FA14 Studio: Area 51 Site Visit

Last Friday my studio group made our way out to Area 51 to see the site for our project this semester. I am calling our site Area 51 because our project is "confidential", in the sense that it is going to be the real site for a healthcare facility in the near future. So from now on I will be calling the project Area 51 for fun, and so that I may continue to share it on here without breaking that confidentiality. 

Above is an edited site plan of Area 51, and below you will find photos from our site visit to Area 51. The site is situated on a hill with an approximate 40' grade change from top to bottom. To the left of the site is a capped landfill, and to its right is hole 9 of a golf course. The area where the building will most likely go is densely populated with trees.  

Later tonight I will start working on the 8 pages of notes I have from the client meeting and come up with a comprehensive program list. Enjoy the site photos!

Cardboard Furniture

Yes you read that right, cardboard furniture. Sounds crazy huh? But its becoming more and more popular and for all the right reasons. 

Reason #1. Its Recyclable

Most furniture pieces nowadays are made up of lots of small parts and composites all stuck together. The only true way to recycle something like that is to re use or re purpose it. I remember when I was little, my family used to get hand-me-downs of furniture from other family members. It would go from my grandparents, to my parents and eventually me. But you don't see that happening as much today. With cardboard furniture, when you're done with it you can just throw it in the recyclable bin. Oh and by using cardboard to make the furniture and saving it from possibly going in the landfill, that's also recycling/re purposing. 

Reason #2. Its Portable

For a lot of people my age ( the 20 somethings) you might live in a small apartment and move around a lot if you're in school. Having large heavy piece of furniture aren't really ideal when you live in a 400 sq ft 2nd story apartment. Cardboard furniture can be collapsible and fold flat for transport, and its relatively light weight depending on its size and construction. 

Reason #3. Its DIY

Pinterest lovers unit, its another DIY project. For furniture pieces that utilize tabs to stay together, all you need is a box cutter. For pieces that are created using a repetitive shape, you'll need some glue. So start saving up your cardboard boxes and soon enough you'll have a new chair. Or if DIY isn't your thing, you can always purchase furniture pieces from Cardboard furniture companies like Chairigami. 

Check out these cool furniture designs with cardboard products!

Shipping Container Architecture - Cordell House

I can say that I have some pretty ambitious goals for myself within the next few years. Graduate with my B.S in architecture, graduate early with my M.S in architecture, become LEED certified, complete my IDP hours and become licensed just to name a few. One of the biggest questions I get from people when they learn I'm an architecture major is "What type of architecture do you want to do?" And when I tell them I want to build things with shipping containers they usually look at me like I have five heads. 

Shipping container architecture has gone from a small scale grassroots movement to a much larger platform. While shipping container buildings are hard to find in the northeast, down south they are much more common. More and more architects are being approached by clients to design homes and building made from shipping containers. Why? I believe the main reason is that they cost less, are sustainable and have a modern style to them.  

When I tell most people I want to design with shipping containers they usual say something like "wont they be dark and cold? How do you insulate it? How to do build it out? Won't the inside be ugly?" But I'm going to let the following pictures prove them wrong. Pictured below is the Cordell House in Houston Texas, belonging to Kevin Freeman and Jen Feldman and design by Christopher Robertson. All photographs were taken by Jack Thompson. I originally found an article on Dwell featuring the home with all the photos here.

Still think you can't design with shipping containers?