oh the bitter battle

So we're finally nearing the end of our design-build studio. It's been a very long and hard and tedious and frustrating and rewarding experience and I feel safe saying that everyone has learned something. We have completed the porch and I believe that it is a success...it serves as circulation through the site, seating and standing spaces. The landscape lines have been carved out of the site and filled with gravel then bricks recovered from the old Keese Barn. The lines through the site are to unify and make clear all of the datum lines and circulation lines that cross through the site...uniting into a quilt-like pattern. The signage block was our final step and it was a doosie for sure. All of that dang foam. Robbie was the master CNCer and together the team assembled and helped pour the concrete for the final product. Today we cleaned up the site to prepare for our final event to be held tomorrow on the site. We have invited all of the members of the Pendleton Historic Foundation and invites were also sent out to the School of Architecture. SAB and I have worked to pull the event together and hopefully it will be a success and I know that everyone is going to enjoy the carrot sticks and cauliflower (right Blane).

Looking back to the beginning of the semester we have clearly come a very, very long way. I think that most of us did not realize then exactly how mentally, emotionally, and physically demanding (and draining) this semester would be in design-build. I believe that we have learned to function better as a team (even though we still have quite a few disputes). I really feel like we could have used everyone's individual skills to more effectively push the final design and product. I also really feel like there must be a better way to professionally conduct team projects...towards the end (exam week) everyone finally began to respect and try to work with everyone's schedules but I really feel like this understanding should have been reached towards the beginning of the semester.

We have learned that no design is final. Alterations and compromises must be made on site when things simply do not line up (i.e. the masonry stairs that we incorporated instead of extending the trex deck). We have also struggled with mini-disasters within the group regarding planning conflicts, material issues, design issues, scheduling issues etc.

While we did not host any community events, we did attempt to partake in the Pendleton Jubilee. We made up a sign and pamphlets to hand out at our table on the square, but unfortunately a monsoon rain and the need for construction progress kept us on the site and in studio during the event. I wish that we could have somehow managed to involve the community more (in a more official manner). The bonfire definitely brought a crowd from the community, and people were constantly stopping to ask what the heck we were doing (especially when we had covered the site in pink foam). And the event will be a final closing (yet opening) ceremony that will involve members of the Pendleton and Clemson community.

Our hope is that the city will step in and take over and maintain the site. We have all put in a lot to this project and we are all hoping to see the Park used by the community. Just for final clarification of duties...I have been involved in the following throughout the semester:

- organize budget (even though it was shot by the end of the semester)
- organize the construction schedule (even though it was way off by the end of the semester)
- design charette on the master plan of the site
- initial concepts for the porch design (quick sketch vignettes, sketchup models, and CAD drawing after CAD drawing)
- text revisions for the signage block
- installing and planning the butterfly garden on site (purchased plants, tilled the plot, planted and cared for the growies)
- designing the pamphlet and sign for the Jubilee event
- coordinating the food and beverages for the final event
- construction and decking of the porch (getting Scarpa on the I-Beam details)
- installing the diamond pier foundations (a really cool system that I will remember for future projects)
- moving foam to site
- home depot runs for materials
- digging....everywhere on the site
- gravelling the area under the concrete table
- documentation of the progresses in each sub-project
- pouring concrete for the signage block
- general site clean-up
- peeling off the foam form work for the signage block

Undoubtedly I have learned much about the practicalities of construction...concrete, wood working, etc. This has been a learning process for everyone and it is very satisfying to see an improvement on the site at the end of the day (or semester).