Make it Righter
A Counterproposal to Brad Pitt's "Make it Right, NOLA"
I joined the University of Miami School of Architecture's New New Urbanism Studio in 2009. Yes, there's a second "New" in there to imply that the studio was taking things to the next level. By that time, the studio had already formed a traditionally-based and culturally sensitive nine-block masterplan that could be replicated throughout swaths of the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans.
Figure ground showing the proposed nine-block masterplan. The dashed circle represents a half-mile radius (or 5-minute walk) from the center of the park to provide a sense of scale. The buildings shaded in red represent the two building types designed in this project.
Enlarged view of the last image showing that although the prescribed building types are used in a repetitive fashion, there is enough variety to the building footprints to make the streetscape feel authentic. The building shaded in red represents the Corner Storehouse building type which designed in greater detail further down.
Our next step involved designing the different traditional building types for the template that would honor the vernacular architecture of New Orleans while also being sustainable. The studio took an approach to rebuilding the Lower Ninth Ward counter to that of Brad Pitt in his highly publicized "Make it Right" campaign, where starchitects from all over the world flew in to leave their signatures without considering much of NOLA's history or climate.
Design Technique: The "Kit of Parts"
The "Kit of Parts" technique allows a designer to quickly assemble the spaces of a prescribed building inside its footprint. The advantages of this technique are twofold:
1. Speed of design. The pieces fit together like a puzzle.
2. The designer can start with the ideal layout of a space and modify it later instead of trying to force a layout onto residual space created from a parti.
The use of this technique assumes that the footprint of the building is pre-determined, usually based on historical precedent.
The rooms or building components in the two images above were arranged onto the footprints of the building types that follow. The placement of the spaces was guided by historical precedent and the community's needs.
The Corner Storehouse
The first and second floor layouts have been arranged for the Corner Storehouse, a building type that usually has a bar or restaurant on the ground floor, and a private work or living space above. Note in the image below how the stairway to the second floor has it's own entrance.
The completed plans. Although this process seems straightforward, one cannot underestimate the value of using trace paper and pencil to resolve much of the space design.
The completed elevation borrows the vernacular form of the French Quarter without incorporating many of the traditional wrought iron or wood-cut details.
The American Townhouse
We repeat the process for the second building type. Unlike the Corner Storehouse, which tends to be a building type open to the public on the ground floor, the American Townhouse is a completely private residence with a gradient of semi-private to private spaces.
The above two images show the ideal rooms arranged along the narrow building footprint.
The completed plans. Despite its narrow footprint, this design allows for 6 bedrooms which can accommodate large families or many people earning a variety of incomes to promote the growth of a mixed income community.
The completed elevation. When placed side-by-side, the townhouses create a cohesive residential streetscape. Variety can be added using color and variations of optional building details.
