Design-Build – DESIGN – University City, MO – Safe – Fall 2005

Design-Build - DESIGN - University City, MO - Safe - Fall 2005,

This design-build project transformed a traffic island next to a post office into a shaded sitting area, enjoyed by those walking through or driving around. We had relatively few guidelines – a permanent memorial to be enjoyed as public space by the residents of University City, a material budget of ten thousand dollars, and sixteen weeks to design, obtain permits and city approvals, and build the project. The donor simply asked us to “make something beautiful.”

I explored how a curved, dynamic shape could be made from straight wood members, then collaborated with my classmates to come up with a design. The donor and the city mayor selected this design to be built.

Design-Build – BUILD – University City, MO – Safe – Fall 2005

Design-Build - BUILD - University City, MO - Safe - Fall 2005

From digging holes and pouring concrete piers to planing and cutting the redwood to tightening the last screws, the team constructed the entire project in about six weeks.

Design-Build – Detailing – University City, MO – Safe – Fall 2005

Design-Build - DETAIL - University City, MO - Safe - Fall 2005

The jump from balsa wood concept to finished structure required the design and fabrication of a custom bracket. I designed a bracket that held the wood members off the ground while directing them to intersect at set points to create the hyperbolic parabaloid section. The Y-shaped bracket attached one member that angled to the right on the outer side to another member angling opposite on the inner side. All main structural members were predrilled to allow for precise field assembly.

Detailing in AutoCAD