Parametric Paneling...

Hale County Animal Shelter, "The Dog Pound"

The most profound Rural Studio project and ,to my standards, the most successful from the visit is the The Hale County Animal Shelter, a.k.a. the "Dog Pound."  I feel strongly about the project because its a great example of meeting experimentation and functionality halfway.  The purpose of these design + build  projects is two-fold:  first, to allow students to learn from actual hands-on construction, experiment with new design technologies, and have an engaging experience with their surrounding communities;  secondly, the projects need to satisfy a certain level of functionality, feasibility, and budget for their clients.  The lamella framework of the Dog Pound consists of a repeating diamond framework of 2 x 8's that were pre-cut along a curved jig.  The pieces were all identical, connected through a simple 8" pin connection, thus, cutting on cost and construction time. Customized steel footings hold the framework and shell to the ground plane.   Along the side and top of the shell there are cut-outs to allow light to enter the space in horizontal bands which creates a very nice effect along the repetitive beams.  This unique form of construction over a more traditional, cheaper, and probably more feasible "shed" structure gave students a more challenging and interesting design, allowed the students to "share" their educational knowledge with the community, and simply makes the space much more aesthetic and elegant.  The projects still fulfills all of its programatic and budget needs for the client, but its also a unique, sophisticated design that pushes the boundaries of design in structure, sustainability, and construction.

At this time I anticipate the community involvement being the most engaging aspect of the project over the semester--involvement being defined on several different levels: First, an involvement with my peers, in designing and producing the final built form; secondly, an direct involvement with the community, both in respect to designing particularly for the people and also involving them in the construction; and lastly, community involvement by creation of a space that will permanently shape the community of Clemson as a whole. I foresee these various engaging relationships building much more than a spatial construct. The impact of using your expertise and knowledge in a field that you are passionate about to responsibly change the lives and spaces of a community far outweighs any physical structure. By sharing ideas, collaborating, bonding, and working together as a team we are also engaging the smaller community of our peers. As far as anticipating difficult components of the project, I see many conflicts resulting from mixed design opinions. I guess it is important to keep in mind, as I previously stated, that there is more involved in a design+build project of this caliber than simply the design. In some instances it may be better to simply "choose your battles" wisely, as resolving a minor joint detail is by far subordinate to the relationships established from working closely with both your peers and your community.