Horseshoe Hub Courtyard

WEEK  76

Hi friends! Lots to catch up since our last post! After many weeks of rain in April, we have designed, built, put up and down our full-scale mockup. Some on Morrisette to test if the 18’ screens would stand safely, and finally on site. As always mock-ups are the best tool for making decisions, so as we were putting up the screens, we made some changes to the design as we saw how the space shaped out. Also, thank you Andrew, Steve and Mass Timber team for helping us raise the 18′x18′ Screens!

Luckily the mock-up was ready by the time Pig Roast came around the corner, and it helped us study how people inhabited the space. Not only as a large crowd but also when the Horseshoe Farm Fellows had one of their weekly meetings in the courtyard.

We have also had many pin ups and meetings in the last 2 months. We had a chance to meet with Zane Morgan and Cassandra Kellogg twice! They are not only super generous with their time, but also incredibly helpful when talking to us through some of the details we have been working through. We also had a visit from David Hinson, whose excitement about the project energized us to keep pushing forward! As well as a long, but incredibly helpful call with David Hill, in which we learned some more key information about tree choosing, and soil conditions of our site.

East facing elevation shows 18′ screens that slip past balcony datum line to separate the two elements. We are also working through options for the “porch” on the Southern portion of the site, we are interested in using lights or a dropped ceiling to lower the scale.

We finally modeled our most recent design! This past week we shifted from plans, sections and SketchUp to a physical model, so we could charette through the tree and furniture placement.

Stepping out of the waiting room looking towards the active space and porch.

Part of figuring out the tree layout is understanding how it shapes the north end, as another entrance to the courtyard as well as what it gives back to the street since it is the most public area of the design. 

We started this week with a walk around Greensboro to see some of the local trees in the area as they begin to bloom. While we search for the most appropriate tree for the site, we want to follow the same logic of the vines and choose something that is local and familiar to the community. Pictured above is a Japanese Magnolia.

We also found several Red Buds, similar to those that team Faunsdale planted for their Community Center! 

Site wise, we smoothed out the ground surface, thanks to Steve Long. We will soon be building a full-scale massing mock-up and thought it would be most beneficial if the ground was level in order to better grasp the quality of the space. 

We also surveyed the second-floor roof to help us understand if our gutter adjustment proposal is correct. Later on the week, we met Joe Farruggia and the contractors working on the building, to come up with a game plan for said adjustments.

As always, Joe was incredibly helpful in his visit! We met with him multiple times to work through details for the connection from the walkway to the building. As we get deeper into the specifics, Joe teaches us more about Enercalc, and how to model the walkway in the software.

Jake was also in town, so we had an opportunity to work through all the details we have so far and ensure that they all follow the same language.

This past week we had a great presentation with our client, Dr. Dorsey, and the Horseshoe Farm Fellows to catch everyone up on the latest design iteration!

Different zones created through the use of screens and trees, corresponding to program need.

Most recently we have been reducing the size of screens we have to what is necessary based on sun conditions and space definition. Along the southern end 3, 17′ tall screens, that slip past each other, provide shading for the active area in the afternoon. While the northern edge is defined by a canopy of deciduous trees that continue past the 6′ tall screens. This extends the edge of the courtyard as well as give back to the city. Therefore, creating a foyer, on Beacon Alley for people to enter the courtyard, as well as calmer, lower scale area for the participants to sit and watch the rest of the activities. 

Sun studies show that we can extend the comfort areas during the hot days with screens in the South and deciduous trees in the North to avoid overshading in the colder months.

We made a series of perspectives throughout the year to better understand how Horseshoe Farm could utilize the courtyard year round. Above is a sunny spring day in the afternoon where the fellows can bring out tables and chairs on the level brick “rug,” and have tutoring outside.

In the summer the Fellow’s sing-off, where the incoming class and the previous fellows perform for the community, can take place in the courtyard stage at the southern end of the site. While the community occupies benches in the back, bring out chairs or even watch from the second-floor walkway.

Happy Holidays everybody! 

After doing our one to one mock-up of the columns, we took some time to evaluate its appearance. Over the past few weeks through drawing iteration after iteration we have decided to shift away from our previous screen design. We kept trying to make our columns smaller and smaller and realized that maybe it would be a good idea to just get rid of them! 

We hit the Fabrication Pavilion and started playing with other shapes of steel and welded wire steel panels. 

We welded a combination of steel angles vertically and connected them together to test their deflection.

We did the same thing with steel pipes.

We found cattle and horse panels at our local Farmer’s Co-op, which are welded wire panels typically used horizontally. They’re sixteen feet long and there isn’t a break big enough anywhere close by, so in order to bend them we have to do it our own way!

This week was HUGE! We started our 1 to 1 mock-up! 

We are mocking-up three columns to test structural stability, proportion, and process.

We picked up our steel tubes, angles, and plates from Cain Steel in Tuscaloosa then hauled them over to Superior Metal Works here in town for the welding and perforations to save on time. We needed these columns up by the end of the week so Joe Farruggia could talk to us about structure and stiffness. 

The columns were put up on an existing slab that was used for the Scout Hut mock-up back in the day on the Morrisette Campus.

WEEK 55

It has been a while since we last posted...so lots to catch up! First off, a long overdue thank you to everyone that contributed to our fundraiser during Mental Health Awareness Week! We reached our goal of $20,000!!

Since then we have had many pin-ups, some filling in Andrew on what the team has been up for the last few months, others with friends of the studio that come by every year, updating them on how the project has changed since workshops last year. At the same time, we are starting to split our time between site and studio; we have removed more debris, pulled weeds and covered the ground with a 40′x100′ tarp to keep those pesky weeds out...

Some of you might remember the “Huburger” from last year’s Halloween Review, this year the team decided to be game Pacman!

This past week we geared up for our sixth mock-up, which consisted of testing the height of the screen on site. We rented 2 scissor lifts for the day and recruited our friends, Sarah and Michael from 20kV22 to help us out. The test was incredibly helpful for us to understand the scale of the screen in relation to the building, how we anticipate people perceiving the space and what feels comfortable. The biggest takeaway from the mock-up was that 26 feet is too tall in relation to the context, so we are considering the benefits of lower heights for the design.

Day 5 | experience

Two more days to go!

The time we spend out here as students and our dedication to these projects have a significant impact not only in our community, but in us as young professionals. If you have been involved with the studio, you know that the quality and quantity of knowledge and skills we gain while working on our thesis project is quite substantial. We come in knowing little to nothing about construction and leave with a better understanding of how buildings are put together and how to work as a team. While building our knowledge, we become immersed in the community of Hale County. This allows us to better understand the environment and people for which we design.

Your contribution goes towards creating positive experiences for the users of these projects, and our experience working with a rural community in West Alabama.

Click on the link below to donate to everyone's experiences!

Day 4 | Stability

Without a stable and welcoming environment, it is hard for people’s personal life to flourish. People are strengthened from community support and stable environments. 

The courtyard will provide an inviting safe space for people to be surrounded by nature within downtown Greensboro. A place where the community can breathe fresh air and sit under a tree to read a book or observe the vines moving with the breezes. A place that is constantly accessible for everyone and can be used during the day or night.

Help us make this a possibility by donating to the link below! All donations are extremely appreciated and go directly towards the building materials. 

https://secure.auburn.edu/s/1715/giving/form.aspx?sid=1715&gid=2&pgid=776&cid=1576&dids=230&bledit=1&appealcode=RURLSTHT

Day 3 | World Mental Health Day!

Did you know that having access to nature can reduce stress and improve your mood? Think about how much better a work or living environment can be when you have a direct view of nature and natural light. Our project is providing just that for Project Horshoe Farm. Currently, there is no outdoor space for participants to enjoy fresh air during the day programs, or for kids to have activities outside on a nice day. 

With your help, we can provide Project Horseshoe Farm (our client) a flexible and inviting courtyard that fosters social interaction within the community in a safe and beautiful space.

To donate to this exciting project click on the link below: 

https://secure.auburn.edu/s/1715/giving/form.aspx?sid=1715&gid=2&pgid=776&cid=1576&dids=230&bledit=1&appealcode=RURLSTHT

If you haven't gotten a chance to look at our video collaboration with the Horseshoe Farm Homes team click on the link below!

Hi friends! Its day 2 of our fundraiser, and today we are focusing on building knowledge! One of the great things about the partnership with Project Horseshoe Farm is that while we spent a whole year building our architectural and construction knowledge, we also were exposed to the importance of mental health. Your donation towards these projects helps shed light on the needs of a rural community and an awareness that everyone deserves good design. As well of our education in becoming, as Mockbee would say, citizen architects.

We appreciate any and all contributions you can make! click on the link below to donate!

https://secure.auburn.edu/s/1715/giving/form.aspx?sid=1715&gid=2&pgid=776&cid=1576&dids=230&bledit=1&appealcode=RURLSTHT

For more information on our campaign, check out the video about the two projects ( Horseshoe Hub Courtyard and Horseshoe Farm Homes) below or scroll through the previous posts on Tumblr!

We finished up our four screen material mock-ups and tested how they look against the brick facades on site. Each screen has a different material, each with 1 inch spacing and 2 inch spacing.

From left to right: 3/8″ tan polypropylene rope, 3/8″ recycled P.E.T rope, 1/4″ recycled P.E.T rope, 3/16″ stainless steel cable

We started cleaning up the alcove! This space used to be an interior part of the Old Greensboro Hotel, so we are going to make the walls work for the exterior. This space will be the main porch and stage for the courtyard.  

Joe Farruggia our hero! Joe paid us a short visit and helped us completely understand our column and all the loads that come with it.

Taking extra time out of his weekend, he showed us how to calculate and size our structural members. 

As you can remember, we’re doing a composite column to allow visibility between the steel tubes. We’re proposing two tubes will work together as one up to the top of the guardrail for the walkway, then one tube continues up to the top of the screen.

We took the Fit for a trip!

In the last two weeks, we have been tackling different fronts. This past Wednesday we took a day trip to Birmingham and presented our project to Jim Turnipseed, from Turnipseed International. The team learned quite a bit about the fabrication process for the columns and even visited his shop. We are incredibly excited about the upcoming weeks and working with Mr.Turnipseed in the near future!

Claire working on one of the screen mock-ups that will be completed in the next couple of weeks. We are testing different materials and density to ensure that it is the best option for the courtyard.

While designing in studio and testing different matetials for the project, we keep adapting the vine mockup to get the most out of it! We added two more vines of the same kind (Confederate Jasmine and Carolina Jesamine) to see how they interact when planted closely together.

One of the materials we are looking into for the guardrail is perforated steel panels, in this case 20 gauge. We added a 24″x36″ panel to test if the vines would grow through 1/8 inch openings on the panel or remain on the cables, since they are twining plants.

One of the reasons for testing perforated metal is that from a certain distance depending on the percentage of perforation the material almost disapears.

An important aspect is that the material behind the screen doesn’t compete with the screen and vines, but rather complement it. 

This week we had a comprehensive discussion with Andrew, Xavier and Steve about the project and decisions made up to this point. They encouraged us to consider the implications of the materials we are using, but also energized us to keep moving forward!

The Fall semester has started and we’ve been busy getting to know all of the awesome new Third and Fifth Years! 

We’re diving into the details head first, ready to figure out how we’re going to put this project together! Materials are being selected and tested to make sure they meet our standards of durability and function.

We’ve been in contact with David Hill, our landscape architect consultant, discussing soil, root zones, and how to ensure a long happy life for the vegetation.

Lights, camera, action! 

Auburn University sent a film crew to capture the essence of Rural Studio. The footage will be used in a video that showcases numerous outreach programs the University has to offer!