Make no mistake, this is an issue of social justice, and a responsibility exists to right this wrong - Actor Brad Pitt
Project 01 - 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)
Project 02 - 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.