The American Institute of Architects, in partnership with Make It Right, St. Bernard Project, Architecture for Humanity and Dow Building Solutions recently concluded “Designing Recovery,” an ideas competition created to aid in the rebuilding of sustainable and resilient communities. The competition was designed to help survivors of recent natural disasters in three distinct settings: New York City, New Orleans, and Joplin, Mo.
“When examining all of the designs submitted we continually asked ourselves if this would be a house we would want to live in regardless of safety considerations,” said Jury Chair, Michael Willis, FAIA, NOMA. “The three designs that we chose all had the ideal combination of addressing disaster mitigation and actual livability. The designs all had the sort of flexibility to be both a resilient safe haven during a natural disaster, but also serve as a dwelling that catered to family conditions and would blend into appropriate neighborhood styles without projecting a ‘bunker-like’ feeling.”
Although there could be just three winning designs, all of the entries that are feasible to construct will go into production in the corresponding communities and include:
1. Shotgun Remix
Designed by GOATstudio LLP, the Shotgun [remix] proposal for New Orleans offers a fresh, contemporary take on a familiar local typology. Modern touches like sliding polycarbonate privacy panels, vaulted interior spaces, clean, modern detailing, an open floor plan, and a steel roof that turns and wraps the southern exterior wall for additional sun protection update the historical shotgun form to better accommodate modern lifestyles and increased environmental challenges.
To help manage the threat from rising sea levels and increasing yearly rainfall, the finish floor will be elevated 7 feet above the ground plane and filter storm runoff through a perimeter rain garden, alleviating on-site ponding and reducing the load on strained city infrastructure. By employing similar construction methodologies and materials as those that have been thoroughly vetted by Make It Right since 2007, the design will be able to achieve LEED Platinum status and provide 6.25 kWh of solar energy to the owners.
2. Resilient House
Designed by Sustainable.TO Architecture + Building, the Resilient House for New York has a layout that orients living spaces towards the sun, and minimizes interior partitions. Structurally insulated panels allow for a tightly sealed and highly insulated building enclosure. Combined with a highly efficient ventilation system and upgraded windows, these design elements project to a 30% reduction in annual energy consumption. The house will be built above the floodplain with a flood-proof foundation to ensure natural disasters will not affect the structure. By using traditional construction methods and equipment, this dwelling can be built for less than $50,000 in material cost.
3. CORE House
Designed by Q4 Architects, CORE House in Joplin, MO is designed to address the local vernacular by combining two single-cell homes: a centrally located "Safe House" acts as the hearth and divides a "Perimeter House." The Safe House contains all of the functions of ‘home’ that are necessary for a family to recover quickly from disaster and live for an extended period of time until rebuilding is possible.
The walls of the Safe House are constructed of filled and anchored carbon-neutral concrete masonry units. Rainwater is collected, stored, and filtered for reuse. Locally sourced building materials were consciously considered so that CORE will have little impact on the progression of climate change, reduce the effects of debris in a natural disaster, and elevate local economies.
About The American Institute of Architects
Founded in 1857, members of the American Institute of Architects consistently work to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings, neighborhoods, and communities. Through nearly 300 state and local chapters, the AIA advocates for public policies that promote economic vitality and public well-being. Members adhere to a code of ethics and conduct to ensure the highest professional standards. The AIA provides members with tools and resources to assist them in their careers and business as well as engaging civic and government leaders, and the public to find solutions to pressing issues facing our communities, institutions, nation and world. Visit www.aia.org.
About Architecture for Humanity
Architecture for Humanity is a nonprofit design services firm founded in 1999. By building a more sustainable future through the power of professional design, Architecture for Humanity taps a network of more than 75,000 professionals willing to lend time and expertise to help those who would not otherwise be able to afford their services. They bring design, construction and development services where they are most critically needed. For more information, please visit architectureforhumanity.org
St. Bernard Project
St. Bernard Project (SBP) is an award-winning rebuilding, nonprofit organization whose mission is to ensure that disaster-impacted citizens and communities recover in a prompt, efficient and predictable manner. Through its Disaster Recovery Lab, SBP works to share lessons learned, prevent common barriers to recovery, and help communities utilize SBP’s standardized, repeatable and proven-effective model. Since its founding in 2006, SBP has rebuilt homes for over 600 families in greater New Orleans, Louisiana and Joplin, Missouri with the help of 50,000 volunteers. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, SBP is working on the ground in Rockaway and Staten Island, New York to help displaced families rebuild their homes and rebuild their lives. For more information, visit stbernardproject.org and sandy.stbernardproject.org.
Make It Right
Founded by Brad Pitt, Make It Right builds healthy, Cradle to Cradle-inspired homes, buildings and communities for people in need. Make It Right is currently working in New Orleans, LA, Newark, NJ, Kansas City, MO and the Fort Peck Reservation, MT. Learn more at www.makeitright.org.
Dow Building Solutions
Dow Building Solutions has a 60+ year legacy of providing energy saving solutions to the construction industry, which began with the launch of STYROFOAM™ Brand Extruded Polystyrene Foam Insulation. A business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, Dow Building Solutions offers insulation, air sealing and weatherization solutions to improve the performance of homes and buildings and reduce energy costs while contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Visit www.dowbuildingsolutions.com.
Related Stories
M/E/P Systems | Jan 27, 2022
Top 5 building HVAC system problems and how to fix them
When your HVAC system was new, it was designed to keep the indoor environment comfortable, functional, and safe. Over time, that system can drift out of alignment, leading to wasted resources, excessive energy consumption, and reduced occupant comfort.
Sponsored | Steel Buildings | Jan 25, 2022
Structural Game Changer: Winning solution for curved-wall gymnasium design
Sponsored | Steel Buildings | Jan 25, 2022
Multifamily + Hospitality: Benefits of building in long-span composite floor systems
Long-span composite floor systems provide unique advantages in the construction of multi-family and hospitality facilities. This introductory course explains what composite deck is, how it works, what typical composite deck profiles look like and provides guidelines for using composite floor systems. This is a nano unit course.
Urban Planning | Jan 25, 2022
Retooling innovation districts for medium-sized cities
This type of development isn’t just about innovation or lab space; and it’s not just universities or research institutions that are driving this change.
Sponsored | Resiliency | Jan 24, 2022
Norshield Products Fortify Critical NYC Infrastructure
New York City has two very large buildings dedicated to answering the 911 calls of its five boroughs. With more than 11 million emergency calls annually, it makes perfect sense. The second of these buildings, the Public Safety Answering Center II (PSAC II) is located on a nine-acre parcel of land in the Bronx. It’s an imposing 450,000 square-foot structure—a 240-foot-wide by 240-foot-tall cube. The gleaming aluminum cube risesthe equivalent of 24 stories from behind a grassy berm, projecting the unlikely impression that it might actually be floating. Like most visually striking structures, the building has drawn as much scorn as it has admiration.
Sponsored | Resiliency | Jan 24, 2022
Blast Hazard Mitigation: Building Openings for Greater Safety and Security
Coronavirus | Jan 20, 2022
Advances and challenges in improving indoor air quality in commercial buildings
Michael Dreidger, CEO of IAQ tech startup Airsset speaks with BD+C's John Caulfield about how building owners and property managers can improve their buildings' air quality.
Building Owners | Jan 17, 2022
Success from within: Three characteristics of effective owner project planning
Setting realistic expectations for project teams can help owners avoid common pitfalls.
Sponsored | BD+C University Course | Jan 12, 2022
Total steel project performance
This instructor-led video course discusses actual project scenarios where collaborative steel joist and deck design have reduced total-project costs. In an era when incomplete structural drawings are a growing concern for our industry, the course reveals hidden costs and risks that can be avoided.
University Buildings | Jan 11, 2022
Designing for health sciences education: supporting student well-being
While student and faculty health and well-being should be a top priority in all spaces within educational facilities, this article will highlight some key considerations.
