Welcome to the Montana State University Farmworker Housing Studio

Welcome to the Montana State University Farmworker Housing Studio

This blog is a collection of design research done by graduate students at the Montana State University School of Architecture who are looking at farmworker housing shortages in the Yakima Valley of Washington State. The studio is being assisted by the Office of Rural and Farmworker Housing and the Catholic Charities Housing Services in Yakima, and will include input from the UN-Habitat Housing and Slum Upgrading Branch. The studio prompt is to study the relationships between infrastructure and infill, home and place, mobility and permanence, boundaries and community. What kind of infrastructure is required for different kinds of farmworkers in the USA? Can this infrastructure perform technically, socially, economically, and poetically? What are the tectonics of home, the architecture of economics, and how can design facilitate better living conditions for these communities? In short, how does mass-housing become mass-homing?

Our goal is to take advantage of our academic setting to offer new ideas and approaches to a persistent challenge. With this in mind, we aspire to imagine diverse approaches to affordable farmworker housing that perform optimally for its users' diverse values, interests and desires. We welcome your feedback so please leave comments, suggestions and ideas.

For direct questions or comments please contact David Fortin at david.fortin@montana.edu or at 406-994-7579.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Site Models

I am exploring site layouts right now.  The map is of George, WA showing where the model below is located.  



This model shows two potential layouts of the site plan.  They are explorations at using the arrangement of the permanent (black) buildings to create exterior living space without additional buildings.  The simple wood-screen walls and trees detail the space further.  

The lower version is the most recent.  

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