Camelback Houses by GRAFT Architects

This Camelback 2 Houses Design Project is a part of the 'make it right program' in the lower 9th ward, New Orleans designed by GRAFT Architects. The Camelback Houses use the cradle to cradle philosophy and received LEED platinum certification. they are prefabricated modular units, constructed off-site. Camelback houses bring in a better environment, economical, and society combination.



For their design, GRAFT Architects based their ideas using the camelback shotgun typology. historically, camelbacks emerged as a way for residents to add a partial second story to a residence, whether simply to gain more space for a single-family home or to add a rental unit at the rear of a structure. in their design, we utilize the camelback strategy to stack a second efficiency unit above a first floor shotgun house.



A critical programmatic goal within the design is to establish a strong connection between the private interior zone of the house and the shared public space of the street. the primary challenge in achieving this goal lies in negotiating the 8’-0” first floor height that is required to make the houses safer from future flooding of the street level. the broad and spacious deck located in the front yard mediates the relationship between public and private by raising the deck 5' - 0' above grade.