Back on the Map: Architecture students imagine a new Chimney Rock

The people of Chimney Rock, North Carolina, are seizing a rare opportunity to reimagine their town, literally, from the ground up.

A year after Hurricane Helene — a bulldozer of destruction that whipped through the Blue Ridge Mountains — leveled the village’s thriving commercial corridor, there is reason for optimism. Chimney Rock State Park, considered the area’s tourism crown jewel, and a few local businesses reopened just nine months after Helene, heralding a gradual return of seasonal tourists.