A LONG HOUSE

[ARCHITECTURE _HARVARD GSD // FALL 2022]

Multi-generational housing is not a new concept for American housing, but it’s popularity at any given time has always been tied to American politics and economics. The introduction of 20th century programs like social security and the economic boom post WWII showed a decline in popularity, however issues like the pandemic in recent years and the predicted end of social security indicate a bigger future for multi-generational living. But what does this mean for people without established generations of family? Beginning with a series of scenarios exploring the various possible scales of multi-generational housing, these narratives are complicated by an investigation into various American housing typologies. Looking closely at the Dogtrot, the Plantation House, and the Shotgun, a number of distinguishing characteristics can be extrapolated and rearranged. Setting this new proposal in New Orleans, caught between the rural plantations and the urban density of downtown, the project seeks to provide density in the burgeoning neighborhoods that are quickly being devastated and overrun by encroaching industrial infrastructure, while protecting the scale of the neighborhood.