Make it Right Unveils Floating Home

By Eileen Fleming

New Orleans, La. – The newest addition in the Make it Right housing development in the Lower Ninth Ward has a modern design and energy-efficient technology. That's expected in a neighborhood known as the greenest in the country. But the latest house can float.
Architect Thom Mayne describes the house as a barge, with pillars. Homeowners disconnect plumbing and electrical units underneath, and can safely evacuate ahead of a storm knowing their house will rise up to 12 feet if there's flooding.
Make it Right Foundation Executive Director Tom Darden said residents are normally qualified for a home, and they chose the design. This time, the home came first.
Meantime, construction continues in the neighborhood alongside the Industrial Canal and the levee that broke after Hurricane Katrina. Fourteen families are now living in homes the foundation built. Nineteen houses are under construction, with a goal of 150.