[d+b] design+research+build at the University of Arizona

• Rincon Vista
  classroom support
  building
  Rincon Vista classroom facility is a rammed earth and insulated concrete block structure designed and built by Architecture students at The University of Arizona, 1996-1999. It serves as a classroom, office, and restrooms facility for the UA Department of Campus Recreation.
• Paper Bale
  field support
  building
  The UA Paper Bale field support facility is an experimental Architecture students at The University of Arizona, 1998-1999. It is a load bearing structure of shredded, recycled paper and was built entirely of salvaged materials. It now serves as a storage building for the UA Ag College.
• Gila River
  Reservation
  residence
  The Gila River residence is a rammed earth house for a Gila Indian family designed and built by Architecture students at The University of Arizona, 1998-2000. This project was supported by a UA/Community Partnership grant funded by the Kellogg Foundation.
• HFHT
  Rammed Earth
  residence
  The Habitat for Humanity Tucson rammed earth residence was designed by an Architect student at The University of Arizona, and will be built by a 5th year design studio in the fall semester, 2001. Students drew the construction documents and built test blocks and walls to regine the earth/cement mix.
• HFHT
  Straw Bale
  residence
  The Habitat for Humanity Tucson straw bale residence was designed by Architecture students at The University of Arizona, and will be built in the spring semester, 2002.
• Balboa Heights
  community center
  Balboa Heights Community Center is a concrete block structure designed and built by Architecture students at The University of Arizona. Student/community interaction included design meetings, presentations, and creation of a ceramic tile mural for the front of the center.
• HFHT
  Nice House
  The Nice House is a light gage steel frame dwelling designed by University of Arizona student Peter McBride under the supervision of Professor Corky Poster. His design objectives were to create an affordable dwelling of approximately 1200 square feet that optimized environmental, spatial and programmatic considerations.
• DDBC
  Residence 1
  This design, by professors Mary Hardin and John Folan, was drawn and constructed by students of the School of Architecture at The University of Arizona and serves as an energy-conscious prototype for the long, narrow lots with predominantly east-west solar exposure so commonly found in Tucson.
• DDBC
  Residence 2
  In May, 2006, DDBC began the design process for two residences to be built in Barrio San Antonio during 2007-2008. These residences will be energy and water efficient homes, built with innovative construction techniques and monitored for energy and water use for one year after occupation.
• DDBC
  Residence 3
  In May, 2006, DDBC began the design process for two residences to be built in Barrio San Antonio during 2007-2008. These residences will be energy and water efficient homes, built with innovative construction techniques and monitored for energy and water use for one year after occupation.

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RINCON VISTA CLASSROOM FACILITY

The Rincon Vista Classroom Facility was a collaborative project within the University community. Responding to a request for technical assistance from the Department of Campus Recreation, students in the College of Architecture designed and built the rammed earth classroom and support spaces. Professor Rocky Brittain brought students through the various phases of design, construction documents, and construction that also involved the University's department of Facilities Design and Construction and a number of their subcontractors. Professor Mary Hardin and shopmaster Mark Perry joined the effort at the beginning stage of the construction.

The interdisciplinary nature of this project was unique for the UofA campus facility, as was the hands-on construction experience for this graduating class of architecture students. One research agenda for this project was to develop an inexpensive system of formwork for rammed earth construction that could be handled by two people, in contrast to the large, industrial form systems that are used by contractors and their crews. The development of this incremental formwork allowed the project to be accomplished with a low budget for the building envelope, and led to further refinements for use of the system in affordable housing projects.

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