by ArchitectureWeek

A boxy new house stands on stilts in the Katrina-ravaged Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Its form may be distinctly contemporary, but the home has ties to its place: filigree railings recall the ornamental ironwork of the French Quarter, and a linear plan evokes some sense of the regional shotgun house vernacular.

With operable windows and an efficient HVAC system, the house is also designed to keep its occupants comfortable in Louisiana's hot, humid climate while minimizing energy use. This is the Special No. 9 House by KieranTimberlake and executive architect John C. Williams Architects, one of the green prototype homes designed for Brad Pitt's Make It Right Foundation.

The LEED Platinum-certified dwelling has been named one of the Top Ten Green Projects for 2010 by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on the Environment (COTE).

This year's selection of top green projects also includes offices, apartments, and educational facilities — all featuring a wealth of sustainable elements and strategies, such as daylighting, natural ventilation, high-efficiency mechanical systems, water-conserving plumbing fixtures, and low-impact materials.

Kroon Hall, the LEED Platinum-rated home of the Yale University School of Forestry & Environmental Studies by Michael Hopkins — among this year's top ten green selections, and a fascinating building — was featured in depth in ArchitectureWeek in January.

Home in New Orleans

The first built example of the Special No. 9 House, a 1,520-square-foot (141-square-meter) dwelling completed in 2008, is oriented on an east-west axis. Ample glazing on the south, east, and west facades provide extensive daylighting, while a trellis to the south — intended to become vine-covered — limits solar gain. The large operable windows and transoms facilitate natural ventilation, aided by ten-foot- (three-meter-) high ceilings with fans.   >>>

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SUBSCRIPTION SAMPLE The LEED Platinum-certified Kroon Hall at Yale University, in New Haven, Connecticut, was named one of the AIA/COTE Top Ten Green Projects for 2010. Photo: Morley von Sternberg Extra Large Image Raised above ground on concrete piers, the Special No. 9 House in New Orleans, Louisiana, is a prototype for high-quality mass-produced housing, intended for local residents displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Photo: © John Williams Architects Extra Large Image   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.