Spring 2003

Perma-Park Project

The owner of this site is considering the option of offering the lot to the neighborhood for purchase as permanent open space to provide both access to the National Forest and as a community asset. This project is intended to be vehicle to help integrate a broad range of sometimes incompatible requirements into a coherent sustainable plan for a piece of land in the Prescott bioregion. Students incorporated the principles of permaculture, taught throughout the semester to illustrate a sustainable approach to this design challenge.

The site was extensively studied for water, solar and subtle energy flows, vegetation, views, and fire.

Views of the site showed macro drainage fire breaks and fire source.

Topo models of the larger area where the park was located showed clearly the fire path and potential danger from forest fire.

The proposals were presented to the client. Anastasia

Public Water Fountain-El Salvador

Public Water Fountain
El Salvador

A design for a public source of drinking water for an affordable development in El Salvador provided some definition of infrastructure to the project done in the fall of 2002. This project brought the reality of conditions in low- income areas of developing countries and improved the delivery capabilities for basic services. The fountain is intended for domestic water collection, public laundry facility and a community gathering space.

This design emphasized the spiritual nature of water and incorporated flow forms as part of the delivery system. Made from locally available materials the sculptural form of this design make it a powerful public monument. Laura.

This form explored the flow of a wall and seating that expressed the movement of water. Cathy Mullan.

The Emotional Cube

In this exercise is an exploration in three-dimensional design. Students were each given a volume six feet on a side and were asked to create a space that would evoke an emotion in a person experiencing the space. The intent is to explore different ways that space can be manipulated in three dimensions and what effect it can have on an occupant. Focused external views were encouraged if they enhanced the occupant’s experience of the space.

Design drawing for a meditative space. Rebecca Stahlnecher.

Looking up in a space the open roof and spiral form brought a sense of space to a small footprint. Carrie Ashendal.

Guest House

This project was a small but difficult project for a number of reasons. It is designed for a client who had a 1950s bomb shelter in the back yard they currently use as a tool shed. They asked for a design to build a small guest house on top of the existing structure. The project included a survey of the site and existing structure, meetings with the clients to develop a program for the new addition and the creation of a set of drawings and a model for presentation. The challenge was to creating a passively heated and cooled building in a forested area on a building with an existing orientation.

As this was a project for our spring semester it also included developing drawing and model making skills.

This 1950s earth covered bomb shelter has a wood roof that is still in good condition and sound block retaining walls. The client requested that the guest house utilize the existing structure.

Students were required to present a full set of drawings that explained their ideas and, in addition the construction methods they intended to use.

Students are encouraged to provide professional quality presentation materials. This design used the footprint of the existing structure. Done by Justin.

Each student presented their ideas to the client. In addition to meeting the client’s requirements the final project also had to incorporate as many sustainable features compatible with the site. Left to right: Alexandria Hope, Yonatan Strauch, Gheary Oatey, and Steve Becker (client).

Solar Hot Water Design

This was intended as a practical application of the information gathered during the semester. The project addressed both the practical application of designing a solar hot water heater but also attempting to create a design that was made from the items our society discards. There are two options for the design one a portable shower concept for use in a camper for example and the other for a more permanent installation on a building. One requirement is that these heaters also have a high quality of aesthetic appeal in the finished products.

After collecting materials one student group designed this batch heater. Working with a reclaimed refrigerator and discarded water heater they produced a prototype that could be used to reduce land filled refrigerators and water heaters. Here the refrigerator shell is fitted with cradles for the tank.

The unit is nearing completion, adding reflecting materials to the door. This unit was eventually donated to a visitor to earth day in Prescott. From left to right: Clair Seesman, Carrie Gheary Oatey and Asa Hunt.

This design is made from a used tank use in a water filtration system. Other than plumbing items other materials were scavenged locally. Left to right: Yonatan Strauch, Ben Mancini (solar consultant), Cathy Mullan.