The DURA house—diverse, urban, resilient, adaptable—is an open-concept, one-bedroom, net zero weather-resistant living space that almost 60 students have worked on over a two-year period. “To go from having to draw it to seeing it live is an amazing experience for them,” says Alexander Aptekar, the City Tech professor overseeing the project.
With the devastation wrought by Superstorm Sandy still in their minds, Chantal Manning, a recent graduate from Brooklyn who was part of the original design team, emphasized the plan revolved around the concept of creating a home that could withstand a superstorm. She said, “If we’re going to design something, we want to make sure it’s going to be resilient against future storming and weathering.”
Solar panels provide energy, and the stackable unit sports three layers of breathable membrane and air-tight sealing. Materials were donated from suppliers around the world.
Beyond the competition, the students want to grab the attention of NYC Mayor de Blasio. “We really thought about something that’s authentic for New York City,” said Manning. “We want to make sure we’re improving the lifestyle of people who live here and we want to make sure we’re doing it in a sustainable way. Best case, the city says great design, we want to build a whole complex of these in Brooklyn, in Manhattan.”
Following the competition, the students would like to return the modular home to NYC so they can evaluate their project and then donate it, possibly to a disable veteran.
As MHProNews knows, the decathlon will be held in Irvine, California in October, 2015, with 20 entries from students around the world. The last competition, in 2013, was won by the Vienna University of Technology. ##(Image credit: nbcnewyork/New York City College of Technology–DURA Home)
