In late August 2005, residents of the Armed Forces Retirement Home were faced with life altering
and unprecedented devastation. As the wrath of Hurricane Katrina subsided, it became clear that the severely damaged Home could not be salvaged. The attachment and commitment to the site remained strong, however, and a new Home was completed in 2010. Approximately 100 of the original residents returned to the site after 5 years in temporary lodging. The design of the new facility focuses on artifacts which survived the devastation and emphasizes the prominence of the site as a driving force in the composition of the building. The 660,000 square-foot facility consists of 584 residential units located in a series of pavilions placed above a common level plinth which provides safe haven from potential future storms.