Hurricane Katrina this past week was certainly the worst episode in what has become an all-too-familiar and tragic cycle, and our nation is now faced with a set of unprecedented challenges.
- Former US Representative Jo Bonner
When Hurricane Katrina made landfall in southeastern Louisiana on August 29, 2005, it made history as one of the most destructive storms to hit the United States. This semester, during the ten year anniversary of the storm, students will investigate architecture as a force of compassion and hope. Coursework will focus on the city of New Orleans and its Lower Ninth Ward neighborhood -- a group of people still suffering from the devastating effects of Katrina. To honor those who endured the hurricane and those who worked so hard in rescue and recovery efforts, students will work on a series of projects designed to investigate the process of rebuilding communities from a natural disaster. Students will conduct research specific to New Orleans and the events of Hurricane Katrina that will inform their design solutions. Topics this semester will include:
- Rebuilding of urban communities
- Urban analysis and planning
- Data, demographics, and mapping in architecture
- Vernacular architecture and culture
- Portable/Temporary architecture
- Sustainable and affordable design
- Designing for community health
Proposed Projects
Architectural Design Studio
Lower Ninth Ward 20K House
The recovery of New Orleans has been underway for many years, and many individuals and organizations have contributed to this effort. The design guide for on this project will be Brad Pitt’s Make it Right Foundation, which has been actively working in the community for many years. The work by this organization has been forward thinking and undeniably effective in rebuilding the Lower Ninth Ward.
The houses developed by first year students will be a compact dwelling unit that is designed to be extremely affordable for Lower Ninth Ward residents, many of whom live around poverty level and cannot easily replace the homes they have lost. To assist students in developing an understanding of designs that will meet these requirements, we will be studying Auburn University’s Rural Studio 20K house program. This program has been developed to provide culturally sensitive, affordable, and dignified housing on a budget of $20,000.
The houses developed by first year students will be a compact dwelling unit that is designed to be extremely affordable for Lower Ninth Ward residents, many of whom live around poverty level and cannot easily replace the homes they have lost. To assist students in developing an understanding of designs that will meet these requirements, we will be studying Auburn University’s Rural Studio 20K house program. This program has been developed to provide culturally sensitive, affordable, and dignified housing on a budget of $20,000.
Advanced Architecture Studio
Disaster Recovery Shelter
To begin this semester, students will be designing a disaster shelter to aid in the recovery effort that took place in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Going back in time, students will evaluate the events of August 29th to September 2nd in New Orleans to better understand the effects of the hurricane and the conditions of its aftermath.
The site for this project will be a residential parcel within a section of the Lower Ninth Ward determined by the Practicum Studio, who is in charge of urban design, neighborhood development, and parcel distribution. This project will be completed in two separate phases across the semester. In this first phase, students will be designing for temporary living, and must include an area or pad to place their recovery shelter, storage tank for captured rainwater, an outdoor living area, solar panels for electric power and hot water, and parking for one vehicle. These items may be placed independently on site or integrated with the shelter design.
The size of each recovery shelter will be determined by the program requirements of a standard FEMA trailer, which was the primary type of shelter used after Hurricane Katrina. Students will also have the opportunity to design for the specific needs of their client. By design, the completed Ninth Ward recovery shelter should have the following characteristics:
The site for this project will be a residential parcel within a section of the Lower Ninth Ward determined by the Practicum Studio, who is in charge of urban design, neighborhood development, and parcel distribution. This project will be completed in two separate phases across the semester. In this first phase, students will be designing for temporary living, and must include an area or pad to place their recovery shelter, storage tank for captured rainwater, an outdoor living area, solar panels for electric power and hot water, and parking for one vehicle. These items may be placed independently on site or integrated with the shelter design.
The size of each recovery shelter will be determined by the program requirements of a standard FEMA trailer, which was the primary type of shelter used after Hurricane Katrina. Students will also have the opportunity to design for the specific needs of their client. By design, the completed Ninth Ward recovery shelter should have the following characteristics:
- Temporary (removable after recovery)
- Flexible (in form and/or space)
- Modular (single units can be added together to make larger accommodations)
Ninth Ward Housing, Phase II
Now that students have made efforts to house the people of the Lower Ninth Ward in temporary shelter, they will now begin work on the design of a permanent residence. Their job will be to create a new home that provides adequate and affordable shelter, reflect the history and culture of this unique place, and design for future hurricanes. This project will be an investigation into how architecture can play a role in the efforts of rebuilding a lost neighborhood and bringing hope to those who choose to remain in their beloved city. The goal of each student's design will be to express how architecture can be a tool for social justice, repair physical and emotional aspects of a community, and reflect a specific history and culture.
The new houses will be designed for the same lots assigned in project 01, replacing the temporary disaster recovery shelter for the client. The design of each house will be based on the design requirements established by the Make it Right Foundation and the work they have done for many years in another section of the Lower Ninth Ward. As a result, students must design houses that are elevated above the local flood plane and have an emergency escape route through the roof of the home.
The client(s) for this project will be an individual or family from real life. Students will research and select a story of a Ninth Ward resident (current or former) and design a new home for them. This will require them to develop a design solution that meets the needs of their client and provides them with new opportunity and hope in a severely damaged and abandoned neighborhood.
The new houses will be designed for the same lots assigned in project 01, replacing the temporary disaster recovery shelter for the client. The design of each house will be based on the design requirements established by the Make it Right Foundation and the work they have done for many years in another section of the Lower Ninth Ward. As a result, students must design houses that are elevated above the local flood plane and have an emergency escape route through the roof of the home.
The client(s) for this project will be an individual or family from real life. Students will research and select a story of a Ninth Ward resident (current or former) and design a new home for them. This will require them to develop a design solution that meets the needs of their client and provides them with new opportunity and hope in a severely damaged and abandoned neighborhood.
Practicum Studio
Ninth Ward Community Recovery Center
In this first project, practicum students will explore how architecture can be a humanistic tool for community recovery, repair physical and emotional aspects of a community, and facilitate a process of community rebuilding. They will design a community recovery center to assist residents returning in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Their building will provide physical, informational, and psychological resources for residents in the rebuilding effort.
The site for this project will be a land parcel within the Lower Ninth Ward suitable for a community recovery effort. The subject areas for the project will be determined by the studio through urban analysis. The building site must include or address the following elements:
This building type does not currently exist; however, student were instructed to incorporate the following characteristics in their designs:
The site for this project will be a land parcel within the Lower Ninth Ward suitable for a community recovery effort. The subject areas for the project will be determined by the studio through urban analysis. The building site must include or address the following elements:
- Site access for users/occupants who are involved in the recovery effort
- A secured area for on-site storage of construction equipment (bulldozers, dumptrucks, etc.)
- Elements of self-sufficiency for water, power, etc. These items may be located on the site and/or on the building.
This building type does not currently exist; however, student were instructed to incorporate the following characteristics in their designs:
- Rapidly deployable
- Temporary
- Flexible in use
- Self sufficient
Ninth Ward Community Building
In phase II of this semester-long project, students will create a building and develop a design solution that meets the goal of providing “community health”. They will work to identify the specific needs of this community and provide them with essential resources, new opportunities, a sense of community, and hope in a severely damaged and abandoned neighborhood. The clients for this project will be the residents of the Lower Ninth Ward. Students will review their personal stories of loss, struggle, and rebuilding to understand the needs of the community overall.
For this project, students have the responsibility for identifying a community health need and selecting a building type that will serve the community to that end. The term “community health” is open ended without a specific building type or program in mind. In the Practicum studio, it is the student's responsibility to perform the research and investigation necessary to identify community needs and develop an approach to meet those needs. The size and program requirements of each building will be determined by the use a student establishes for it and the people that will occupy it.
For this project, students have the responsibility for identifying a community health need and selecting a building type that will serve the community to that end. The term “community health” is open ended without a specific building type or program in mind. In the Practicum studio, it is the student's responsibility to perform the research and investigation necessary to identify community needs and develop an approach to meet those needs. The size and program requirements of each building will be determined by the use a student establishes for it and the people that will occupy it.
