WELCOME TO THE UNITED STATES
Federal District
“Where Legacy Meets Tomorrow”
Contents
The Project Team
Michael
Panchery
IZABELL
Wilk
With a concentration in Urban Design, Panchery seeks to design the sustainable cities of tomorrow. He has experience working in county and local-level planning offices and will be joining SOLSTICE Planning + Architecture in Sarasota, FL, following graduation.
MCRP
Rutgers University, 2025
BS, Urban Planning & Design
Rutgers University, 2024
Minor, Sustainability
Rutgers University, 2024
BS, Urban Planning & Design
Rutgers University, 2024
Urban Planning Consultant
RBS x BASF, 2024
Inaugural RSS-DC Scholar
Rutgers University, 2023
With a strong passion for public service, policy, and community development, Wilk eagerly anticipates joining the town of Princess Anne, MD, as the Planning and Zoning Coordinator. She is poised to leverage her expertise to address the socio-economic challenges prevalent in Somerset County.
Executive Summary
This project was completed over the course of one semester at Rutgers University within Undergraduate Studio II, Spring 2024. The advisor was Alice Alison Mueller, architect and professor.
The premise of this project was to create a new master plan for the nation’s new capital city, given the premise that Washington, D.C. is sinking. The project team, Michael Panchery and Izabell Wilk, placed the new capital in the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma-- a centrally-located region of the United States. This new capital city, the Federal District, strives to serve as a global leader in sustainability, research, development, and politics.
Background:
Our Nation’s Capital
BACKGROUND
Washington, D.C. was established as the capital of the United States in 1790, selected by George Washington. The city was designed by Pierre Charles L'Enfant in a grid pattern with diagonal avenues, including the iconic National Mall. It became the seat of the federal government in 1800, although it was initially a small, sparsely populated town.
Throughout its history, Washington, D.C. has been at the center of significant events, including the Civil War, the Civil Rights Movement, and numerous presidential inaugurations. Today, it remains a symbol of American democracy, housing the White House, the Capitol Building, and numerous monuments and museums.
THE L’ENFANT PLAN
Developed in 1791, the French engineer’s plan for America’s capital featured:
A Sinking City
“Washington, D.C., could sink 16 centimeters in the 21st century, and keep sinking 40 meters or more over 80,000 years—enough to put a fifth of the Washington Monument under the waves of the Atlantic Ocean.”
SCIENCE.ORG
Built on swampy, infertile land, the continued buildout of Washington, D.C. is unsustainable. In the interest of the citizens, workers, and visitors of the city, the government should take necessary action to relocate the capital city inland.
New Capital City:
Site Selection
01
Central Location
Located in Oklahoma, our area is centrally located between the east and west coasts. Its geographic position is sheltered from hurricanes and/or coastal invasions.
02
Fly-Over State
Oklahoma is typically not widely recognized when it comes to the most notable American states, nor its surrounding neighbors. A capital city in this location will bring notoriety and GDP growth.
04
Cultural Hub
Tulsa is located at the crossroads of 5-7 native nations. Our plans will pay homage to Native American tribes and work with tribal governments to ensure their prosperity and sustainability.
03
Hist. Significance
“Black Wall Street”
1921 Tulsa Race Massacre
At the intersection of multiple tribal nations
OPEN SPACE
Parks
Country Club Graveyards Sports
PARKING
Public Parking
CIRCULATION
Highways
Primary Roads Secondary Roads Railroads
FLOODING
Arkansas River River Basin Flood Risk Area
LAND USE
Business Central District Residential Multi-Family Residential Single-Family Commercial
Office
Planned Development Industrial
Agricultural
LANDMARKS
Points of Interest Important Venues Restaurants and Bars Breweries
Parks
Downtown Area
Site Analysis:
Existing Conditions