Just over ten years ago, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf, leaving many hundreds without homes. The Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans was hit the hardest and years after the tragedy, the community is still struggling to put the pieces back together. The Make It Right foundation was created by Brad Pitt with William McDonough, to help displaced families of the Lower 9th Ward, by working with 20 internationally renowned architects, to build 150 houses. William McDonough + Partners developed criteria for Make It Right’s environmental mission, using Cradle to Cradle philosophy to design each home to meet LEED Platinum certification requirements. In collaboration with MBDC, William McDonough + Partners conducted reviews of all materials considered for the project based on human and ecological health.
The residents worked with the designers to pick out a home layout would best suit their family’s needs. This project has evolved into a symbol of the growth since the tragedy in 2005 and has also expanded to other states including: Missouri, Montana, and New Jersey.
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