Since the Spring of 2006, a shifting group of dozens of MIT architecture and planning students have been involved in developing a prototype house for the bayou areas of south Louisiana, which were ravaged by Hurricane's Katrina and Rita. The first prototype house, designed by students in a workshop conducted by the Special Interest Group for Urban Settlements (SIGUS) within the School of Architecture and Planning, is currently under construction under the administration of a partner organization in Terrebonne Parish. The primary objectives of the house design are to provide a model for low cost reconstruction housing that will improve on conventional construction practices in terms of storm worthiness, durability, and energy and resource efficiency. Following the initial design, students have been involved in working with local architects and engineers to produce construction and engineering documents. Over IAP, a group of architecture and planning students travelled to the region to further develop the project through design and prototyping of sustainability-related house components such as storm and shading shutters and a vegetated trellis structure.