architecture: 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”. (from wikipedia)
The Rural Studio from BluePrint Productions on Vimeo.
The film, Citizen Architect will be on PBS in 2010. In the meantime they set up a web site which further explores the work of Samuel Mockbell. A few notable highlights from the web site are below:
Q&A with the director and son-in-law to Mockbee, Sam (link)
Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems (link) was an offshoot of Sam. It was established in 1975, as a non-profit education, research, and demonstration organization specializing in life cycle planning and design. They undertake projects based on their potential contribution to site, regional and global sustainability and human health, and actively pursue collaborations with associate organizations, businesses and professional firms.
(above) animal shelter, (below) the butterfly house
