Massachusetts College of Art and Design M.Arch 2010 Design-Build Studio: Drumlin Farm

DRUMLIN FARMWILDLIFE SANCTUARY

OUTDOOR CLASSROOM DESIGN-BUILD STUDIO SUMMER 2010

1

INTRODUCTION 2

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT 4

6 Project Presentation8 Material Research

CONSTRUCTION 12

12 Site Preparation13 Tree Logging and Milling14 Footings and Beams15 Deck and Shelves16 Trellis and Ramp17 Furniture and Steps18 Satellite Decks19 Path Indicators20 Canopy21 The Finished Product

PROJECT COMPLETION 22

23 The Opening Ceremony25 Design/Build Team26 Thank You

2 3INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION

The Design/Build studio component of the Master of Architecture program at the Massachusetts Col-lege of Art and Design allows students to collaborate on a real-world construction project benefi ting the community. This year’s project, an outdoor classroom for The Massachusetts Audubon Society’s Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary in Lincoln Mass., provides summer camp students with a place to ex-plore Drumlin’s extensive facilities and to learn more about the natural world.

Located in a clearing surrounded by pine trees, the outdoor classroom includes a 400 square-foot wooden platform covered by a waterproof fabric roof suspended by cables from trees, three small “satellite” learning areas located around the site, wood sculptural elements suspended from trees along the entry path to the site, and several tables and chairs. As the main focus of the camp is nature and education, the sheltered platform is intended to provide campers with a safe and dry gathering space where they can learn and explore. The built project itself will also serve as a learning tool for the children, teaching them how wood, concrete and steel come together to create the overall structure.

54 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT DESIGN DEVELOPMENTThe students at MassArt began the design development process by working through a series of in-tensive design charrettes. Students worked in small groups to conceive a wide range of design ap-proaches. Periodically, students reconvened as a whole to review each group’s big ideas, focusing on the similarities. After working in this manner for several days, we arrived at a design concept that was a clear fusion of group ideas. We concluded that words such as procession, movement, education and nature were key to our concept.

During this process, we constantly worked through ideas and logistics, explored structural realities through drawings and sketch models, visited the site and con-sulted with experts, including a structural engineer and a contractor.

6 7DESIGN DEVELOPMENT DESIGN DEVELOPMENTPROJECT PRESENTATION

Two weeks after our fi rst class meeting, we presented our preliminary design concept to our clients at Drumlin Farm. The general concept was very well received and, with a few minor revisions to the de-sign, we moved forward with developing construction documents. By the fourth week, we developed a schedule and a preliminary budget and were ready to begin construction.

8 9DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

MATERIAL RESEARCH

The roof covering the main classroom platform was to be a tensile fabric structure, a new avenue for most of us, requiring intensive research and engineering design. We researched boat sail cloth, PVC-coated polyester fabric and High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) materials. We also conducted material tests to determine allowable fabric elasticity and a comparitive water penetration test between the PVC and HDPE materials. We decided on the PVC-coated polyester in white, as it is the industry stan-dard for roof structures of this type and has been proven to be adequately strong and durable.

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

1110 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

1312 CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION

SITE PREPARATION Our site preparation involved raking and removal of loose ground coverings and soil, staking and marking the platform layout with mason’s string, trimming overgrown tree roots and digging holes for the concrete footings. Digging proved to be challenging due to the site’s rocky soil and ledge.

TREE LOGGING AND MILLING Drumlin Farm periodically cuts back trees surrounding its facility in order to keep the forest healthy. The construction of our project coincided with tree thinning for the season and, with permission from the Mass Audubon Society, we were able to use lumber from felled white pines. The catch? We had to carry the logs from the woods by hand, chain and rope onto a road where they could be trans-ported to a local mill. Although we had help from Drumlin’s “bobcat” we did most of the log hauling ourselves. The use of lumber from the trees drastically lowered the overall cost of the project.

1514 CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION FOOTINGS AND BEAMS

The footings were laid out using a theodolite and holes were dug for concrete footings. Twelve inch diameter sonotubes were placed into the holes and suspended several inches above the bottom, in order to create concrete footings. The holes were planned to be four feet deep, however rock ledge was discovered between two and three feet deep in most holes. We then decided to drill into this solid rock and tied into it with steel reinforcing rod. We placed bolts into the center of each concrete footing in order to secure beams. The 6-inch by 8-inch white pine beams were placed two to a row and connected using a lap joint at the meeting point over the sonotube and then securely bolted through the joint.

DECK AND SHELVES

The deck was constructed from 3-inch by 6-inch white pine planks. We emphasized the linearity of these members by having them rise up over the walls and shelves to create an entrance tunnel. The same form is used in the design of seating attached to the deck. Shelves intended for storage of camper packs and other belongings are located along the entrance ramp for easy access while en-tering and exiting. Shelves for camp counselors are placed near the teaching space for easy access during lessons.

1716 CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION

TRELLIS AND RAMP

As the deck planks rise up to create the storage wall, some continue over and form a trellis-like tunnel entrance. This tunnel is a refl ection of a tunnel lower on the path which campers pass through on the way to the outdoor classroom. The ramp consists of fi ll with a layer of crushed stone and stone dust. It is retained by 3/16-inch thick galvanized sheet steel set into a concrete base. The top of the steel was folded over to create a rounded edge.

FURNITURE AND STEPS

Furniture, both fi xed to the deck and portable, are a continuation of the overall theme. The same 3-inch by 6-inch white pine members that comprise the decking and trellis are used as the supports for each piece of furniture and are arranged in the same orientation as the deck and trellis. To em-phasize the idea of the deck continuing up and over the benches, mitered joints are used to hide the end grain of structural members. The table tops and bench tops are constructed from one and a half inch by six inch white pine members connected between supports. There are two sets of steps; one constructed from wood supported by concrete footings and the other from stone.

1918 CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION

SATELLITE DECKS

Satellite decks were created in the forest beyond the outdoor classroom as places to learn and ob-serve the biology of the forest. Three sites were chosen that would best suit this purpose. All three vary in design use similar materials: 3-inch by 6-inch planks placed on pressure treated boards tied into concrete footings. The dimensions of the wood and the concrete were chosen to relate to the mate-rials used in the construction of the main outdoor classroom.

PATH INDICATORS

After working through many design ideas for path indicators we settled on a system of 3-inch by 6-inch pieces of white pine suspended over the path to the classroom. The indicators are hung at heights ranging from 10 to 20 feet and at various angles in order to evoke the deconstruction of the structure and trellis tunnel out into the path. They also create a roof plane above the path in a addi-tion to the forest’s canopy. These members were suspended using 1/8-inch steel cable connected to trees edging the path.

2120 CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTIONCANOPY

A tensile roof structure was used for this project because it would be lightweight, airy andtranslucent. Being a seasonal-use space, it made sense to have a fl exible roof that could be re-moved when not in use, and provide the opportunity for a roofl ess structure. After numerous web searches and phone calls, we found a company to fabricate a canopy roof according to our design and budget. The canopy is made of white 18-ounce PVC-coated polyester fabric with ¼-inch stain-less steel cable sewn into the edges. The installation of the fi nished product involved drilling holes into four sturdy trees (approved by Drumlin’s arborist) to receive ½-inch stainless steel threaded rods held in place with eyebolts on one end and washers and hex nuts on the other. On two of the trees, turn-buckles were attached from the eyebolts to stainless steel cables fastened with shackles and clips and were connected to the canopy cabling. Hand winches were installed on two of the supporting trees and connected by cabling to the canopy. This allows the canopy to be easily lowered or raised at two ends during its seasonal installation and removal.

THE FINISHED PRODUCT

The end of our eight week construction process came quickly, and yielded a product that pleased our client. As the designers and builders of the project, we felt a proud sense of accomplishment that made all the intensive labor – from the tree logging to the raising of the canopy - worthwhile. The trel-lis housing the ramp and storage shelves is functional, but aesthetically pleasing. The platform works for gathering and learning, with its storage shelves, built-in and removable furniture, and detach-able chalkboards. A sense of protection and safety is provided by the natural enclosure of the forest combined with the canopy above. The canopy is beautiful and functional, providing shelter from the rain while complementing the platform and the surrounding environment. The satellite areas both compliment the larger platform and provide spaces for individual and smaller group activities; the counselors can keep watch over the campers from the platform. Overall, the completed product is experiential, educational, and blends in with nature.

2322 PROJECT COMPLETION PROJECT COMPLETION

THE OPENING CEREMONY

On August 11th 2010, we gathered on the site to celebrate the new Outdoor Classroom. In atten-dance were Drumlin staff members, summer campers and some faculty members of MassArt. Every-one was happy and amazed to see the fi nished structure, and it was very satisfying for us to see the future users of the space run joyously through the trellis and onto the platform. In addition to their many, many thanks, Drumlin showed us more appreciation by presenting us with T-shirts and water-bottles. In turn, we presented them with T-shirts designed by our own Kelley Sullivan.

2524 PROJECT COMPLETION PROJECT COMPLETION

DESIGN BUILD TEAM

Sam Batchelor Laura Watson Rhea Bundrant Mike Ricciu Margaret Okonkwo

Christopher Wortley

Hadiya Strasberg

Su Aksoy

Caroline Scorzelli

Jeff rey Brauer Travis Farncombe John J Aber

Nat Hamma Kelley Sullivan Eric Bowden Mieko Shimamura

THANK YOUS

We offer special thanks to the following entities for making this project possible:

Massachusetts Audubon Society.

Drumlin Farms Wildlife Sanctuary staff, especially Christy Foote-Smith (Director), Kris Scopinich(Education Director), Geoff Nelson (Facilities Director) and Becky Giles (Camp Director) for beingexceptional clients. Your warmth and graciousness was refreshing for us throughout the projectprocess. Thank you to Geoff and Garth for your cool demeanor and willingness to help us move andtransport building materials and the use of your tools.

Massachusetts College of Art and Design, especially the Architecture department, for making this part of our school curriculum.

Dave Quinn of Lands Sake for felling and limbing the trees for our use.

Audrey Barker Plotkin, the Liscensed Forester who works with Harvard, for helping us select the right trees for the project.

Erik Nelson of Structures Workshop, Steve Payne of Payne/Bouchier and Rick and Laura Brown of Handshouse Studio and MassArt for taking the time to listen and guide us through the design process; your structural and construction advice helped us move forward to bring the project into fruition.

Sam Batchelor, our instructor, for guiding us through the project and semester. Thank you to LauraWatson and Rhea Bundrant, our teaching assistants, for all their help on and off site.

The class, for working together; we all brought something different, but understood how to cometogether for the greater good and to meet the client’s needs.