Client: Residents of Pearlington

Team: Basic Initiative + Design Corps

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the small town of Pearlington, Mississippi had washed away in a 28-foot surge. Evacuated residents have since returned to their property to live in FEMA trailers where their homes once stood.

The 2007 Rebuilding After Katrina (RAK) Design/Build focused on the innovative reuse of salvaged building material to build two small shelters for two families in the rural and recovering community where Hurricane Katrina first made landfall. Built with locally salvaged building materials (from New Orleans and Biloxi), the decisions of design of the shelters were collaborated with clients and built by a team of volunteers.  Each structure maintains a 12′ x 16′ building footprint and share comparable costs, but exceeds in building character and performance.  The shelters make to point to inspire Pearlington residents and recovery volunteers to utilize salvaged building materials in future built projects by showcasing their benefits and utility.

Location: Pearlington, Mississippi