So this time, I'm on the other side of the fence! I'm management now! We got a new batch of eager beavers just waiting for the ground to break! I was hired back in January and have been anxiously waiting for this project to start. Chris Magwood is at the healm once again with yours truly as second-in-command. My role as Project Coordinator is to make sure the building gets completed. I am in charge of making sure suppliers and contractors do what is asked of them and to organize and coordinate the site. Secondly, my job is to support the students - help them out, teach them my bad habits, be a good ear or a shoulder to lean on. This is a very exciting project and I feel very privileged to be involved!

Situated in the idyllic town of Madoc, Ontario, this building will be the cornerstone in the redevelopment of the town's commons. Located beside the critically acclaimed Skatepark, this building is meant to be a medium size venue for performances and town gatherings - from coffee house nights to high school theatre productions. The building also features a canteen which will be rented out to a local coffee merchant. A movable AV-system allows performances to be held indoors or out!

The 25 students (of varying age and background) completed this truly unique building in 18 weeks. To me, this is always an incredible feat. Although this is standard practice/timeline for home construction, these are relatively inexperienced students who not only have to build a structure with 'unconventional' materials and systems, but also have to complete a design assignment (with interviews with clients, proposals, sketches, working drafts, and a model). It is a very intensive course, not for the lazy or faint of heart. This vibrant group of individuals formed a cohesive family that got the job done (and then some!). I am a very proud mom!

HIGHLIGHTS OF BUILDING
* Fully accessible, single story, 1,800 square feet
* Octagonal shape building designed for multi-use
* Round bales stacked into 12' columns
* Straw bale wall insulation
* Three exterior 'wings' optimally framed at 24" centres and infilled with recycled cotton batt insulation, hempcrete and straw/clay
* Timber framed front porch/performance stage
* Earthen plaster finish with natural paints and stains
* Rubble trench foundation with earthbag and hempcrete grade beams
* Engineered FSC certified roof trusses
* Rammed earth block wainscotting and floors
* Radiant floor system beneath FSC certified maple hardwood floor
* Geothermal horizontal heat-exchange system
* Rainwater collection off the steel roofs to flush low-flow toilets
* Grid-tied 2.2 kWh solar photovoltaic system
* Solar hot water system retrofit on adjacent building
* Very low embodied energy
* Extensive use of recycled, re-used, and locally available material


For more information about the course and a full picture gallery, please visit:
Sustinable Building Design & Construction 2008 [sustinablebuilding2008.ca]>>

Fleming College - Sustianable Building Design & Construction>>

The finished building.