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, April 17, 2013

Enclosure Development

Continued development of the wall system includes looking at SIP panels as a curtain wall, attached to a steel superstructure.  This allows for the steel structure to be built on-site, while prefabricated SIP panels are delivered.  Assembly is accomplished through simply tilting the panels into place and attaching them to the steel structure.

Cladding utilizes GFRC, Terracotta, or similar panels that utilize a C-shaped rail system.  The panels are lifted onto place with C-clips that are simply the same extrusion as the rail.  The reveals add visual continuity between the panels, glazing, and the rest of the development.

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