Further developing our skills, we were tasked with the want and needs of the people rather than just building design itself. Here, we began to create a synthesis between all we had learned about design, sustainability, structure, and site along with the people who will inhabit the proposed design. The initial project focused on a trail shelter we could build on the one of the five sites provided. Our second project was to recreate a precedent that had done an outstanding job of achieving sustainability while maintaining comfort for those using the building. The third and final project was a performing arts center in St. Louis meant to engage the public while providing a unique practice space for performers.
Sky Pond, Colorado | Trail Shelter
The trail shelter was the beginning project to ease us into people fully inhabiting our designs. This would be a resting place for individuals taking on one of five large trails. I chose a hiking trail cutting through Sky Pond.
After developing the form I wanted I wanted to push my ability to achieve something sustainable. With this in mind, the bottom of the shelter was opened to allow cool air from Colorado's mountains to flow inside and allowed the hot air to rise out of the opening on top. The structure was made from concrete to resemble Colorado's rocky landscape across its hiking trails. This used a high thermal mass to absorb the intense heat that beat down onto the structure during the day, then release it throughout the night. On the inside, wooden benches were constructed with openings between each piece. The benches were built this way to allow for air flow from the bottom to the top of the shelter to cool hikers quickly.
