Brad Pitt's Floating House Unveiled

Brad Pitt's Make it Right Foundation recently unveiled another one of its houses in New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward. This one was built specifically to withstand Katrina-type weather. In other words: It can float.

The house, designed by Thom Mayne, was built so that in flood conditions it can break away from its moorings and electrical lines and rise up up to 12 feet. It would still be attached to guideposts, so it wouldn't float away, but it would hopefully withstand the kind of weather that devastated that area of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.

The house is also built with a battery that would provide the occupants with enough energy to make it through three days—hopefully enough time for help to arrive.

We're totally fascinated by this design. If you are too, you can learn more about it here.

Via Inhabitat

Image: Morphopedia

Comments (6)

Wonderful idea, plus it's totally cool looking!

posted by Elvis on October 12th 2009 at 6:01pm
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Wow! What an amazing person to be supporting projects like this!

posted by AcrossThePond on October 14th 2009 at 2:56pm
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Very smart idea! The thought behind the survival ability and style of these homes is amazing.

posted by junklover on October 15th 2009 at 4:38pm
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thank goodness someone is using their brain!
what a great idea!
i wish more people were like him!

~victor

http://urbanshedstudio.com/victor.cfm

posted by urbanshed on October 16th 2009 at 9:47am
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lovely thought, but it's a pity that it wasn't designed with high winds in mind. eaves like that are one of the major reasons houses in florida get ripped to shreds during a hurricane.

come a high wind event, and you may float, but you will be roofless.

posted by circusboy on October 16th 2009 at 1:43pm
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if you take a look at the video, it looks like it has some solid roof joists and struts holding the roof down... so i'm pretty sure it was designed with wind loadings in mind.

posted by ghunt on October 16th 2009 at 4:06pm
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