ARTIST STUDIO + RESIDENCE

For this project, studio members were required to create hypothetical clients and their everyday needs/routine. For these clients, students were asked to develop two residential proposals- one in a rural setting and another in an urban setting. The client profile I developed for this project was a young family of three, with one spouse working as a musician and the other as a historian. Their work includes research, teaching, recording, and performance. The family has recently relocated to Lee County, AL, and wishes to see proposals for a residential and work space in two possible locations: 1) 8 acres of land in rural Lee County, and 2) a vacant lot in downtown Opelika, AL.

RURAL RESIDENCE

According to program requirements for the studio, the maximum footprint for the rural residence was 250 SF. This parameter caused the building to become a minimal house, with efficiency being a main focus of the design. I utilized cantelevers supported underneath by exterior structural elements to achieve the maximum footprint requrements. The lower level is occupied by workspace, with typical living space on the top level. Unique wall systems in the house are designed to serve as storage in a cube-like structure throughout the house. The main views and axis of the house point to the pond to the west of the house. To facilitate these views while protecting against the glare of afternoon sun, floor to ceiling windows were designed with overhangs for shading late in the day.

URBAN RESIDENCE

The urban residence proposal is a continuation of the proposed rural residence. The same clients need a more urban residence/work environment to meet their varying lifestyles. The new site is in downtown Opelika, Alabama. A building height requirement was set at two stories minimum to respect the historic structures of the area. Additionally, the design was required to include some type of prefabricated architectural element. This requirement creates an ease and efficiency of production, shipping and construction. Because of time constraints at the end of the academic semester, students were encouraged to develop a very schematic floorplan and focus more effort on exploring modularity in structural design and various building elements. My proposal features 1st floor retail space as well as performance/display space and private parking for one vehicle. The second floor is private residence and work space for the clients. I incorporated a modular brick system for ease of construction and based the building plan on an 8’x8’ module.