SHOTGUN VILLAGE

Formerly incarcerated individuals constitute a segment of the population facing significant challenges in securing housing in the US. Because of their criminal records, justice-involved individuals face additional barriers to accessing affordable housing, putting them at risk of homelessness and subsequent recidivism. This issue is particularly acute in New Orleans (NOLA), given its subtropical context. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina submerged 80% of the city, exacerbating an existing housing shortage. Louisiana ranks as the second state with the largest prison population. Various solutions exist, ranging from temporary shelters to government-provided loans. Despite these efforts, offering affordable housing designed to provide a second chance has become a challenge.

NOLA has a rich cultural landscape, including a vibrant art scene and an iconic housing typology known as the shotgun house. Art plays a pivotal role in fostering a sense of self-worth, processing emotions, and navigating the challenges associated with incarceration. It promotes social integration and positive relationships. The Shotgun Village is envisioned as a community where both formerly incarcerated individuals and emerging artists can affordably reside in their one-bedroom apartments. Proximity fosters creative thinking and a sense of communal care.

The historic shotgun typology is prevalent in many low-density residential neighborhoods of NOLA. Originating from West Africa, it proliferated in the early 1800s as Haitian and West African refugees, immigrants, and slaves arrived. Initially serving lower-income populations, the shotgun house became part of the city’s identity, particularly in the 9th ward, heavily impacted by Katrina. Typically single-storied, the shotgun house is one room wide without a hallway, featuring the living room on the street side, followed by one or two bedrooms and the kitchen on the backyard side.

The Shotgun Village reimagines the traditional shotgun layout while maintaining its dimensions along the street for urban continuity. Living rooms shift to the backyard side, creating a communal space at the heart of the plot. Inhabitants can open their doors and share moments on large steps. The house is shortened to allow space for a proper garden at the back, facilitating communal activities along this new spine. Houses are built in groups of three, covering half a plot, with the middle unit at the junction designated for an artist. To adapt to the climate, homes incorporate vernacular cooling methods such as high ceilings, operable windows, sloped roofs, biophilia, and cross-ventilation. For future-proofing, 3D printing is combined with bio-sourced materials, PV panels, and rainwater collection systems. The rhythm of the shotgun is evolves into curved courtyards acting as rain gardens with meadows or outdoor theaters. The movement of the inward façade creates inhabited niches, echoing the custom 3D-printed furniture design inside: bed frames extend into seating or lazy steps, suggesting new uses.

While in prison, inhabitants were reduced to a number and stripped of their individuality. It was crucial for us to offer a personalized and unique housing experience where furniture and walls break away from the orthogonal prison cell. From the outside, the housing program appears as another reimagined shotgun house, but the interior is a haven where residents can define their own rhythm while feeling surrounded by a strong community.

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