Work by Gabriel Curran

Student

Gabriel Curran (M.R.P./M.L.A. '20)

Hometown

Columbus, Georgia

Gabriel Curran found his way into planning and landscape architecture while finishing up his senior year at Auburn University. While there, he studied Spanish International Trade, with honors, and was able to spend three semesters abroad. He is graduating with a dual Masters in Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning. His exit project outlined the Republic of Maldives’ development and infrastructure and analyzed the effectiveness of the country’s efforts. His research concludes that, given the large investment and debt the country has taken on to finance the project and limiting measures to protect the island from sea level rise, the project is ineffective.

When he wasn’t in the studio, he was playing in Ultimate tournaments, hiking the gorges, and watching sunsets on the Slope. He plans to start his career working for the Naval Facilities Engineering Command in Norfolk, Virginia.

For more information on Gabriel Curran’s exit project, please contact crpinfo@cornell.edu.

“With sea levels rising, the Republic of Maldives must adapt. The country’s average elevation is 1.5 meters above sea level, and seas are predicted to rise between 30 cm and 1.8 meters by 2100. This paper researches how the Maldives is preparing for the effects of climate change through the creation of a new city-island, Hulhumalé.”

—Excerpt from exit project abstract