Core77

Brad Pitt, commissioner of experimental housing designs

By Rain Noe - December 5, 2007

in Object Culture

We never thought we'd be writing about Brad Pitt in Core77, but the guy is now officially making design headlines. The actor's interest in architecture and love of New Orleans has led him to commission 13 firms to design 150 homes for areas devastated by Katrina, with restraints: 1,200-square-foot, flood-height-friendly homes for $150,000, and they have to be green, reducing upkeep costs by 75%.

"If you have this blank slate and this great technology out there, what better test than low-income housing?" Mr. Pitt said. "It's got to work at all levels to really be viable."

Pitt, who's pitching in $5 million of his own money alongside philanthropist Steven Bing, spread the designs out over 13 firms to get "a mixture of voices." He's also committed to letting the designers do what they do: "There is [no] reason to call on these great minds if you're just going to shackle them," he said. We bet more than one of you reading this wishes your boss was in love with Brad Pitt and would heed his advice.

via ny times

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MICHELE HOWARD

16 years ago

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KNOW THE NUMBER TO APPLY FOR THE HOMES.
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eduardo prats

16 years ago

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I would like more info. on these Brad Pitt beautiful homes. What are they made of. how green?
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seadog

16 years ago

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Are you sure you are not confusing your units?
Do mean 300 sq meters not 300 sq ft?

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minxlj

16 years ago

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It depresses the hell out of me that in the UK I can't even hope to have a 300 sq ft property never mind 1,200 sq ft! I am currently buying a very, very basic property here in one of the cheapest areas in the UK and it is still costing me nearly $200,000. Housing design for lower incomes doesn't even seem to be an option in this country, the less well-off seem to have to make do with ugly, poorly performing and poorly maintained homes - we need someone with a bit of foresight, like Brad!

I seriously want to move to the USA.

Green rooftops, solar cells and heat pumps are hardly 'new' technology - I hope it really brings benefits to New Orleans and its people, and starts a blueprint for sustainable and safe affordable housing everywhere. I'd jump at the chance to buy one in this country.
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Patrick Austin

16 years ago

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Well, at least it wouldn't be the first time that a utopian vision of a technologically advanced future was dropped on the poor. :) I predict leaky green rooftops, solar cells shorting out, crumbling pervious concrete and heat pumps running the wrong way. Really, with this sort of tech, we should probably be letting it trickle down, with the rich people footing the bill for the beta testing of new tech.
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Chris

16 years ago

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I like it, but I find it curious that the example of low cost housing shown has a brand new Cadillac parked under it ï¿½
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