fragmented home
treme new orleans

the shotgun house in new orleans has "become a symbol of the retention of African traditional social and cultural traits within the United States", Mario Gooden writes, quoting James Draper in his 2016 book Dark Space. Gooden states that the "ninety degree rotation of the house from conventional American folk housing is a "formal index of an alternative architectural tradition"", citing John Michael Vlach. likewise, the front porch is "not only an African architectural trait, but [was] adopted by the dominant white culture and can be found on many American houses today".

this context is critical for reading architectural development since hurricane katrina that has used the lot size of a shotgun house to appropriate and colonize space in new orleans, particularly in the neighborhoods of the lower ninth and treme, where many Black residents have been forced out of their homes and neighborhoods.

rather than reinvent form using the lot size of the typical shotgun house, fragmented home seeks to use the familiar shotgun house type while providing a flexible interior. designed for a parent or couple with two children and an elderly relative who needs regular care, the fragmented interior still allows for an open and accessible ground floor while giving adequate privacy to all residents.

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