20K Ophelia’s Home

You’ve Gotta Raise the Walls Before You Can Raise the Roof

October 17, 2020

History, Shop, and Horseshoe Courtyard

Third years continued to work diligently in the shop this week as different cutting boards slowly started to come together. They were also able to visit a mid-1800’s house in Demopolis with Dr. Hudgens. At Horseshoe farms this week, 3rd-years were able to put up the frames for the other half of the courtyard after the 5th-years worked to install the footings.

Working in the Rural Studio Wood Shop on cutting boards

Ophelia’s Home

This week students worked to put the existing walls up at Ophelia’s Home. Rural Studio also had six helical anchors installed to further stabilize the foundation and 3rd-years were able to witness the process. While wall installation went slowly in order to assure everything remained plumb, students and Mrs. Ophelia were excited to see the home return prior condition. Everyone is looking forward to further progress on the home in the weeks to come!

Tags: #auburnarchitecture, #Ophelias20K, #ruralstudio, historyclass, newbern, OpheliasHome, woodshop

Winding Down to Wind Up

October 10, 2020

History and Shop

As the extended neck down schedule begins to subside, 3rd-years are starting to look at a more consistent work schedule. In history, Dr. Hudgens took students to the Gaineswood House which started out as a log cabin and after undergoing several additions by General Whitfield slowly turned into a Jeffersonian Revival style house.

In Shop, students continued working on their cutting boards. Since access to the shop is being limited outside of class time, every minute counts!

Ophelia’s Home

With the daily sitework of neckdowns ending, the 3rd-years are transitioning into building Ophelia’s Home. They are preparing presentations about Ophelia’s Home, it’s currrent state, and how they plan to pick up where the 2020 Spring semester 3rd-years left off. They have been visiting Ophelia’s Home to map out their return to the site.

Tags: #auburnarchitecture, #Ophelias20K, #ruralstudio, newbern

More Bricks, More Trees, More Slate!

October 3, 2020

Studio, Shop, and History

Students continued to work diligently on their cutting boards in Shop and completed another Design Prompt from Dr. Hudgens’ history class. In this Design Prompt, students were tasked with designing a farmhouse as well as necessary outbuildings and seed buildings. The project focused on designing these structures as they would be built in the latter half of the 19th century. In Studio, the 3rd-year students started working on their presentation of Ophelia’s Home.

Horseshoe Courtyard

With the 3rd-year work at Perry Lakes Park complete, all hands were on deck at Horseshoe Courtyard this week. 3rd-years and 5th-years worked to continue to plant trees and surrounded them with slate. Students continued to clean bricks in preparation for the brick pad.

Tags: #Ophelias20K, #ruralstudio, 3rdyear, auburn, newbern, OpheliasHome

Creepy Crepe Myrtles

September 26, 2020

Studio

This week students have started to look into pole barns! Over the past two years, Rural Studio has started to explore the use of pole barns as a way to address modular homes and planning to expand as family dynamics shift. Students heard from last year’s pole barn team as well as structural engineers about pole barn design and structure.

Horseshoe Courtyard

This week at the Horseshoe Courtyard project: concrete and trees! After cleaning many bricks and witnessing the concrete pour, students were also eager to see the arrival of the Crepe Myrtle trees to the courtyard. With help from Mason and the augur, students finished digging the holes for and planting the first three trees in the courtyard.

newly planted crepe myrtle trees caste speckled light on students

Finished formwork is filled with rebar mesh

Perry Lakes Park

A few 3rd-years took a trip out to Perry Lakes Park to continue sprucing it up. They discovered the “secret lake bridge,” and were given the chance to repair it. Now anyone can go looking for the secret lake! Students also helped power wash some of the wood in order to keep the path less slippery.

Tags: 20KProject, 3rdyear, auburn, newbern, OpheliasHome, ruralstudio

Batter up at Horseshoe Courtyard!

September 19, 2020

Horseshoe Courtyard

This week at Horseshoe Courtyard, 3rd-years were able to help Claudia and Caleb finish up formwork for the long-awaited concrete pour in the sidewalk and stage area! These will ensure that the concrete path is the exact shape, height, and size that Claudia and Caleb have planned out. Students also worked to set up batter boards to help keep the future placement of trees aligned. Next week, when the Crepe Myrtles will be delivered, strings, pulled taught across the site attached to the batter boards, will tell us exactly where each tree needs to be placed.

student drills hole in concrete for concrete formwork to be attached

Twin puppies from the area decided to come check out what was happening on site. The sweet pups were quickly returned home, but the brief visit was a wonderful way to start the day.

Studio, Shop, and History

During Studio this week, students continued to work on drawing detailed construction documents for 20K Ophelia’s Home. They worked with Emily and Chelsea to learn about wall sections and layers and how to address openings in the building envelope. The 3rd-years have also been continuing to work diligently on their cutting boards for shop class where they are becoming more empowered to used power tools correctly and safely. They were able to visit Folsom Farm with history professor, Dick Hudgens, at the start of the week. At the farm, they saw the many outbuildings farmers used in the early 1800s, and the details necessary for each structure.

Folsom Farms seed house rests on green land

Perry Lakes Park

Despite some early ending workdays due to rain last week, 3rd-years returned to Perry Lakes Park this week to continue work on the projects started in the prior week. While there are a few more projects at Perry Lakes Park to be completed, the walkways to the Birding Tower and the tower itself were the main subject of repair.

Tags: #auburnarchitecture, #Ophelias20K, #ruralstudio, newbern