Main Content
Mapping Movement/ Erasing the Line
Delaware River and Its Tributaries
Abstract of the Thesis
Rivers are often represented as fixed lines on maps, yet they are dynamic, ever-changing
systems that defy such rigid boundaries. This design project challenges the conventional
delineation of rivers by interrogating the visual and physical lines that define them.
Inspired by the work of Anuradha Mathur and Dilip da Cunha, it explores how fixed
borders do not confine rivers but rather exist as fluid, evolving entities shaped by
topography, hydrology, vegetation, and human actions.
To achieve this objective, the project employs multiple visualization technique
that include GIS analysis, photography transects, relative elevation models (REMs),
sectional representations of water levels, digital collage, and a layered three-dimensional
model. The resulting representations challenge the notion of a singular linear boundary,
instead highlighting the network of interactions between water, land, and human presence
that continuously shape and redefine the landscape of a river. Through this visual lens,
this design project underscores the need to adopt a more nuanced and adaptive
understanding of river systems that move beyond the constraints of traditional linear
mapping.
The site for this exploration includes the Lehigh River, the Rancocas River, the
Schuylkill River, and the Brandywine River, all of which are tributaries of the Delaware
River that exhibit different physiographic conditions and different levels of human
intervention.