The Cabins of Stokes County PUBLIC INTEREST ARCHITECTURE
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NC STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF DESIGN
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2014 - 2015
FACULTY AND STUDENT TEAM Georgia Bizios, Professor of Architecture, Home Environments Design Initiative Director Arsalan Abbasi · Kevin Berry · Keenan Frase · David Koontz · Katy Liang Will Sendor · Rachel Steinsberger · Matt Teti · Grant Wylie
This study was led and overseen by Georgia Bizios, Professor of Architecture. It was supported by a grant from the Stokes County Economic Development Commission. The design studies were carried out during the spring and summer of 2014 and this document was compiled, edited, and printed during the spring and summer of 2015. North Carolina State University College of Design Campus Box 7701, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27695-7701 design.ncsu.edu Copyright © 2015 All Rights Reserved An NC State University College of Design Publication Publication design: William Sendor, M.Arch Printed in the USA
COVER IMAGE: Mountain View Cabin David Koontz + Will Sendor schematic design
MENTORING OFFICES Ellen Cassilly Architect · HH Architecture Smith Sinnett Architecture · Tise-Kiester Architects COMMUNITY PARTNERS Stokes County Economic Development Commission · Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley PUBLIC INTEREST ARCHITECTURE PROGRAM FUNDING NC State University Foundation NC State Office of Extension, Engagement and Economic Development Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley Stokes County Economic Development Commission Ellen Cassilly Architect Smith Sinnett Architecture Tise-Kiester Architects GUEST REVIEWERS Amy Bullington, Architect, Graduate Student, City and Regional Planning, UNC-Chapel Hill Craig Carbrey, AIA, Tise-Kiester Architects, Chapel Hill Ellen Cassilly, AIA, Ellen Cassilly Architect, Durham Lucy Davis, AIA, The Davis Group, Chapel Hill Todd Dalton, Construction Supervisor, Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley Sally Elliott, Forsyth Technical Community College Mitzi Gellman, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley Jamey Glueck, AIA, Smith Sinnett Architecture, Raleigh Kristen Hess, AIA, HH Architecture, Raleigh Ann Hill, Architect, Board President, Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley Sarah Howell, AIA, Chapel Hill Lyn McClay, AIA, DesignSpec, Chapel Hill Patricia Morgado, Associate Professor of Architecture, NC State University Tina Morgan, Family Services Director, Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley Mark Reyer, AIA, Architect, Raleigh Derek Ross, Construction Supervisor, Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley Paul Tesar, Professor of Architecture, Emeritus, NC State University Don Tise, AIA, Tise-Kiester Architects, Chapel Hill Katie Wakeford, Bizios Architect, Durham Alan Wood, Executive Director, Stokes County Economic Development Commission Bruce Younts, Stokes Economic Development Board Member, Younts Wine Farm
Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION + ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 2. HANGING ROCKS CABIN Arsalan Abbasi + Rachel Steinsberger 3. SLIDING BARS CABIN Kevin Berry, Keenan Frase + Katy Liang 4. THE COPENHAGEN / THE LODGE CABIN Matt Teti + Grant Wylie 5. MOUNTAIN VIEW CABIN David Koontz + Will Sendor 6. MOUNTAIN VIEW CABIN DESIGN DEVELOPMENT Above: A tobacco barn on one of the example sites chosen for student designs. Students used vernacular architectural language from tobacco barns like this and other local precedents to inspire their cabin designs.
Will Sendor 7. THE NEXT STEPS
“The project involves ... students from the NC [State University College of Design] who will work this spring [2014] on creating several cabin designs specifically tailored for Stokes [County’s] geograpy, culture, and needs.” - Nicholas Elmes, thestokesnews.com, February 2014 [photo by Nicholas Elmes]
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David Koontz takes notes for a site analysis on a hypothetical site assigned by the Stokes County Economic Development Commission
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Introduction
Stokes County, NC
+ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
THE VALUE OF UNIVERSITY-COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
THE CABINS OF STOKES COUNTY
As a land grant university, NC State University has a long tradition of community involvement. The College of Design has a proud history of working with communities, municipalities, government agencies and nonprofit organizations to help them identify and address design-related issues.
Stokes County, North Carolina offers tourists significant natural and cultural attractions, including Hanging Rock State Park, and draws many visitors and hikers. At present, the county does not have enough overnight accommodations to house all the visitors who want to stay for a few days. Up to now, the county has not been successful in enticing hotel developers that could provide the lodging needed to accommodate the number of visitors to the area.
The studies carried out by architecture students and research assistants under faculty supervision are usually analytic and schematic in nature and have a direct connection to our educational mission. The goal is to help communities assess existing conditions, define needs, and envision possible alternatives in order to reach consensus regarding how to proceed. The work produced, such as reports, drawings, physical and digital models, are concepts for developing sites/buildings. They do not replace the need for professional architectural or engineering stamps to ensure appropriate structural design and code compliance. As a university deeply committed to engagement, this type of arrangement is a critical strategy for meeting our mission. We are dedicated to serving our students and the public by forging collaborative relationships with the citizens and communities of North Carolina. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We would like to thank the Stokes County Economic Development Commission and in particular Mr. Alan Woods, former Executive Director, and the Board of Directors, for the opportunity to engage in this effort, for their hospitality, and most critically for their valuable and enthusiastic feedback during the process. We would also like to acknowledge the firms who hosted the students: Ellen Cassilly Architect, Smith Sinnett Architecture, Tise-Kiester Architects, and HH Architecture. Their mentorship and support were critical to the success of this project.
Opposite, L-R: Matt Teti, Grant Wylie, Rachel Steinsberger, Arsalan Abbasi, Professor Georgia Bizios, Will Sendor, Economic Development Commission Director Alan Wood, David Koontz
The Stokes County Economic Development Commission (EDC) decided to investigate the idea of facilitating the construction of small rental cabins to be built by landowners on sites throughout the county. Visitors would be able to extend their stays by using these “base camps” for their adventures, enjoying Hanging Rock State Park and the surrounding countryside. This strategy would provide economic development opportunities for people throughout Stokes County. THE PROJECT Designing The Cabins of Stokes County was a collaboration for the dual purposes of exposing NC State architecture students to the design of affordable rental cabins while providing the Stokes County Economic Development EDC with prototypical, regionally-appropriate, energy-efficient designs that can contribute to their economic development strategy. During spring semester 2014, a group of undergraduate and graduate architecture students, under the supervision of Professor Georgia
Bizios, worked with the Stokes County Economic Development team to establish the architectural program, select sites and determine the design schedule. The student team visited and analyzed the selected sites to familiarize themselves with the local context. The Cabins of Stokes County are intended to fit into the environment of the county’s varied geography and be affordable for local landowners to build and operate as lodging. The proposed cabins are approximately 500 square feet and sleep at least four adults while providing areas for cooking and eating as well as restroom/bathing facilities. They are designed to be aesthetically appealing, simple to construct and easy to maintain. They can be built individually on small tracts of land or in clusters on larger properties. As a next step, the county selected a design to be built as a “model” cabin to promote the future building of 30-40 cabins across the county. In addition to their on-campus course work, students spent time in local architecture firms. Participating offices were active and engaged mentors, providing valuable opportunities for the students to learn about architectural practice. During their time in the offices, students worked on their studio projects and received critiques on their work. This booklet contains an overview and summary of the design work of four student teams. Each cabin is an exploration of architectural language and local heritage, material choice and constructability, and efficient use of space in addressing the architectural program at hand.
THE CABINS OF STOKES COUNTY
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Site plan
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Hanging Rocks Cabin ARSALAN ABBASI + RACHEL STEINSBERGER Arsalan and Rachel were assigned a site near downtown Danbury, NC, and they focused on creating a community of cabins with shared recreational facilities. The form of their cabin was inspired by the rock outcroppings of Hanging Rock. They pushed this mountain concept to inform the “carved out” living area in the cabin with a “hanging” roof that provides protection. The layout includes a service “bar” where the kitchen, toilet, and stair are grouped together linearly for efficient use of space.
Design process
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First level plan
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HANGING ROCKS CABIN
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ARSALAN ABASSI + RACHEL STEINSBERGER
Second level plan
Cross section
Longitudinal section
THE CABINS OF STOKES COUNTY
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Physical model
Construction diagram PAGE 10 : :
HANGING ROCKS CABIN
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ARSALAN ABASSI + RACHEL STEINSBERGER
THE CABINS OF STOKES COUNTY
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Final presentation board
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HANGING ROCKS CABIN
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ARSALAN ABASSI + RACHEL STEINSBERGER
CAD drawings by Rachel Steinsberger
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Exterior view 2
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Sliding Bars Cabin
Roof configuration #1
KEVIN BERRY, KEENAN FRASE + KATY LIANG Kevin, Keenan, and Katy explored modular construction, use of a recycled shipping container, and a “bar” plan that efficiently separates service spaces from living spaces. They worked through several roof and layout configurations [shown below and left] that could adapt to the site and the aesthetic preference of the landowner. The service “wet bar,” containing the toilet, shower, and kitchen, is housed in the repurposed shipping container, while the living “bar” is housed in a light frame construction space with a shed roof.
Roof configuration #2
Roof configuration #3
Roof configuration #4
Roof configuration #5
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SLIDING BARS CABIN
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KEVIN BERRY, KEENAN FRAISE + KATY LIANG
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SLIDING BARS CABIN
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KEVIN BERRY, KEENAN FRAISE + KATY LIANG
PROJECT AREA :
380 s.f.
TOTAL COST :
$11,367.44
ESTIMATED COST PER S.F. :
$29.90
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The Copenhagen Section perspective Matt Teti
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The Lodge Cabin Section perspective Grant Wylie
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The Copenhagen / The Lodge Cabin MATT TETI + GRANT WYLIE Matt and Grant worked together on the initial design concept and form of this cabin, and then chose to work on the detailing and representation separately. They explored the idea of vernacular architecture, looking at precedents of the barns and homes throughout Stokes County. They created a vertical cabin, with a split-level stair configuration and an inviting loft space above. The two design proposals, variations on a theme, are presented together in this publication.
Concept sketches Matt Teti
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Plan drawings Matt Teti
Elevation drawings Matt Teti
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THE COPENHAGEN / THE LODGE
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MATT TETI + GRANT WYLIE
Assembly + materials Matt Teti
Construction sequence Matt Teti
Section drawings Matt Teti
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A
A
B
B
B
B
A
A
Floor 1
Floor 2
1. Back Deck 2. Living Space 3. Bathroom 4. Sleeping 5. Kitchen
4 5 1
A-A
B-B
West Elevation
Final presentation board Grant Wylie
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THE COPENHAGEN / THE LODGE
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MATT TETI + GRANT WYLIE
North Elevation
East Elevation
2
3
A
A
1 : 200 1 : 200
B
B
B
B
A
A
Floor 1
Floor 2
South Elevation South Elevation
Floor plans Grant Wylie
1. Back Deck 2. Living Space 3. Bathroom
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Aluminum cladding option
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Mountain View Cabin David Koontz + Will Sendor David and Will explored vernacular precedents, a simple form, and efficient construction techniques in their cabin design. Mountain View Cabin resonates with the surrounding architectural language of Stokes County, NC, with its simple vernacular shape. Drawing on the form of a tobacco barn located on the site [as well as tobacco barns throughout the landscape of Stokes County], Mountain View Cabin provides the visitor with an experience that embeds a contemporary edge within a celebration of the past. The design packs sleeping, cooking, dining, and relaxing for up to four travelers into a 500 square foot footprint, using flexible spaces that transform throughout the day. A winding stair leads up to a sleeping loft, where custom-designed beds pull out to sleep four, with views looking out to Hanging Rock. David and Will continued the schematic design into a more developed AutoCAD drawing set, which was presented to the Stokes County EDC. Will continued the design development using the EDC and community feedback during Summer 2014. [See page 37 of this publication for more about this design development.]
Site analysis + notes David Koontz
cabin picnic area
Concept sketches
VIEW TO HANGIN G ROCK
parking area
Site plan of example location along Hanging Rock Park Road near Pioneer Community Hospital
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FLOOR PLANS On the first level, guests are greeted by an open porch, sheltered by a high overhanging “shell” roof. Passing through the front door, guests are met with a cozy, efficient layout: a reading/sleeping nook surrounded by bookshelves, a small kitchen and dining space, and a wood stove surround the living area. Service uses [owner’s closet, toilet, shower, storage] are located in the rear of the cabin. A winding stair takes guests to the second level loft, where two custom-designed beds allow two mattresses to pull out for up to four sleeping spaces. Paired with the bed nook [also with a pullout mattress] in the living space below, the cabin can sleep 6 people comfortably inside. On a nice night, the porch would also be ideal for sleeping.
Winding stair bookshelf option Will Sendor
First level plan
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MOUNTAIN VIEW CABIN
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DAVID KOONTZ + WILL SENDOR
Second level plan
Cross section
Initial process elevations
Longitudinal section
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MOUNTAIN VIEW CABIN
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DAVID KOONTZ + WILL SENDOR
View from loft
View from “nook” in living area
Construction diagrams
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DRAWING SET David and Will took their initial schematic design and created a drawing set using AutoCAD. The goal of this drawing set was to create a concrete first pass at details and constructability, in the hope that the EDC would be able to use such a drawing set as a base for further design development and construction document efforts. At left, an example page from the drawing set, showing some of the custom details of the Mountain View Cabin. The following pages show more of the drawing set, including plans, framing, elevations, sections, and site plan.
Opposite: view from front doorway looking at living space and loft
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MOUNTAIN VIEW CABIN
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DAVID KOONTZ + WILL SENDOR
THE CABINS OF STOKES COUNTY
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DRAWING SET At left, an initial pass at detail drawings for eventual construction. It was used to present the design to the Stokes County EDC and community members. Feedback from that exchange was used to further develop the design according to the wishes of the people of Stokes County, as seen in the next section [Mountain View Cabin: Design Development] of this publication.
Right: building sections Opposite: CAD plans, framing, site plan, elevations
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MOUNTAIN VIEW CABIN
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DAVID KOONTZ + WILL SENDOR
THE CABINS OF STOKES COUNTY
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Mountain View Cabin: Design Development WILL SENDOR Mountain View Cabin [David Koontz + Will Sendor] was selected by the Stokes County community partners as the design that they wanted to see pushed forward as a first prototype to be built in the county. The EDC relayed comments and feedback regarding the schematic design and drawing set that were initially created by David and Will. Over the summer of 2014, Will worked with this feedback to adjust the design and create a new schematic drawing set. Some of the main changes that were implemented included an overhaul of the elevations and fenestration layout, the addition of overhang/eaves along the roof edge, where previously the standing seam had wrapped down from the roof to the exterior walls, and also the provision of space for fire egress windows on the loft level. Will worked to achieve these design changes while attempting to retain the initial aesthetic and composition of the overall design. The wrapping roof was changed to a small overhang, which opened the elevations to be completely overhauled: the standing seam was changed to vertical board siding on all sides, and the window layout was simplified and clarified. To achieve fire egress capability from the loft, the cabin was widened from 16 to 18 feet. This allowed for space in the upper rear facade to fit a code-compliant egress window in the loft.
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These are conceptual drawings for the development of a site/ building. They are not documents for use in construction and do not replace the need for professional architectural and/or engineering services and stamps to ensure the compliance with codes, structural specifications, etc. The College of Design, North Carolina State University, does not warranty these plans.
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MOUNTAIN VIEW CABIN: DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
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WILL SENDOR
These are conceptual drawings for the development of a site/ building. They are not documents for use in construction and do not replace the need for professional architectural and/or engineering services and stamps to ensure the compliance with codes, structural specifications, etc. The College of Design, North Carolina State University, does not warranty these plans.
THE CABINS OF STOKES COUNTY
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These are conceptual drawings for the development of a site/ building. They are not documents for use in construction and do not replace the need for professional architectural and/or engineering services and stamps to ensure the compliance with codes, structural specifications, etc. The College of Design, North Carolina State University, does not warranty these plans.
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These are conceptual drawings for the development of a site/ building. They are not documents for use in construction and do not replace the need for professional architectural and/or engineering services and stamps to ensure the compliance with codes, structural specifications, etc. The College of Design, North Carolina State University, does not warranty these plans.
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT SET Significant changes in this set [compared to the schematic AutoCAD set] include widening of the cabin from 16 to 18 feet, an overhaul of the facades, and the addition of overhangs/eaves on the east and west elevations.
THE CABINS OF STOKES COUNTY
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Matt Teti observes a potential site in Stokes County
Opposite, top: Arsalan Abbasi and Rachel Steinsberger present their cabin design Opposite, middle: the class visits Stokes County
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Opposite, top: Matt Teti and Grant Wylie present their cabin design
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The Next Steps ADVANCING THE CABINS OF STOKES COUNTY PROJECT
As documented in this publication, the Mountain View Cabin received positive and constructive feedback from the EDC and members of the Stokes County community. Will Sendor updated the designs accordingly and drafted the schematic design drawing set. The hope of many is that construction of a prototype cabin can begin soon. This will require fundraising and community support, perhaps even a bit of sweat equity. It has been suggested that the cabin could be an educational opportunity for students of building construction at Forsyth Technical Community College. Preparation of a construction document drawing set and acquisition of the necessary county permits will also be required.
A prototype will be a powerful tool to create excitement and enthusiasm for the Cabins of Stokes County project. Careful documentation of the process will generate important information regarding ease of construction, adaptability to various sites, and budgeting – all items that landowners will likely inquire about as they consider proliferating the cabin model on their properties. What started as an inspired economic development strategy for Stokes County has developed into a productive university-community partnership and a valuable learning experience for NC State architecture students. This publication demonstrates the richness of the work already done and the great potential for the future of the Cabins of Stokes County.
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