NOLA Design Competition

Living locally is a trend that has captured not only foodies but designers, too. This past weekend, I headed down to the Big Easy as a guest judge for the Billes Architecture Home Design Competition, which challenged architecture students to create home designs specific to post-Katrina New Orleans.

Students from 16 American schools and five Canadian schools were invited to participate and create a design that fit the following requirements:

Adaptive Living (exterior) by Diandra Maseli and Elisa Costa of McGill University

Adaptive Living (exterior) by Diandra Maseli and Elisa Costa of McGill University

  • One or two habitable floors raised to accommodate the Advisory Base Flood Elevation
  • Three bedrooms and two and half bathrooms
  • An interior living space of 1,500 to 2,000 square feet
  • A carport or garage
  • Suitable for sites 30-to-50-feet wide and 100-to-150-feet deep
  • Designed to fit one of four neighborhoods (Uptown, Downtown, Gentilly/Lakeview, or New Orleans East)
  • Eligible for gold or platinum LEED certification
  • Target construction cost of $150,00 to $225,000
Adaptive Living (interior) by Diandra Maseli and Elisa Costa of McGill University

Adaptive Living (interior) by Diandra Maseli and Elisa Costa of McGill University

At the event, the five winners were awarded $1,000 cash prizes, and all of the ten finalist designs are being considered for construction as part of Billes Architecture’s recently launched nonprofit organization New Designs New Orleans.

Breezeway (exterior) by Jessica Dan and Hamza Alhbian of McGill University, Winning Design

Breezeway (exterior) by Jessica Dan and Hamza Alhbian of McGill University, Winning Design

To see the ten finalist designs, click the "Slideshow" button at the top right corner of this post.

Images courtesy of Billes Architecture
 

Breezeway (interior) by Jessica Dan and Hamza Alhbian of McGill University, Winning Design

Breezeway (interior) by Jessica Dan and Hamza Alhbian of McGill University, Winning Design

 

The Excursion (exterior) by Michael Benkert of University of Cincinnati, Winning Design

The Excursion (exterior) by Michael Benkert of University of Cincinnati, Winning Design

The Excursion (interior) by Michael Benkert of University of Cincinnati, Winning Design

The Excursion (interior) by Michael Benkert of University of Cincinnati, Winning Design

Forever Green (exterior) by David Dworkind and Andrew Hruby of McGill University, Winning Design

Forever Green (exterior) by David Dworkind and Andrew Hruby of McGill University, Winning Design

Forever Green (interior) by David Dworkind and Andrew Hruby of McGill University, Winning Design

Forever Green (interior) by David Dworkind and Andrew Hruby of McGill University, Winning Design

The InOut House (exterior) by Scott Burroughs of Tulane University

The InOut House (exterior) by Scott Burroughs of Tulane University

The InOut House (interior) by Scott Burroughs of Tulane University

The InOut House (interior) by Scott Burroughs of Tulane University

The Kitchen Blender (exterior) by Claudia Barra de Vincenzo and Tracy Sun of McGill University

The Kitchen Blender (exterior) by Claudia Barra de Vincenzo and Tracy Sun of McGill University

The Kitchen Blender (interior) by Claudia Barra de Vincenzo and Tracy Sun of McGill University

The Kitchen Blender (interior) by Claudia Barra de Vincenzo and Tracy Sun of McGill University

The Lakeview House (exterior) by Thomas Colosino and David Lachin of Louisiana State University, Winning Design

The Lakeview House (exterior) by Thomas Colosino and David Lachin of Louisiana State University, Winning Design

The Lakeview House (interior) by Thomas Colosino and David Lachin of Louisiana State University, Winning Design

The Lakeview House (interior) by Thomas Colosino and David Lachin of Louisiana State University, Winning Design

The New Datum for a Topography Under Water (exterior) by Justin Boulanger and Ann Rodgers of McGill University, Winning Design

The New Datum for a Topography Under Water (exterior) by Justin Boulanger and Ann Rodgers of McGill University, Winning Design

The New Datum for a Topography Under Water (roof deck) by Justin Boulanger and Ann Rodgers of McGill University, Winning Design

The New Datum for a Topography Under Water (roof deck) by Justin Boulanger and Ann Rodgers of McGill University, Winning Design

The Pin House (elevation) by Erin Towsley and Valérie Lechéne of McGill University

The Pin House (elevation) by Erin Towsley and Valérie Lechéne of McGill University

The Pin House (interior) by Erin Towsley and Valérie Lechéne of McGill University

The Pin House (interior) by Erin Towsley and Valérie Lechéne of McGill University

Wood Frame House (exterior) by Lilia Koleva and Philippe Larocque of McGill University

Wood Frame House (exterior) by Lilia Koleva and Philippe Larocque of McGill University

Wood Frame House (interior) by Lilia Koleva and Philippe Larocque of McGill University

Wood Frame House (interior) by Lilia Koleva and Philippe Larocque of McGill University

Miyoko Ohtake
When not writing, Miyoko Ohtake can be found cooking, training for her next marathon, and enjoying all that the City by the Bay and the great outdoors have to offer.

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