Project 1 Description

These 9 weeks our class had to design a house for refugees in Syria and neighboring cities. I decided to incorporate simplicity with an earth friendly concept of recycled materials like doors and couches. My final design was a simple shipping container with 2 doors that led out into a garden. I created a room for sleeping and rest and an area for religious practice or gathering. The rest of the house is open and can be used for anything. My house is not vented so air circulation is crucial during hot months which is why I wanted to use recycled doors like the doors we have in our houses. The doors can be left open for circulation or when there are activities in the garden. ​

Preliminary model and drawing

Drawings

 At first I wanted to create a house out of wood and have the house half opened, and half closed. This picture also reflects my personal taste. I love to make houses that have a modern style and a weird design incorporated into it.

 I loved the idea of a multiple story house because it created more sleeping areas and storage areas. I realized later on that this would be hard to put together on site, especially if there would be hundreds built. This design wasn't my top pick for this project, but I will be using this design later on for sure!

​ I wanted to make a portable house that had wheels and a simple box shape. I also created a water storage system on the roof of this house to store water during the rainy months to be used during dry, hot months.

I have drawn the area where 6 houses can be placed and 2 gardens are in the middle of them to create a space of gathering or an actual flourishing garden. The way the houses are placed are important to the garden and the area surrounding the houses.

Final model and drawing

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This represents my idea of a shipping container. I used foam to construct the house and then I wrapped the foam with aluminum foam and used a pencil to indent lines like an actual shipping container. It is very simple, but my idea is intended to be very simple and portable.

I decided to separate the living area with the sleeping area by a simple concrete slab wall. In the inner corner near the back door I wanted to create a space of comfort and a possible worship area. This will give the refugees a sense of independence and a feeling of being in their old home.

 I chose to use a recycled door because there are many unused and recycled doors. I also love having a black and drawing and only coloring in 1 thing. 
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Project 2 Discription

For the last 9 weeks our class was given the task to build a new house for the residents coming from the refugee camps. I chose to make a courtyard house with the house surrounding that outdoor space. I loved this idea because it brought their culture back to them, while adding to a modern style. 

Before the project started our task was to come up with three ideas of houses we wanted to make.

Preliminary model and drawing

I was inspired by my cousin's house in Iowa, the houses there are built on a hill with a basement only seen from the back where the hill is at it's lowest point. These are also similar to condos in Colorado.

I wanted to bring the courtyard aspect of the houses in Syria to the houses I was building so I placed a grassy area in the middle of the house.

Each building would house 1 family with each floor being a different type of room. The connectors would be similar to an open free space shared by both families.

Drawings

I started to really like my first idea of a three story house and I continued to add onto it, making floor plans and more drawings.

During  our meeting with Mr.Carson about our ideas, I decided to go with the second idea of a courtyard being present in the center of my house. After a little more thought about the entire project I decided to try and make that idea even better by not having a hallway, but the courtyard being that hallway or area to go from room to room. 

Final model and drawing

The 3D model helps to show the way the roof is cut along the inside of the house and how it hangs over to give a little shade or protection from any elements. The courtyard has a fountain in the center because that is also very common for Syrian houses.

I was happy with my final model because even though I didn't have the ability to use the laser cutter, I used all my resources to my fullest and created something clean and presentable.

One design challenge was the absence of a hallway. This made the placing of rooms hard because I didn't want a bathroom walking into the kitchen or the dining room leading into the bedroom.