Architecture Week Design Competition
LaBella Associates, Rochester, NY
April 8-14, 2016
For the week of April 11-15th, LaBella Associates celebrated Architecture Week by holding a small design competition throught their offices for Architects & Interior Designers to participate in solo or as a team.
The Competition|
Design a cabin under 1,000 square feet.
Must be universally designed.
Is utilized 3 seasons of the year; spring through fall.
Sleeps 14 campers and 3 conselers; 17 people total.
Has a changing area that is somewhat private.
Will be set up as a "village" with 6 of that cabin.
Participant could work by themselves or as a group and would have until Thursday April 14th to turn in their design, which would include a site plan, a floor plan at 1/4" scale, renderings or elevations, and a concept statement on 11" x 17" paper (with no limit on pages.) The location of the competition would be Camp Cory, on Keuka Lake in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. The competition would be entirely conceptual with no budgetary limitations, but with the possibility of being implemented in the future.
About Camp Cory|
"Camp Cory, a branch of the YMCA of Greater Rochester, has been serving families for more than 90 years. Situated right on the shores of Keuka Lake, camp offers families a variety of different activities and experiences that they can’t get anywhere else."
Through reading the camp's website, we found that each camp "village" was named and given a color and logo to help campers designate where they would be staying based on either age-group or program (specifically one village is for only campers enrolled in the sailing program offered.) The camp's map provided illustrates the locations of these as well as several activity centers on the property, such as boat launches, an archery feild, and the main fire pit. Programs at the camp can run from spring to fall.
The Team|
For this project I worked in a team with 3 other ladies in the Architecture department; Barbra Burke (architect), Elizabeth Kirchhoff (architect), & Danielle Lewis (interior designer). Together we conceptualized our submission, first starting with location, then exterior design, space planning and A.D.A. compliant interior dimensions, and an aesthetic for the cabin.
For the location we decided that placing our cabins by an easily accessible parking lot, with graded terrain in the northern portion of the camp would be ideal. Accessibility would be simpler due to proximity to the parking lot, and a view of the lake would give campers saying a lovely view as well as cool lake breezes wafting up to their cabin.
For this project I worked in a team with 3 other ladies in the Architecture department; Barbra Burke (architect), Elizabeth Kirchhoff (architect), & Danielle Lewis (interior designer). Together we conceptualized our submission, first starting with location, then exterior design, space planning and A.D.A. compliant interior dimensions, and an aesthetic for the cabin.
For the location we decided that placing our cabins by an easily accessible parking lot, with graded terrain in the northern portion of the camp would be ideal. Accessibility would be simpler due to proximity to the parking lot, and a view of the lake would give campers saying a lovely view as well as cool lake breezes wafting up to their cabin.
In our design for the exterior we worked with a pitched roof that would provide excellent angles for passive solar heating (vents along the roof-line via clerestory windows), a place for solar panels to generate power for the cabin, and a sleek, yet rustic aesthetic, somewhat reminiscent of Adirondack camp designs. We made sure to orient our windows both to the west (to overlook the lake) and to the south (the clerestory windows) to help absorb and retain heat. Our structures would also be partially constructed below grade to also help maintain a comfortable temperature.
Interiors were thought of in a way that would best suit universal design. Opposed to other submissions for the competition, we were the only group to keep all beds on the floor of the cabin so that no child would feel left out if they were unable to take a top bunk. To help make these beds feel more private use drew inspiration from the nearby ropes course and created rope "screens" in between each bed, to help provide some form of privacy while still being open enough for concelors to keep tabs on children. We also created a canvas changing stall with the same wood beam asthetic so that campers could change with privacy while not being completely hidden from watchful conselor eyes. We also were sure to maintain wide enough walkways for wheelchair accessability.
Dividing up Work|
Since there were 4 of us, we had to divide up work in an even yet cohesive way. We all conceptualized the space together, then divided up the tasks to execute it.
Barbra Burk, Architect | Built the exterior of the cabins and site plan in sketch up the first day, then later hand drew the floorplans for the cabins.
Barbra Burk, Architect | Built the exterior of the cabins and site plan in sketch up the first day, then later hand drew the floorplans for the cabins.
Elizabeth Kirchhoff, Architect | Created our "camp logo" for the village we were crreating, and hand drew the elevations for the cabins.
Danielle Lewis, Interior Designer | Finalized the cabin's interior ceiling and solar tubes, and colored all of the hand drawings in photoshop to maintain a cohesive aesthetic throughout the final submission.
Stephanie Sartori, Interior Designer (Myself) | Modeled the beds in sketch-up and placed them in the cabin, and hand drew the perspectives for the cabin, as well as the changing stall.
Final Submission|
Here we have our final project submission. Each page was created in InDesign in 11" x 17" format. Concept statements were included to help explain our design rational without our group being able to actually present.
Here we have our final project submission. Each page was created in InDesign in 11" x 17" format. Concept statements were included to help explain our design rational without our group being able to actually present.
