Rural Studio
The Rural Studio is a design-build architecture studio run by Auburn University which aims to teach students about the social responsibilities of the profession of architecture while also providing safe, well-constructed and inspirational homes and buildings for poor communities in rural west Alabama, part of the so-called "Black Belt".
The studio was founded in 1993 by architects Samuel Mockbee and D. K. Ruth, and is currently lead by UK-born architect Andrew Freear. Each year the program builds five or so projects - a house by the second-year students, three thesis projects by groups of 3-5 fifth year students and one or more outreach studio projects. The Rural Studio has built more than 80 houses and civic projects in Hale, Perry and Marengo counties. The Rural Studio is based in Newbern, a small town in Hale County. Many of its best-known projects are in the tiny community of Mason's Bend, on the banks of the Black Warrior River.
$20K House
The $20K House is an ongoing research project at the Rural Studio that seeks to address the pressing need for decent and affordable housing in Hale County, Alabama. Nearly 30% of individuals in Hale County live in poverty. Due to the lack of conventional credit for people with this level of income, and insufficient knowledge about alternative sources of funding, mobile homes offer the only chance for home ownership. Unlike a house, which is an asset for its owner, trailers deteriorate very quickly and depreciate in value over time. The 20k house project intends to produce a model home that could be reproduced on a large scale, and thereby become a viable alternative to the mobile home in this area. The challenge is to build a house for $20,000, ten to twelve thousand of which will go towards materials and the remainder on contracted labor. Once a truly successful model has been designed, the aim is to sell the houses in conjunction with the “502 Direct Loan” provided by the Rural Housing Service. The project began in 2005, and there have been 11 iterations of the house so far. The project is typically carried out by four outreach students; international post-graduates with a background in architecture or design.
Projects
By Year. Some Designers are listed
2010–2011
- Lion's Park - Phase VI (hub), Greensboro
- Ed May, Madelynne Miller, Gwyndolyn Mowbray,Charles Spires
- Newbern Town Hall, Newbern
- Brett Bowers, David Frazier, Mallory Garrett, Zane Morgan
- Thinnings Bath House, Payne Lake, Talladega National Forest
- Michael Dowdy, Franklin Frost, Will McGarity, Mary Pruitt
- $20K House Phase X, Faunsdale
- Jacob Beebe, Erika Henriksson, Eric Schmid, Sandra Yubero
- Morrisette House Passive Solar Greenhouse, Newbern
- Morgan Acino, Christine Bagdigian, Damien Bolden, Ashley Clark, Drew Craven, Kurt Funderberg, Brad Greene, Will Gregory, Kyle Johnson, Peter McInish, Michael Stricklin, Ashley Williams
2009–2010
- Lion's Park - Phase V (playscape), Greensboro
- Jamie Sartory, Courtney Mathias, Bill Batey, Cameron Acheson
- Safe House Museum, Greensboro
- Cassandra Kellogg, Chris Currie, Candace Rimes
- Thinnings Bridge, Payne Lake, Talladega National Forest
- Nick Wickersham, Golpar Garmestani, Nick Bishop
- $20k House Phase IX, Faunsdale
- Clem Blakemore, Pernilla Hagbert, Will Holman
- Morrisette House Kitchen, Newbern
2008–2009
- Lion's Park - Phase IV (skateplay), Greensboro
- Evan Dick, Brett Randall Jones, Carrie Laurendine
- Lion's Park - Phase IV (concessions), Greensboro
- John Plaster, Terran Wilson, Sandy Wolf
- Thinnings Pavilion, Payne Lake, Talladega National Forest
- Anna Bevill, Lori Fine, Ian Hoffman, Roger Mainor
- $20K House Phase VIII, Newbern
- Charity Bulgrien, Ian Cook, Obi Elechi
- Rose Lee House, Footwash
- Sarah Al-Rukhayyes, Tyler Allgood, Kendra Ayers, Tanner Backman, Doug Bacon, Bob Benner, Brandon Block, Stephanie Brown, David Charney, Jordan Cox, Michael De St. Aubin, Andrew Dolder, Christine Furey, Rebecca Hayes, Alex Henderson, Randall Holmes, Clay Jackson, Stephen Kesel, Allyson Klinner, Kenneth Lao, Corey Lee, Tina Maceri, Lauren Oliver, Alex Peeples, Benjamin Pendergraft, Autumn Sikorowski, Andrew Taylor, Daniel Toner, Christina Walton, Elizabeth Whitlock, Joe Wojciechowski, Katie Woods, Mary Melissa Yohn
2007–2008
- 20K - Bridge Greensboro
- Betsy Farrell, Drew Merkle, Rand Pinson, Ashley Snell
- 20K - Loft Greensboro
- Kait Caldwell, Joey Fante, Aimee O'Carroll, Ryan Stephenson
- 20K - Pattern Book Greensboro
- Drew Coshow, Rob Douge, Abbie Grubb, Steven Ward
- 20K - Roundwood Greensboro
- St. Luke's Church Renovation, Cahawba, Alabama
- Michael Dowdy, Hannah Dulaney, Susie Fagg, Mallory Garrett, Sarah Hunter, Maggie Johnson, Edward May, Will McGarity, Mary Pruitt, Nourah Said, Charles Spires, Ali Tyler, Johannes Ubben, Heather Baber, Alex Baker, Cassidy Beam, Brett Bowers, Meghan Bullard, John Burleson, David Frazier, Franklin Frost, Blake Habshey, Matt Millican, Zane Morgan, Corey Moulton, Gwyndolyn Mowbray, Delvin Stephens, Kristy Swann
2006–2007
- Lion's Park - Phase II (toilets), Greensboro
- Lion's Park - Phase III (surfacing), Greensboro
- Akron Boys & Girls Club - II
- Danny Wicke, Whitney Hall, Adam Pearce, John Marusich
- $20K House - Phase III - Greensboro, Alabama
Karamjit Birk, Sabina Nieto, Jane Sloss, Jeremy Aranoff, and Prof. Steven "white lightning" Long
- St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Cahawba
Amy Songer, Amy Cook, Cassandra Kellogg, Jessica Moeller, Casey Patterson, Joe Kochak, Lea Henley, April Brown, Nicole Dennis, Courtney Mathias, Katie Owens, Amanda Peterson, Michael Shows, Scott Smith, Daniel Stewart, John Thompson, Brittany Winslett, Cameron Acheson, William Batey, Nick Biship, Chris Currie, Christine Dingivan, Golpar Garmestani, Erin Graves, Sarah Hollerman, Eric Hutchinson, Adam Leonard, Frances Leon, John Mansour, Candace Rimes, Jamie Sartory, Fuller Sherrod, Walker Stone, Nick Wickersham
2005–2006
- Lion's Park - Phase I, Greensboro
- Laura Filipek, Alicia Gjesvold, Jeremy Sargent, Daniel Splaingard, Mark Wise
- Hale County Hospital, Greensboro
- Blair Bricken, Nathan Foust, Nicholas Gray, Heidi Schattin
- Hale County Animal Shelter, Greensboro
- Jeff Bazzell, Julieta Collart, Lana Farkas, Connely Farr
- $20K House - Phase II, Greensboro
- Nathalie Leysen, Alexandre Landry, Fernando Abreu, Susan Massey, Kellie Stokes
- Michelle's House, Greensboro
- Anna Marie Bevil, Jason Blankenship, Brittany Creehan, Jacob Fyfe, Brittany Graeber, Jennifer Isenburg, Carrie Laurendine, Jonathan Mayhall, Don Mott, Brandon Rainosek, Haley Robinson, Christopher Terrell, Marcus Buckner-Perry, Justyn Chandler, Michelle Clark, Taylor Clark, Evan Dick, Lori Fine, Robert Hall, Drew Jerdan, Brett Randall Jones, Ben Krauss, Carolyn Norton, John Plaster, Dorothy Sherling, Casey Smith, Kathleen Webb, Terran Wilson
2004–2005
- Perry Lakes Canopy Tower
Adrienne Brady, Natalie Butts, Paul Howard, Coley Mulcahy
- Perry County Learning Center
Dereck Aplin, Sam Currie, Amy Bell, Angela Hughey, Turnley Smith
- Christine's House, Mason's Bend, Hale County
Steven Long, Amy Bullington
- Re-sourcing
David Garner
- $20K House - Phase I, Hale County
Kellie Stokes, Laura Noguera, Phillip March Jones, Hanna Loftus, Minn Joo Kim
- Willie Bell House, Mason's Bend, Hale County
2003–2004
- Alabama Rural Heritage Center, Thomaston
- Abby Barnett Davis, Melissa Harold, Paul Kardous, Nathan Makemeson, Robert White
- Newbern Volunteer Fire Department, Newbern
- Will Brothers, Elizabeth Ellington, Matthew Finley, Leia Price
- Perry Lakes Park Bridge, Perry County
- Matthew Edwards, Lynielle Houston, Charlie Jorgensen, Sara Singleton
- Sub Rosa, Newbern
- Carol Mockbee
- Patrick House, Newbern
- Outside In, Greensboro
2002–2003
- Perry Lakes Toilets and Boardwalk, Marion
- Sarah Dunn, Matt Foley, Brannen Park, Melissa Sullivan
- Rural Heritage Center Gift Shop
- Emily McGlohn, Katie B. Johnston, John David Caldwell
- Sunshine School, Newbern
- Organic Farmer's Stand, Newbern
- Ola Mae Porch
- Newbern Little League Field, Newbern
- Jason A. Hunsucker, Jermaine Washington, Julie Hay, Patrick Nelson
- Music Man House, Greensboro
- dinning hall, Newbern
- Matt Christopher, Kris Johnson, Albert Ulysses Mitchum II, Clark Todd Gollotte
2001–2002
- Perry Lakes Cedar Pavilion
- Jennifer Bonner, Mary Beth Maness, Nathan Orrison, Anthony Tindell
- Antioch Baptist Church
- Jared Fulton, Gabe Michaud, William Nauck, Marion McElroy
- HERO Knowledge Cafe, Greensboro
- Andrea Ray, John McCabe, Daniel Sweeney, Matt Wilson
- Great Hall at Morrisette, Newbern
- Akron Senior Center
- Matthew Barrett, Jonathan Graves, Breanna Hinderliter, Joseph Yeager
- Shiles House
- Lucy House, Mason's Bend, Hale County
- Architectural Ambulance
2000–2001
- Newbern Baseball Club, Newbern
- Corrugated Cardboard Pod, Newbern
- Chantilly House, Newbern
- Bodark Amphitheatre, Newbern
- Akron Boys & Girls Club
- Sanders/Dudley House, Greensboro
- Newbern Playground, Newbern
1999–2000
- Glass Chapel, Mason's Bend, Hale County
- Thomaston Farmer's Market
- Pods at Morrisette, Newbern
- Spencer House, Newbern
- Sanders/Dudley House, Greensboro
- Mason's Bend Basketball Court
1998–1999
- Seed House
- HERO Children's Center, Greensboro
- Lewis House
- Supershed & Bathhouse, Newbern
- Spencer House, Newbern
- Sanders/Dudley House, Greensboro
1997–1998
- Butterfly House, Mason's Bend, Hale County
- HERO Children's Center, Greensboro
- Lewis House
- Supershed & Bathhouse, Newbern
- Spencer House, Newbern
1996–1997
- Goat House Josh Cooper and Iain Stewart
- Butterfly House, Mason's Bend, Hale County
- William Austin, Clifford Brooks, Kristen Kepner Coleman, Joshua Daniel, Adam Gerndt, Jo Beth Gleason, Jeremy Moffet, Justin Patwin, Hunter Simmons, Elizabeth Stallworth, Samuel Watkins, William Whittaker Jr., Heather Wootten, Jeff Marteski, Timothy Sliger, Robert Sproull, Tommy Replogle, Jon Schumann, John Ritchie, Charlie Hughes, Jimmy Turner, Jeff Johnston,
- Akron Pavilion
- HERO Playground, Greensboro
1995–1996
- Wilson House, Mason's Bend, Hale County
1994–1995
- Yancey Chapel, Sawyerville, Hale County (See pictures at http://architecture.myninjaplease.com/?p=321.)
- Hay Bale House, Mason's Bend, Hale County
- Wilson House, Mason's Bend, Hale County
- Supershed, Newbern
- HERO Playground, Greensboro
1993–1994
- Smoke House, Mason's Bend, Hale County
- Hay Bale House, Mason's Bend, Hale County
References
- Andrea Oppenheimer Dean and Timothy Hursley, (2005) "Proceed and Be Bold: Rural Studio After Samuel Mockbee". Princeton Architectural Press. ISBN 1-56898-500-2
- Samuel Mockbee, David Moos and Gail Trechsel. (2003) Samuel Mockbee and the Rural Studio. Birmingham Museum of Art. ISBN 0-931394-52-X
- Andrea Oppenheimer Dean, photographer, Timothy Hursley. (2002) Rural Studio: Samuel Mockbee and an Architecture of Decency. Princeton Architectural Press. ISBN 1-56898-292-5
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rural Studio. |
- official Rural Studio Website
- Rural Studio film — Rural Studio documentary website.
- NPR Speaking of Faith: "An Architecture of Decency" — public radio program about project: includes dynamic map of selected projects and audio slideshows.
- Citizen Architect - Rural Studio film — documentary about Samuel Mockbee, made by former students Jack Sanders and Sam Douglas (2010).
- Hortus (design + architecture magazine) — "L'architettura della decenza" — by Federico De Matteis (in Italian).
Coordinates: 32°35′20″N 87°32′02″W / 32.58877°N 87.53378°W