Kansas University Distinguished Professor of Architecture, Dan Rockhill, spoke about his award winning program that provides senior architecture students with “hands on” experience in designing and building unique structures. Rockhill teaches an intensive class that produces a prefabricated structure designed, built and installed by students. Participants learn skills on the job including design, working with city officials and neighborhood associations, and actual construction. Rockhill believes his class promotes engagement, creativity and practical experience. The results of the program may be viewed in a number of Kansas cities and on campus or on the web site at Studio804.com. Rockhill receives no special funding from the university so the structures built each year are sold and the proceeds are put back into the program for the next class. Sale homes may be viewed at Rockhillandassociates.com. The structures are quite modern in appearance and are built to a high standard of sustainability and energy efficiency. Recycled building materials are often utilized, like aluminum scraps , limestone tailings and even chalkboard. Homes are often placed in the urban core and in 2008 Rockhill’s students built a community arts center in tornado damaged Greensburg, Kansas. Rockhill has written extensively about his work and he has received numerous awards for architecture and sustainability.
Here’s a great time-lapse from the Studio 804 site of the East Lawrence Passive House, being built. Having broken ground in January the studio went through all aspects of constructing this house which hopes to attain the status of LEED Platinum, Passive House and Net Zero certifications becoming one of the most sustainable homes in the city of Lawrence and the State of Kansas.
