Floating House Arrives in Big Easy

No one wants to see another Hurricane Katrina, but in the event that we do, what's the best way to avoid flood damage? How about a house that rises with the tide?

A floating house, capable of withstanding flood waters, was unveiled Tuesday in the Big Easy. The FLOAT house, made possible by actor Brad Pitt's Make It Right Foundation, was constructed on UCLA's campus in Los Angeles and shipped in pieces to its new home, reports the Associated Press. It was designed by Morphosis Architects under the direction of Thom Mayne, a professor at UCLA. It's the first of its kind to be permitted in the United States.

The 1,000 square-foot two-bedroom modern house sits on a four-foot base and features energy efficient features like solar panels and a roof that can capture and recycle water. In the event of a flood, the house will rise on posts with the water up to 12 feet. Residents would still need to evacuate for their own safety, but the design is intended to minimize damage to the structure and its contents.

It took about two years to design and build the house. Developers are now looking for a production company to mass produce it. Surprisingly, the houses are expected to be reasonably affordable, at around $150,000 a pop. Only those who lived in the Lower 9th ward before Hurricane Katrina are eligible to buy to it after first qualifying through Pitt's foundation.

Pitt founded Make It Right in 2007 to help Lower 9th Ward residents who lost their homes during Katrina. Click here for a tour of the FLOAT house.