www.greenbuildermag.com 06.2012
48
Better Than
A green rebuild of the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans creates the largest, greenest
neighborhood in the United States. BY CATI O’KEEFE PHOTOS: COURTESY MAKE IT RIGHT
I
NVITED TO ATTEND a star- studded fundraiser and tour the Make It Right rebuild of the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans in March, I was curious to see the rebuilding progress
in an area where 4,000 homes were de- stroyed when Hurricane Katrina kicked a hole in the levy in August 2005. One part of this historic area had actor Brad Pitt as its caretaker. He founded the Make It Right Foundation, having as its goal the building of 150 aff ordable, green, storm-resistant houses by 2014. While much of the Lower Ninth is still
eerily pocked by boarded-up homes and empty lots, Pitt’s cluster of houses paral- leling the levy stand in blessed contrast. Designed by 21 architects, including Frank Gehry, Shigeru Ban, Morphosis—as well as local fi rms—the houses are hardly typical of a disaster rebuild. Their bright colors, whimsical porches, solar panels, and na- tive, xeriscaped landscaping manage to channel the soul and electricity of New Orleans with panache and innovation. The U.S. Green Building Council says
Make It Right will be the largest, greenest neighborhood of single family homes in America—earning their highest distinc- tion for energy effi ciency and sustainabil- ity: LEED Platinum. What does this project mean to the green building industry? Not only does each
house built in this neighborhood mean that some family was able to return from exile, but also that the owners of the new houses can aff ord their utility bills, enjoy good indoor air quality, and be proud—re- ally proud—of what their houses look like. It is an example not only of the improved housing that can be put in place after a disaster, but of smarter, greener designs that could be available to everyone. The March event was a mammoth push
to raise money to complete the project. It was one of the largest fundraisers ever held in New Orleans. Seeing a collection of talented peo-
ple who have other causes they could throw their star status behind so enthu- siastic about Make It Right was heart warming. It was entertaining to listen to Ellen DeGeneres badger the crowd for auc- tion bids, and watch Drew Brees auction off Super Bowl box seats (plus the oppor- tunity to call a play in the big game), and enjoy the musical talents of Sheryl Crowe, Dr. John, Rhianna and many others. But it’s a bigger story than one celebrity fundraiser or even one well-executed re- build. At Green Builder, we’ve been cover- ing innovative green projects for the better part of a decade. As the ecological crises described in the rest of this issue deepen, it’s heartening to see celebrities joining forces with the building industry, to help “Make It Right.” GB
Actor Brad Pitt founded Make It Right in December 2007. Since then, the organization has built 75 sustainable homes, and plans to complete the 150-house project by 2014.
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