Project Details

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Design of Resilient, Economical, Affordable and Multidimensional (DREAM) Housing Solutions in Rural Appalachia

Company: Cocoziello Institute of Real State Innovation

Major(s):
Primary: ME
Secondary: MATSE
Optional: BME, EGEE

Non-Disclosure Agreement: NO

Intellectual Property: NO

Overview Rural Appalachia faces significant challenges in recovery exacerbated by frequent climate-related disasters. This project addresses these issues by Designing a Resilient, Economical, Appropriate and Multidimensional (DREAM) Housing Program that integrates disaster resilience, community-centric design, and sustainable development. This project also involves a collaborative process with local stakeholders to create housing solutions that are hazard-resistant, culturally appropriate, and economically feasible. The project will utilize human-centered design principles and systems thinking, focusing on empathy, defining needs, ideating solutions, prototyping, and testing. This project will engage with local communities and leverage partnerships with organizations such as Fahe (network of 50+ nonprofits in rural Appalachia region) to identify opportunities for design to establish problem statement and subsequent sustainable project solutions to this complex problem. Deliverables This project will design innovative housing prototypes that are resilient to climate impacts and adaptable to local needs and extreme users in rural communities. The anticipated outcomes include improved housing stability, reduced displacement, and enhanced recovery ecosystem and disaster preparedness.

 
 

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The Learning Factory is the maker space for Penn State’s College of Engineering. We support the capstone engineering design course, a variety of other students projects, and provide a university-industry partnership where student design projects benefit real-world clients.

The Learning Factory

The Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA 16802