The submission was chosen as the finalist from the Connecticut chapter of the USGBC. The other finalists, selected by a panel of ten jurors (from an initial pool of 360 entries), are the Buro Happold Consulting Engineers’ collaborative effort with Rogers Marvel Architects, which emphasizes building materials resistant to bad weather, and two student proposals, one from Carnegie Mellon’s Wuijoon Ha and the other from a team of University of Hawaii designers. Each plan took into consideration the input of local residents whose ideas were solicited earlier this year.
      Although, at a mere 800 square feet, the planned houses will be rather tight, they will fit nicely on the approximately 30 X 100-foot lots that are typical of the area. Community leaders from the Broadmoor Development Corporation envision seniors and first time buyers moving in. These models of sustainable building practices are being welcomed into a neighborhood that has witnessed a devastating collision of natural forces against architecture. When it comes to rebuilding in this particular place, designing structures to be green and affordable is viewed as the natural thing to do.