In New Orleans, the shotgun was developed as an affordable housing solution. By 1830, New Orleans was the wealthiest city in the New World and by 1840, it had doubled in size. Most of its population growth was service oriented from either East Africa or the Caribbean. It's estimated that over 10,000 homes were built in less than 10 years; an almost inconceivable pace for one city, even by today's standards.The city responded by creating lots as narrow as possible, making them as cheap as possible. The people built out of retired wooden barges which were rapidly being replaced by steel. The wood was strong, available in long lengths and extremely rot resistant. This allowed them to build fast, strong and tall using methods based on vernacular Caribbean homes. They were placed on piers to resist termites and survive flooding. Vents were placed around the base of the house and in the floors to bring in cool air while ceiling fans and tall double hung windows pushed the warm air out. Large porches, along with the dense development and fast growing vegetation, all but eliminated solar heat gain. Spaces were modular, centralized and stacked to avoid any wasted circulation space.
Yet, as I peruse the "green" solutions of late by the "world's greatest architects", none of them come close to the shotgun; a home made almost entirely of recycled materials with a 100% passive heating and cooling system. Today, their beauty is so valued, that the city rigorously reviews almost any proposition to even alter, much less demolish, a single one.
It was designed by a social network, using social production, based on vernacular architecture, and in response to a real economic problem. This, in my humble opinion, is the true power and necessary future of design.
