9TH WARD HOUSING

Project Information

Academic Project: Cornell University, Spring 2011

Location: New Orleans, Louisiana

Design Team: Ryan Glick, Dong Hyun Kim

Professor: Shayne O'neil

In a post Katrina lower ninth ward, housing is a controversial problem which has to respond to the viability of living below sea level. This project takes on housing as a direct response to impending future disasters. 

The development of a series of residential units which fit into a larger infrastructural framework, allowing for a multi phased response to rising water. A artificial ground serves as a plinth which acts as the first response to rising water. Infrastructure and vehicular parking are housed within the artificial ground. 

Each residential unit becomes buoyant after 10 feet of rising water, these units are structured by buoyant concrete slabs which are tethered to retain the  relative unit location in an extreme flood condition. External forces caused by floating debris in a disaster are absorbed by an isotonic foam facade system.