DESIGNhabitat
Project Recap

View the Project Report. [Download PDF]
The DESIGNhabitat project is the result of collaboration between the College of Architecture, Design & Construction at Auburn University, DesignAlabama and the Alabama Association of Habitat Affiliates (AAHA). Begun in the summer of 2001, this partnership was initiated by DesignAlabama as a means to bring together the resources and expertise of Auburn University with Habitat for Humanity (HFH), perhaps the most significant builder/developer of affordable housing in Alabama, to see if Habitat homes could be improved.

Recognizing that Habitat already had an effective approach to creating simple, decent homes, discussion among the three partners steered the focus of the DESIGNhabitat project toward an investigation into a series of questions:

Can HFH homes be designed to be not only more energy efficient but actually less dependant on energy-consuming appliances for thermal comfort?

1. Can HFH homes be designed and built in a manner that consumes fewer non-renewable resources and produces less waste?

2. Can a life-of-the-mortgage approach to material choices and construction details be balanced with the traditional first-cost concerns of HFH to make the cost of maintaining a HFH home more affordable to the homeowner?

3. Can HFH homes be designed in ways which respond to both the social/cultural and physical contexts of traditional Alabama communities?

4. Can all of these objectives be realized within the cost targets and volunteer-centered framework of Habitat?

In addition to tackling these questions and providing critical resources to HFH affiliates in Alabama, the DESIGNhabitat project was also a critical learning experience for the students involved. Designed as a service learning experience, the seminar and studio provided an opportunity for students from the College of Architecture, Design & Construction to integrate community service with academic studies. Through participation in the project, the students developed valuable insights into the challenges of affordable housing and sustainable design and had the opportunity to apply this knowledge to an actual project. Additionally, they gained valuable collaboration skills, communication skills and a deeper understanding of how they can make meaningful contributions to their communities in their future professional careers. The project, which incorporated the design/build methodology, also allowed students to field test ideas and design proposals generated in the studio.

Phase One – Pre-Design Research

Phase Two: Prototype Design

Phase Three: Construction

Key Strategies