Even though New York has one of the best disaster preparedness plans in the US, it was not ready when Hurricane Sandy hit. Six months after the hurricane, hundreds of evacuees were still staying in New York hotels and had nowhere to go.
A new set of modular housing units was designed by the New York Office of Emergency Management that could prevent a housing problem next time a similar disaster occurs.
Architect Jim Garrison created a project called Post-Disaster Urban Housing Prototypes which involves prefabricated modules that can be assembled in 15 hours. The core structure consists of three 150 square meter bedrooms stacked on supports, but it is also accessible to people in wheelchairs.
The prototype design also incorporates energy-efficient systems. According to Garrison, just using cross ventilation and a balcony system that blocks direct sunlight could help reduce the use of air conditioning by at least two months at the beginning and end of the season.
There is still discussion about whether this prototype could be used as affordable housing even in the absence of a disaster. Some of Garrison's colleagues have suggested that he should put the prototype on a barge and keep it anchored in a harbor, creating a series of houseboats. The lifespan of these is estimated at 20 years.
At the same time, it is unclear whether the prototype could actually withstand a future super strong storm. But the damage caused by the storm also depends on other measures taken to protect the coastlines.
