Architecture

My Design 2 class, which is one semester in length, is divided into two units. The dominant unit is Architecture which runs approximately 10 weeks. Within this unit we discuss architectural history, sustainable design, interior plan/flow, prefabrication, co-housing, new urbanism, and global housing needs. We have had incredible opportunities to visit architecture firms for our critiques, have one-on -one critiques with visiting architects and tour historical homes. When I first began the program seven years ago, students hand drew plans (here is a video of their small group, student led critiques) (another video) and then built their homes with foam core and pins. Now we also use google Sketchup

Progressive Architecture Critique

Progressive Architecture has been a collaborative partner over the years through annual one on one critiques at their architecture firm. Students have worked with google sketchup and model making.

Haiti micro housing

I have had a deep desire to have my students create projects that help serve local and global communities. Serving others with their designs creates a very different dynamic in the classroom. It opens my students’ hearts to ethical issues that might be discussed and forces them as designers to problem-solve design issues not typically encountered in a generic classroom architectural project. I chose for my students to design prefabricated micro-housing units for Haiti’s displaced that would eventually be prefabricated by them at our school. The future hope of this project would be that these prefabricated units would be stacked flat in a shipping container to Haiti. During Spring Break, or possibly early summer, students would then travel to Haiti and assist with putting the units together. With the Haiti Micro-housing project there were a number of new considerations for my young designers. We had two guests come to the class and discuss a variety of issues. Pastor Eric Hausler, who has served in Haiti for over twenty years gave a slide presentation on the Haitian community and its needs since the 2010 catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake. With over 650,000 still awaiting permanent housing (International Crisis Group, 2010), there is a huge need for micro-housing. Our second guest was designer and builder, Cameron Van Dyke who showed examples of micro-housing units, prefabricated houses, and shipping container homes. Students created a list of architectural needs for their housing units:

800 sq ft or smaller
no more more than one length to exceed 7′ (to fit into shipping container as prefab)
proper air ventilation
personal safety concerns with windows and doors that latch or are smaller than a human being and critters
roof angle for proper water drainage
water collection system (not necessary but may use)
two room units, one large room for children/gathering area and the other for parent’s sleeping quarters
storage or shelving unit
sheltered outdoor communal space
bold, “lively” colors for decorative patterns or entire wall such as pink, light blue and yellow