in 1817. More fires damaged the city in 1927 and 1948, devastating major parts of the commercial and residential areas, and, once again, left the city to rebuild. Due to these disasters, Castries building typologies are now modern, with the exception of a few buildings situated outside the main hub of the city, and The Cathedral Church which is located on Micoud Street (Castries City Council, (n.d.)). The Cathedral Church is a French Colonial design and is one of the oldest buildings in Castries (Saint Lucia Guide, 2011). As such, a high value is placed on it by the locals and much effort was put in place to save the Church above other buildings when the city was being destroyed by the various disasters (Castries City Council, (n.d.)). Other significant structures are the Castries Market and Vendor’s Arcade. Located on the water’s edge in the centre of the port, the Market’s and Vendor’s Arcade were commissioned to enhance the look of the city in 1891. Originally just the Market, these two buildings provide wages for many locals, with sales coming from shopping tourists. As tourism is the primary source of income for Castries, commercial and retail buildings line parts of the waterfront that would be the most visible for tourists approaching on cruise ships (Castries City Council, (n.d.)). Larger Government structures also cover a strip of the port’s edge and tower over the urban environment, visible to tourists arriving from both water and by air.

 

Transport
Being a smaller city located around steep hilly terrain, mobility around Castries city has limitations. Motorcycle and cars, particularly 4WD, are the most commonly used mode of transport by locals to travel around the city. Bicycles are not used by locals nor are they recommended due to the topography and the challenges it would create travelling around. Small bus services are available for tourists and locals to travel around the Castries district; however bus stops are limited to a few stops within the city centre. In addition water ferries travelling to other districts of Saint Lucia and between the different neighbouring islands are only available on a weekly basis (Destination 360, 2013).

Analysis
Despite these limitations, the topography of Castries has been the driving force behind the cities existence and identity. Not only is it the justification for its initial settlement due to the terrains concealing qualities, it also underpins the rationale behind the derived urban fabric.
Unlike many other settlements, the organic layout was established prior to the planned. The cities existence was purely to fulfil the function of the port activities. The resulting infrastructure consisted of dwellings that served this purpose only, such as warehouses and basic living quarters. Little forethought was given to the fact that its occupation could lead to the eventual identity of Castries becoming a city in its own right. Further development was required for the city to be able to sustain itself. However, due to the boundary between the mountainous landscape and water’s edge, development was restricted to an organic layout. With the city vastly growing and limited land available, the citizens of Castries were confronted with the task of urban expansion.
It appears that the favoured option was to allot plots of land in the port for reclamation, as the steep topography prevented further sprawl inland. Although precise information is non-existent, the urban form provides cues as to the growth of the city, leading to the assumption that the resulting grid layout was imposed by its European inhabitants. Although the city was contested between the French and British, in the late 1700’s when the gridiron pattern emerged, evidence suggests that the British are responsible for this extension. The heart of Castries city features standard sized rectangular blocks which are typical design characteristics of the British design settling principles. Although responsible for the evolution of the city, the British and French are also to blame for much of Castries early turmoil. The continual conflict resulted in the city becoming a war ground between the two nations. When the natives were eventually given back some freedoms over their land, they were left with a poor economy and the task of rebuilding their city. Plagued by natural disasters, the city’s economy has struggled to maintain financial stability. Therefore to create an income to support the population, citizens relied on the design of an urban fabric that hid the reality that Castries is a poverty stricken city. The promotion of tourism in the city was activated by the strategic placement of authoritative structures lining the water’s edge. It is the first visual contact visitors have with the city and it imposes a powerful buffer between the city stage and it’s back of house. Consisting of Government buildings, the Saint Lucia bank, and a catchment of sprawling markets, tourists are lured through a supporting power strip into the heart of the city, where architectural pride is displayed through buildings such as Parliament, the Courthouse and Cathedral Church.
It is indisputable the current city was tactfully planned to support multiple interacting layers. These layers run both horizontally and vertically, driving the visual experience of Castries city while it represents itself on a stage to society. The vertical layers are displayed both in plan and in urban section revealing morphological regions that comprise of a residential outskirt, followed by a commercial band hidden behind an authoritative buffer that dominates the cityscape. When analysed in conjunction with the topography, the horizon is split into three zones ranging from the lowest point to the peak of the mountain. These observations reveal that typical residential typologies directly relate to their elevation in the landscape. Low lying dwellings are primarily small in size and can be compared to run down shacks. As the elevation increases so too does the size and quality of residences, as the heightened landscape offers a prime position boasting views that overlook the city and ocean. Street networks also decrease with proximity to the mountain peak. This location is only surpassed by the real estate that lines the water’s edge. Their grandeur contrasts drastically with other low lying dwellings and serves to further construct a powerful buffer that allows Castries to present itself in its most favourable light.

Conclusion
Through research and analysis of Castries city, the topography’s influence on the development of its urban fabric is undeniable. From the layout of street networks, to existing building typologies, and the interacting layers that operate within the city, all are characterised by the unforgiving landscape. Despite their constant hardships, Castries city has continuously adapted and their response to the landscape through clever design has allowed them to capitalise on their surroundings.