Two Australian architects created a winning design for Breezy Point, N.Y. homes that is both affordable and storm resistant.
The effects of Hurricane Sandy, the tropical cyclone considered the worst of the 2012 Atlantic season, are still being felt in lower New York, according to the Daily News.
Damage was most severe in in low-lying areas of Red Hook and Coney Island, Brooklyn; Far Rockaway, Queens; lower Manhattan and New Jersey.
Many have recovered but some are wondering if reinvesting in a home in any of the above areas is worth it. A hurricane resistant home is beyond some budgets but there is always the chance another storm like Sandy, or worse, could pummel New England.
"Everyone is desperate to get back into their homes," said Urban Green Council Executive Director Russell Unger, who said another prerequisite for designers was that building costs could not exceed $150,000. "But what you might have done 50 years ago isn't going to work anymore."
The Urban Green Council's R3Build competition tasked students and young professionals to create a single-family home that could withstand extreme weather events.
Rayne Fouche and Larissa Searle, both graduates of the University of Queensland, submitted their "Bayside Bunker" design and won the competition.
Their native Australia is part of what sparked their interest in the project.
"We could, in many ways, relate to the geographic character of Breezy Point and the extreme weather conditions," said Fouche. "Living on the east coast of Australia, we have seen extreme floods and coastal erosions, which have destroyed homes and swallowed front yards."
You can hear Searle and Fouche talk about their winning submission here.
Below are renderings of Searle and Fouche's "Bayside Bunker" as well as the renderings for the second, third and people's choice awards.
