The Institute (協会)

A year or two ago I heard a rumor about the possibility of Pitt and Jolie making a movie about a character who was an architect. Perhaps this move is in anticipation of just such a movie. I doubt that the modern cinema could match Capra's and Cooper's rendition of The Fountainhead, though.

Nathanael Snow

To me this seems to make a lot of sense. From what little I know about sustainability projects, most of the cost comes in retro-fitting old equipment and updating past bad designs. Since much of New Orleans is being built completely anew, why not do it the way we now know to be sustainable and cost efficient?

Our local Habitat for Humanity houses are the worst when it comes to sustanability and pleasing design...they are wooden boxes built with the cheapest materials...I haven't had any luck yet in getting them to change the things they conside "appropriate."

Does or has anyone else seen this as a problem?

kb,

I wonder if there are two issues here: 1) design, and 2) sustainability. I've never been to the area, and don't work with Habitat, but have seen two different shows about their work in the area. It seemed to me, from what they showed on tv, that Habitat is building homes with the same design as before.

Some might say the "shotgun" design is a part the New Orleans style, and while not to my liking, should be retained. But, even if that's right, it seems like Habitat could build those houses in a more sustainable way.

One of the shows I saw was on "This Old House" and from that show it does seem like Habitat is doing what it can to prevent future disasters from floods. For example, they're building the homes higher off the ground and are driving the piers even further into the ground than regulations call for in either situation. If what I saw is the norm, at least Habitat is doing something right (but I still think they should consider sustainability even more).

As if architecture didn't have enough problem with egos we now have to throw in actors?!? I don't see this going well.

Anthony,
You may want to check out Andres Duany's work with DPZ for New Orleans. Metropolis had an article about him a while back (end of 07 I think). Let me know if you get an appointment with 'his highness' as I would like to be a fly on the wall for that.

I would also encourage you to think holistically about being sustainable and not let the media pigeon hole you into thinking it has to do with what paint we use or light bulbs we install but that maybe to be truly sustainable (able to sustain life) involves more than materiality.

check out 'The Green Braid' edited by Tanzer

Brother Anthony,

Cool site. I think Brad Pitt is so popular that we tend to put him in the P. Hilton class and dismiss him. This is pretty amazing and I only wish that my Christian friends had this much vision and willingness to use networks -- let alone the ability to articulate this as a response to social injustice!!

I work in the shadows and aftermath of the housing projects which were built with little in the way of insight into sustainability and livability. Nor do I think that most of what Habitat is building considers aesthetics or lasting design aspects of sustainability. This may not be a long term perfect solution, and it may even be self serving celebrity-ism but as in keeping with the assessment Paul made even about those who preach the gospel -- even without pure motives, I'm ok with it.

Peace. Joel.

You know something? I never really cared for Brad Pitt until recently. He has put his heart and his time and his money into rebuilding New Orleans. And I respect and appreciate that so much. He and Angelina have done more for the city than the mayor and city council have....

I've been told that Habitat roofs actually weather storms better than most houses because volunteers tend to put in twice as many nails as regulations require.

And related to all this, you might check out the New Urbanism movement. Sidwalks in the Kingdom (Brazos Press) was written 5 yrs. ago by a pastor (PCUSA) trying to apply kingdom values to questions like the purposes of cities and how values like hospitality and community ought to be addressed. Anyway, I haven't actually finished the book yet -- but I'd love to get your take on it.

Tim,
I would like to know what you think of Jacobsen after you get done reading it. Feel free to email me at churnock@gmail.com if you like.

For, me I think he falls into an all too common conclusion, but I won't show my bias just yet.

I wrote this a few days ago (not to promote myself) but I think it handles this issue from a different angle:
http://mumblety-peg.blogspot.com/2008/03/little-pink-houses-for-you-and-me.html

Judson University in Elgin, IL is a Christian university with an architecture program (one of the largest in the country). It would be worth checking with them to see what they are doing about these issues.

Jacobsen spoke at CCDA a few years ago and I found his presentation fascinating. I appreciate the thought process of the New Urbanism, but in a way the possibility of bringing the power, resources and thinking to a community project is rare -- unless you run rough-shod over everyone.

I think that New Urbanism runs the risk of romanticizing the city yet it also demonstrates a real theological approach to the city that goes beyond the relatively simplistic "can't we design the city the way the puritans did" approach to tall steeples and other things religious. It is also a very health critique of sub-urbanism and shows ways in which the separatistic values of mainstream america show up not only in the suburbs but in some urban development as well.