04 MOOSEHEART

Professional Work

YEAR: 2019

LOCATION: Mooseheart, IL, USA

Mooseheart, located in Kane County, Illinois, is an unincorporated community and a home for children administered by the Loyal Order of Moose. Our firm designed an activity center that included a gym, open gaming area, multipurpose rooms, small theater, and children’s play area.

All activities surround the open gaming, lounge, and snack area. The raised roof above the main corridor allows for more natural light within the central area. Offices are located to have control over and eyes on all areas within the facility.

COURSE: Arc351

ADVISOR: S. Burtelson

YEAR: Spring 2016

At the end of 2016 the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide reached over 65,600,000. In order to alleviate the refugee crisis John Brown University held a shelter building competition, in hopes to provide victims with temporary relief homes.

The parameters of the project brought on many challenges to my team of five others and I, whom were building a structure to human scale for the first time. The stipulations were that the shelter had to house 4 or more persons, not to exceed a 16’x20’ footprint, have a 2 meter height clearance, cost less than 1,500 USD, last a year or more, and be easily transported and erected. On site tests included earthquake stability, heat retention, overnight habitability, and wind resistance.

Against 9 other teams we placed 5th and won Best Report and Presentation. I myself wrote the report and prepared the presentation slide and speeches.

Door Design

We divide our floor plan into three sections, separated by panels and a magnetic fabric to cover the openings. This allows for privacy and for the shelter to divided up how the family sees fit, rather by sexes (as seen in many middle eastern homes) or by age.

The center of the shelter is were the two front doors are located, the idea gives a sense of a court yard when both doors are open, which resembles an element of traditional middle eastern homes.

Window Design