Eight excited 5th-years wasted no time diving into the Rural Studio experience since arriving in Hale County in August. From crashed cars to broken phones, the new crew just kept chugging. On rotating teams of eight, four, and two, they pushed two projects forward, compiling their research as well as creating presentations, drawings, and a site analysis, as a “gift” to the final teams of four.
These fresh faces filed into the meeting room on the eve of October to complete their first design challenge: building two teams optimal for the success of the projects. After a mere 6 hours and relatively few tears shed (we won’t name names), two teams emerged. One of those teams is the Dining House team.
Why a dining house? Each fall and spring semester, 3rd-year architecture students—numbering between 12 and 16—live on Rural Studio’s Morrisette Campus in the Pods. The new Dining House project will improve the amenities for 3rd-year students on Morrisette campus. The new integrated dining and kitchen space will be part of the Supershed and the Pods infrastructure, and it will give students in the Pods more autonomy, make socializing easier, and simplify mealtimes when providing for themselves.
Let’s introduce the team! From Florence, Alabama, the girl who knits our team together, Tricia Smith. Hailing (HALE-ING, haha) from Nashville, Tennessee, we have none other than Aynsley Norris. All the way from South Carolina, Canon McConnell: need we say more? And last, from Cullman, Alabama, we have Isaac “Lenny” Haynes.
The Dining House team could not be more excited to tackle the challenges that lie ahead. The first three weeks involved intense charettes, concept development, and collaborations with nationally recognized architects, who generously gave their time to Rural Studio. They served as a sounding board, advocating for brilliant ideas.
What are these brilliant ideas? Well, we’ve had the privilege of working with the iconic Bathhouse team. We have built on their understanding of ritual in the lives of 3rd-years. Cooking and eating are already a part of their lives, so we are just giving them a rhythm that aligns with the ideals of Rural Studio. Using materials already on hand to reduce waste? Nice. Farm to table? Yes. Communal living? Yes. Unconditioned space? We certainly hope! In the wise words of Canon, “I hope those 3rd-years are excited to pickle!”
Raw, Recycle, Reuse, Reimagine. With these guidelines, we imagine collaging leftover materials from past Rural Studio projects into a cohesive Dining House for the 3rd-years. Among a plethora of material, the team has available for design a combination of raw lumber, leftover windows, cypress timber, CLT panels, helical piers, and a hodgepodge of tile.
Stay tuned for updates as this motley crew gets under way. And find out who the other 5th-year team is and what project their project is in their first blog post coming soon!