Thursday, February 23, 2006
Katrina Cottages
N.B.--A slightly updated article from July 2006 can be found here.
Behold what could have been: a cottage designed by architect Marianne Cusatto which can be built for the same as a FEMA trailer. You can learn more about these beauties from the designer's website, and from discussion on architectural blogs Building Big Easy and Veritas et Venustas.
The pre-World Ward II housing stock of New Orleans were marvels of design and craftsmanship perfect suited to their environment. I would suggest that the Katrina Cottage meets the same high standards. Be sure to follow the last link above, and note the window seat with built in bookshelves and other details. This is not some turtle shell camper. It is a real miniature home.
I don't see why something like this stretched out to shotgun size couldn't help rebuild entire neighborhoods in the central city. According to details on the Mississippi Renewal Forum, this 308 square foot unit can be built out for less than $35,000. If you take that out to say, 900 square feet (a nice shotgun house size), you could still be under $100,000.
Figure out how to anchor it to piers and make it capable of surviving a moderate storm, and you could solve the city's housing problem. I think the Katrina Cottage isn't just a temporary housing solution, but a way to use manufactured housing techniques to repopulate city with affordable housing that fits the city it would fill.
Katrina NOLA New Orleans Hurricane Katrina Think New Orleans Louisiana FEMA levee flooding Corps of Engineers architecture FEMA Trailer reconstruction
Behold what could have been: a cottage designed by architect Marianne Cusatto which can be built for the same as a FEMA trailer. You can learn more about these beauties from the designer's website, and from discussion on architectural blogs Building Big Easy and Veritas et Venustas.
The pre-World Ward II housing stock of New Orleans were marvels of design and craftsmanship perfect suited to their environment. I would suggest that the Katrina Cottage meets the same high standards. Be sure to follow the last link above, and note the window seat with built in bookshelves and other details. This is not some turtle shell camper. It is a real miniature home.
I don't see why something like this stretched out to shotgun size couldn't help rebuild entire neighborhoods in the central city. According to details on the Mississippi Renewal Forum, this 308 square foot unit can be built out for less than $35,000. If you take that out to say, 900 square feet (a nice shotgun house size), you could still be under $100,000.
Figure out how to anchor it to piers and make it capable of surviving a moderate storm, and you could solve the city's housing problem. I think the Katrina Cottage isn't just a temporary housing solution, but a way to use manufactured housing techniques to repopulate city with affordable housing that fits the city it would fill.
Katrina NOLA New Orleans Hurricane Katrina Think New Orleans Louisiana FEMA levee flooding Corps of Engineers architecture FEMA Trailer reconstruction
Comments:
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Mark
I've gone and posted a link to this at Think New Orleans in an article that talks about your article here, and goes on to talk about how you knew that this article was popular.
Heh. Had to seek in some technical support into the post.
I've gone and posted a link to this at Think New Orleans in an article that talks about your article here, and goes on to talk about how you knew that this article was popular.
Heh. Had to seek in some technical support into the post.
# posted by 
: 1:55 PM CDT
: 1:55 PM CDT
I don't see why something like this stretched out to shotgun size couldn't help rebuild entire neighborhoods in the central city
Of course it could. I know a few good architects who have designs for permanent manufactured housing for New Orleans, but finding a good manufactured housing architect is a problem. Know any?
Of course it could. I know a few good architects who have designs for permanent manufactured housing for New Orleans, but finding a good manufactured housing architect is a problem. Know any?
# posted by : 10:51 PM CDT
: 10:51 PM CDT
I don't see why something like this stretched out to shotgun size couldn't help rebuild entire neighborhoods in the central city.
It can be. I know a few good architects who have been working on good permanent manufactured housing very much in the tradition of the shotguns of New Orleans. But the problem is finding manufacturers who know enough to do a good job: most of them would massacre Marianne's Katrina Cottage design.
So, know any good manufacturers?
It can be. I know a few good architects who have been working on good permanent manufactured housing very much in the tradition of the shotguns of New Orleans. But the problem is finding manufacturers who know enough to do a good job: most of them would massacre Marianne's Katrina Cottage design.
So, know any good manufacturers?
# posted by : 11:07 PM CDT
: 11:07 PM CDT
I designed modular (not, single wide mobile homes) in 1954 with a living room, bedroom, bath and kitchen for the newly wed couple or starter home. With preplaned modular pod add-ons that eventualy resulted in a 1500 sq.ft. house. But nobody asked me today for the plans? DK, fayetteville
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# posted by : 9:40 PM CDT
: 9:40 PM CDT << Home
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