wareagle

Getting Dirty with the 3rd-Years

With the decisions made in studio, the 3rd-Years have finally broken ground on Ophelia’s 20K Home! That first means putting up badder boards, and then again, and again, and again …and again. In total seven times. Hey they want to get it right! 

With the exact points and measurement from the boards the team traced the plan of the foundation to the ground and measured where the footing would step. The students also said goodbye to a huge tree hanging over the buildable site, so here’s a quick thank you to the tree for it’s sacrifice. On Friday, the students had an online meeting with engineer Robert McGlohn for conformation and advice on of the proposed foundation changes and approval on the new porch detail.

Finally Tuesday was excavation day! The real fun began as the 3rd-Years got their shovels and cleaned up the hole for the foundation. The students then split into teams to create a quick process for creating the formwork for their concrete pour. Other students also worked on bracing the formwork, laying rebar, adjusting the badder boards (yes, again), finishing construction documents, digging holes for pier foundations, and filling in the smelly pool that formed at the low corner of the foundation.

With the formwork made and the rebar laid, the 3rd-Years are ready to pour concrete. 

Back to the Drawing Board

It’s been an eventful week for the 3rd-years! Since Halloween review is fast approaching, they’ve been busy at work getting things ready in their quilting class, on site, and in studio.

For the quilt, each student finished the second iteration of their quilt squares which they arranged as a studio to craft the first iteration of their quilt! Now they know their final quilt top for Ophelia will look a little something like this:

On site, the studio’s tool trailer was moved in (yay!!!), and the team took care of other odds and ends – including cutting down limbs to make room for the trailer under a tree, reorganizing the wood stock pile, and removing the old septic line.

In studio, after drawing hundreds of different variations of Ophelia’s 20K floor plan it was time for the 3rd-years to consolidate their ideas and create a final floor plan! They studied multiple iterations of what could be the final plan and what those plans would look like in interior elevations and in section.

On Friday, the studio broke down into teams to study the final floor plan options. One team worked on drawing the different ceiling and wall/door alignments in elevation and section while the second team taped out a mock-up of the final plan underneath the fabrication pavilion.

The team mocks up the final plan under the fabrication pavilion.

After hundreds of drawings, hours of discussion, and a mock-up or two here and there, the students have finally decided on a final floor plan that they think is going to make an amazing home for Ophelia.

Presenting Ophelia’s Home

October 9, Ophelia’s Home was decided! The last two product line homes the 3rd-year studio considered were Mac’s and Joanne’s and the cut was made after a final sprint of drawings and a group discussion Wednesday morning. The 3rd-year students will be building an iteration of Joanne’s home for their client Ophelia.

The very same day the students presented their plans to Ophelia and her family. Here’s to last minute decisions! 

The 3rd-years set up their work on site, and Ophelia, her family, and Mrs. Patrick (last year’s 20K client and Ophelia’s neighbor) sat outside while the students presented Joanne’s Home and the specifics of how and why this home would be best for Ophelia.

The presentation included technical drawings but also a site model and with a version of Joanne’s that Ophelia could keep. The group then moved around the property to podiums of perspectives for the client to look and see the potential views of her new home from various vantage points.

The presentation to Ophelia concluded by walking through a one-to-one mock up of the new home where the students plan to build it, showing every rooms and the views from every window.

The 3rd-years are so excited to have chosen a home for Ophelia and she is so happy with the one they chose! And on that note, both are ready to build! Stay tuned as the studio takes their design into the dirt. 

It’s Pig Roast Week!

We’re feeling all the feels over here in Newbern this week. It’s Pig Roast week!!! Come out THIS SATURDAY and help us celebrate 25 YEARS IN HALE!!! We’re incredibly proud and truly honored to still be here working with this extraordinary community. Thanks to Sambo Mockbee and D.K. Ruth for having the vision to make this happen and Andrew Freear for continuing to be our champion. Our Rural Studio family is larger and stronger than ever. #WarEagle