The end of the beginning.

I come bearing both good news and an apology. First I am very sorry I have been such a slacker about updating. I will do a much better job next semester because one of the requirements of my extended stay in Mississippi next semester is that I document progress on a weekly basis. That leads me into the news, rather than returning to Blacksburg in the Spring I will be continuing to work with Southcoast Design/Build. (The fourth year faculty asked me to make it very clear that my extended stay is a very special exception.)

Now allow me to get you more acclimated to life in the small coastal town of Pass Christian, MS.

This is the apartment where Kyle, Julius, and I lived this semester, located 3 miles (a short bike ride) from studio. I think it looks like a nintendo. My guilty pleasure of the semester was going on midnight, barefoot runs on the golf course behind the apartment.

This is studio, located in a house in "downtown" Pass Christian. 

This is the house where we will be living next semester, located just three doors down from studio. It has already begun to be affectionately referred to as the "Speed Square Manor". I am very excited about the large front porch.

This is Ms. Dang, the client we designed for this semester. Construction will begin on her home first thing in January. In this photo she is teaching me how to gut and filet fish. 

Here is the Green's home we were building this semester. It is completely water tight and leak proof. The end of the semester included metal panel roofing and fiber cement cladding.

I spent my final day of the semester making camera obscuras in one of the studio bedrooms. 

In other news, do you ever wonder what happens to your models after the semester is over? Do they become relics preserved in time or something else entirely. I came home to find my rainmaker site model has been ranked as one of the more interesting places in the house.

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a taste of home?

I found this today and once again was reminded of both of you. This is a new project by Studio Gang with an expected completion date of 2012 and is sited in the one and only Greenville, SC. Perhaps we'll have to make a visit after graduation?

while i keep you waiting...

I thought I'd share something I found while perusing this morning. This is a project entitled "bunker 599" by two Dutch firms: Atelier de Lyon and Rietveld Landscape. I'll let you read more about the project specifics on your own, but I couldn't help but think back to our third year competition entry when looking at this. This idea of place re-contextualized as well as the duality of vulnerability and strength of materiality inherent in the tectonics are both themes I find particularly provoking in this piece as well as our own project. The fact that a former site of impenetrable fortitude and isolation will now become a space for public gathering and introspection is really invigorating.

Here's the link: http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/9/view/11873/rietveld-landscape-atelier-de-lyon-bunker-599.html

Hope you enjoy,
e

Outside Desk

We are currently in the phase of doing construction documents so that we can begin construction on November 1st of the house we've designed. (More will be posted about that soon) Since working on CAD for extended periods tends to impose heavily on one's soul, we came up with an idea that we call "Outside Desk". This has greatly boosted moral.

-Tray

3 Projects in Haiti

I spent this past summer in Jacmel, Haiti, working as the summer intern at an orphanage called the Hands and Feet Project. During my time there I was able to get involved with some design work that was going on. You can read about my adventures on my other blog traystrawhorn.blogspot.com

This first project is just the second floor of a guest house a group called Mission of Hope was building. The first floor was already under construction when I arrived. The director of the mission took me onto the first floor ceiling/current roof and asked to come up with and idea for the second floor. The limitations for this we're designing within bounds established by the first floor. The rebar coming through the slab told me where columns can be, and the pvc pipes told me where water and septic can run. The large hole in the photo is where two stair sets are going to be, each going the way opposite of the other, so circulation was also predetermined. In a strange way working on this was kind of like doing Hejduk's 9 square grid project.

The suites are one room with a bathroom attached. The bathrooms are all in a row at the back, this will make running the water and septic easier. The really interesting thing about building in Haiti is the relationship with the builder. Much more faith is placed in the builder than in the states. Everything in America is all about contracts, liability, and preventing yourself from being sued, but in Haiti without such fears, there is a healthier relationship between architect and builder. This drawing I did with a tape measure and piece of plywood for a straight edge will come back manifested in built form. Note the way the rebar from the columns comes through the slab. In Haiti everyone leaves that on the roof instead of trimming it off. By doing this they don't have to pay taxes on their building because its "unfinished".

This next project is a small 14 x 20 foot house. It has just begun construction, when finished about 10 people will be living there. This house will be for a really poor family that our mission is helping out. Note some of the details about the construction. Columns and beams are cast in place concrete with cmu infill. You can see some of the things being done for earthquake prevention. An additional lintel/bond beam are placed between each floor. Everywhere a slab and column intersect a concrete triangle is created with a piece of steel in it. This is really cheap to do, you can normally do this with your rebar scraps. Our orphanage learned how to do this by watching the discovery channel. All the earthquake proofing measures are simply ways to create lateral stability, how to minimize movement when the earth shakes. 

Through this model we were able to do a cost estimate by knowing how many blocks and feet of steel will be used. The most expensive thing about building in Haiti is foundation cost. So for not much money we added a small loft for the children to sleep on. The building is oriented on the site so that the wind will travel up the slope of the roof, creating a Bernoulli effect to more effectively cool the building. Wind passing more rapidly on top will pull out the hot air that gathers at the top of the house. Note the louvers shown in the section, this is vented block, a precast building unit used often in Haiti. They allow air to pass through while keeping water out. 

The most exciting project I worked on was the new orphanage for the Grand Goave site. Construction has begun on this, I've been told they are currently working on the footers. It has a really beautiful site, up on a coastal mountain overlooking a river and the beach. It is composed of four 30' X 70' units connected by an open air dining room. The dining room expands out to a panoramic view of the ocean. I was given the project at this point in its design (the sketch up model below) and started working on the floor plans, filling in the units. After the first unit is constructed 30 kids who are currently living in temporary housing will move in and construction will continue. After the second unit is completed the orphanage will start taking new kids. And construction will continue for the third and fourth units. It was a really fun narrative to work with, floor plans orchestrated the events growth and expansion of the orphanage. 

Each unit is divided into seven 10' x 15' bays. The bays are oriented to allow them to cross ventilate and cool the building. Since the site is on the side of a mountain and next to the ocean there is always a breeze. The first water well on site failed, depending on how the next one goes, the building may become dependent on a grey water/rain harvesting system. The design would not have been possible without Steven Mulligan, of Invision Architecture in Iowa. We had different groups come through the orphanage every week and as fate would have it he was here on a week while I was working on this project. He helped me make my ideas work and I learned a great deal of things that they don't teach you in architecture school. I emailed that hand drawings to him after he returned to America and he put together a revit model and exported to drawings below. 

This is the project as of October 18, 2010. Photo courtesy of the Hands and Feet director, Bob Herdman. (Note the breath taking view.)

I hope to return to Haiti soon, to visit the forty pieces of my heart I left behind in Jacmel. Hopefully then I'll have some built works to post. It was an incredible honor to work on these projects this summer. The whole internship worked out better then anything I could have ever hoped for. 

Hopefully the future holds more of this.

-Tray

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we've been blessed...

with a gift. I'm not sure that I even have to specify what these are, but I will say that Jim was gracious enough to bestow us with the recipe. Nick is the first amongst our studio to attempt their preparation and after a thorough sampling, I can say without hesitation that they were a complete success.

Look out for a copy of the recipe in your inbox. There are some more nuanced details which Nick has suggested that I am waiting to tack on as an addendum. My personal recommendation is to partner them with butter and honey. Benissimo!

Build Update

Our current build project is the Green's house in the next town over, Long Beach, MS. This is about 1,000 square feet. It was designed by the group last spring, construction began in the summer. When we picked up, it had just passed its hurricane strap inspection, so we finished sheathing the house in osb, random frame work like facia and drywall nailers, and putting the water proofing layers on the outside. Currently the Tyvek and roof underlayment are complete. Construction has temporarily halted until some more funds are gathered. The next step is to put on the metal roof.

Also in the news.
We spent a few days rebuilding a section of our driveway. So we learned fun things about working with concrete. Like building forms, working with concrete truck, skreeting/floating it, and cutting control joints.

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looks like you've got a challenge...

I saw this and thought of the bathroom installment in the Bungalow. I guess they super-sized your concept? We should make it bigger...

here's the link:
http://www.archdaily.com/77487/bhuis-hoogte-twee-architecten/

The Traveler

To: Matt
From: Tray

kübe + mirror = skyspace

To: Evan
From: Tray

pro bono publico

These are my responses to the first two assignments we were given for Professional Practice with Markus Bonauer. The goal was to produce an annotated "Personal Manifesto for Growth" a la Bruce Mau as well as develop a mission statement, job posting, and biography for your hypothetical/future architecture firm. I think it goes without saying that maatrevan was close at heart as I wrote what I did. I would greatly value your input on these writings as I think they're a direct reflection of the practice we've developed amongst us. I would also challenge you to think about it on your own and see how your responses compare. It was much more difficult than I had originally estimated, but was highly rewarding. I think it's imperative to be able to vocalize your thoughts in a medium such as this, both now as a student and eventually as a professional...or a collection of professionals. thesis?

tropicaNO

In other news, I don't think the girl who occupies my desk from last year much likes my fruit stickers. What a shame...

competition.

Here is a link to the competition that we will be participating in for the semester:

http://www.aias.org/kawneer/index.php

Paola was very committed to the idea of us participating in an active competition so that we could have the potential to submit our entry for recognition. She has also established the requirement that we develop two proposals amongst the four us because she thinks that it will facilitate a more generative process because the designs will not only push against each other but the division of the work will also allow us to more quickly come to decisions rather than all four of us stressing over the same minute detail. We have decided to actively participate in both of the designs rather than divide ourselves into two teams. As for the difference in the two designs, we're playing around with the idea of establishing a site in both a rural and urban context. Both are faced with deficient school conditions, but deal with two very different sets of problems. We're struggling now with whether or not we site the project in a location that is attempting to initiate school reform, but simply doesn't have the facilities or in a place that just has low standards of education in general. It seems to make sense that we'd site in a location that has the initiative and motivation to make a change to ensure it's "success." At the same time though, we've asked/challenge ourselves with this: "can architecture instigate a change in curriculum as well as preconceptions of education as a community endeavor."

There are some obvious technicalities that we are immediately wary of, but will try to approach it optimistically. The first of these is the requirement of Kawneer's products in our design towards a LEED certification. We have established a common desire to take a more passivhaus approach towards the sustainability factor, but like Jim told me last year, these elements are becoming the status quo and like egress and building codes will become something that just goes without saying.

We're very excited about the potential of working with children in development of the design. Harry has already established a connection who can give us access to one of the local elementary schools. We plan to interview the kids as well as the staff in an effort to produce something that will be actually be functional to its more important users.


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kübe

This is the prompt we were given by the MES Studio (Margharita, Gene, and Heiner) for the first week. Remind you a little of first year? The diagram is a bit deceiving in terms of what they were expecting, but predominately the results were very similar. This idea of ascension as a general progression from light to dark seemed to be the overriding theme and was evident in the designs.






I chose a bit of a different approach, emphasizing the role of the horizon as a bounding element within the hierarchy that was referenced in the prompt. Gene suggested the following relationship that I found very poignant: earth as 1, horizon as 3, and the sky as infinity. In this system, the 3 implies a constrained movement between a determinate number of points. Additionally, he said that work achieves a "poetic" position when the "means becomes the content." A little different than your standard "form follows function," but I liked the potential inherent in this. Starting with a single plane, I made a series of folds to establish the implied volume of a cube. Hence, the process establishes the form itself (or the means becomes the content).

This being my first experience in the metal shop, you can imagine the feeling of success I possessed as the final product came out. But, I'd be lying if I said it wasn't spoiled slightly when I came to the realization that Matt produced essentially the same thing in the second semester of our first year! In all seriousness, it was a really rewarding process. I enjoyed getting the chance to weld and manipulate the metal using the break. Also...the junkyard is incredible. The piece I used was over six feet long and it cost merely $10. Benissimo!

The French Quarter

Kyle and I decided that yesterday would be a good day to make our first trip into New Orleans. We plan on visiting a different district of the city each time we visit and after turning off the gps, the french quarter is what we ended up in.

The first place we spent time was the St. Louis cemetery which we spotted while driving in and parked next to for the day.
The Cemetery takes up 3 city blocks and is located between government housing projects, the interstate, and ironically an RV park.



The cemetery reminded me one I saw in Haiti over the summer in the city of Grand Goave, where the new orphanage I worked on is going to be built. The contrast is interesting, the Haitians obviously lack the influence of Thomas Jefferson's grid ordinance. Funeral processions are also a common thread between the two places, parades led by brass bands and filled with hired mourners.



Every time we passed the cemetery in Grand Goave I would refer to it as the subdivision of the dead, because of the fact that for many the house they occupy when dead is comparable to the one they occupy while alive. The graves were actually about the half the size here.




After this we walked towards the French Quarter. We came upon several street performers. Many sections of N-S streets would be closed and full of people while the E-W streets remained open for traffic. We sat down and listened to this family band for a while.



Then we began meeting some people. New Orleans was one of the most polite cities that I have ever been to. I didn't meet a rude person the whole time I was there. Many people went out of their way to say hello or offer their help. I am also a big fan of the New Orleans accent. This fellow we met while watching the street band. He asked me to take a picture of him throwing away his now warm beer. He said he wanted use it as evidence in his case against the lady he was sitting next to. For some reason he said it was her fault his beer went warm. So I took a video which he said was even better than a photograph. We then showed it to his friend and successfully sued her for another beer. There are some people who simply need to be met.



We then somehow found ourselves on Bourbon Street which we wanted to avoid. But it turns out that labor day weekend is a big gay pride festival called Southern Decadence. So we investigated and found a vast array of leather, feathers, and very short shorts.



Then we began my favorite portion of the day, exploring the poor area that surrounding the French Quarter. There was alot of beautiful abandonment and over growth. There were many times Kyle would turn to me and simply say "nature is winning." Portions of sidewalk would have only a narrow path through the weeds and unkept grass.




We passed by this address, 1010 1/2. The occupant found a way to inhabit the space between the buildings.



We found my favorite one of Banky's pieces in the city. He came 3 years after the hurricane, saying his work was a commentary on the state of recovery. Much of his work has been covered with gray paint by a self appointed vigilante who people refer to as "the gray ghost". This piece was covered with a sheet of plexiglass. The building owner must have been one of the few who realized that the value of his building had doubled because of the fact it had been vandalized.



We then continued walking through the marginalized community surrounding the French Quarter, wondering how much houses cost, and commenting on which ones we would like to live in. We then ran into this nice man. He asked us if we wanted to take a family picture for him and said it was a once in a life time opportunity. So we did. He then told us about the nice picture that was on the wall of the house next to him. He probably didn't know who Banksy was, he simply observed that most people who passed by liked to photograph this pretty picture.




In closing a city is the people who live inside of it. We will return, I can't wait to meet more of the city.

In other news, I found a working, antique underwood typewriter on craigslist today for only $25. I'm picking up it up tomorrow.

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