Brad Pitt’s Make It Right foundation has converted an abandoned, historic school into super-green, LEED platinum, affordable housing in Kansas City.
Inhabitat has reported that the organization headed by the Hollywood star partnered with BNIM Architects to realize the LEED Platinum project. The Bancroft School Apartment development is intended to contribute to urban renewal in one of Kansas City’s most economically distressed areas by developing top quality, environmentally sound, low cost housing.
The Bancroft School had been boarded up for 13 years before the Make It Right renovations began. Now, the completed rental apartment complex features an auditorium, gym, computer lab, and gardens. In addition, some new town homes have been built just outside the school perimeter to provide more affordable housing.
As we reported in January 2011, in our very first month in existence, Pitt decided to found Make It Right because he wanted to do something to help rebuild New Orleans after the Hurricane Katrina disaster. He met with community groups and families in New Orleans and then started the foundation to build 150 green, affordable, high-quality design homes in the Lower 9th Ward, where more than 4,000 homes were destroyed by the massive storm.
The foundation states that “all Make It Right projects are LEED Platinum certified”, meeting the highest standards of green building. They believe that “high-performance, well-designed homes should be affordable and available for everyone”. From its start in helping to rebuild New Orleans, the foundation is now committed to working in neighborhoods across the U.S., and to help change the way buildings are designed and built.
Via Inhabitiat
Images: Make It Right
1. Make It Right’s Bancroft School Apartments
2. A two bedroom apartment after renovation (credit: C. Jackson)
3. Solar roof – more than 400 panels strong – after renovation (credit: BNIM)
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