Only 1 year after completing a full design and renovation of this home, it was flooded up to four feet on the main floor and as such, had to be demolished down to the studs on both the main and lower floor. Our studio team worked alongside other volunteers to assist in helping our clients and their neighbors remove sludge from the floors and save what we could throughout the house. We went through the process of designing a house the second time from a new perspective.

Care and attention was taken to finish and material selections in the basement, like solid woods and concrete to reduce the impact of future potential flooding. Electrical outlets were moved up and mechanical and electrical systems were beefed up and partially moved to higher floor level to protect them in the future. More important than the finishes and materials was the emotional journey we explored alongside these clients as they went through loss and anger in early stages of the project. Ultimately these clients, among others we have that dealt with floods, came together and experienced an incredible sense of community despite the loss.