Affordable Housing Charette, Louisville, Kentucky

April 7-9, 2005

Our section traveled to Louisville, Kentucky, for an affordable housing charette. We left Muncie on Thursday afternoon and returned Saturday afternoon. It was quite an interesting trip. All I can say is Le Corbu-ya.

This sign greeted us at the Louisville Urban Design Studio Project briefing

First Site Visit

Our site was located on Brent Street in an area where demolition had left six lots vacant. The lots were located on either side of 2 existing mid-19th century shotgun houses which may be renovated or demolished. Our task was to design affordable housing options of 1,200-1,300 sq. ft. with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The hill was quite a challenge, sloping at least 15' up from the front to the back of the site.

Our site - 3 lots on either side of 2 existing houses The 2 mid-19th century shotgun houses
Discussing the site Limestone ruins in Kentucky - design potential

The Real World Louisville Mansion

We had been told that we would be staying in a house owned by a church and that the house had no shower, so we would have to go over to the church's gym to shower. We weren't sure what to expect. We didn't necessarily believe Harry and Bruce when they told us we were staying here. Then we realized that it bears a striking resemblance to the Real World New Orleans Mansion. Perhaps this is a charette or perhaps it's "reality TV." We found the accommodations to our liking.

It's original name is Woodbourne House and it was built in the 1830s by Starks Fielding. The house and its 200 acre estate were sold to George Douglass, president of Western Union Telegraph Co., in 1870. It was extensively remodeled in the Colonial Revival style around 1900. The mansion was used as the Rugby University School from the mid-1930s to 1949. It became Briney Hall of the Douglass Boulevard Christian Church in 1949.

Arriving at Briney Hall on Bardstown Road Discussing our accommodations
Returning to the mansion  

Louisville Urban Design Studio, Friday, April 8

On Friday we returned to the studio and began our design phase. We had a pin-up and presented our ideas to each other before we returned to the site to meet the reporters.

Back to work Bustin' out the colors
Pin-up Kionna explains her concept
Jeff V. presents his ideas Harry discusses his design
Deron's expressive presentation Out in the sunlight

Back to the Site

We returned to the site with a representative of Covenant Housing (the client), a newspaper reporter and a photographer, and some other individuals.

At the site: Kionna, Kayo, Jeff V., Desma, Bryan, Deron, Jeff W.
  Neighborhood context
Observant architecture students A nice tree on the site

Around Louisville

St. James Court Looks a lot like Woodruff Place in Indy

Back to the Studio

After returning to the Louisville Urban Design Studio downtown, we worked late into the night. It was intense production mode. And only two people went to Fourth Street Live. But we got our stuff done. And there was some craziness too.

U of K lecture downstairs while we worked Working into the night...
OSNAP! it's Bryan the studio warrior Bryan vs. Deron

Friday Night at the Mansion

Back at our opulent accommodations we had a rather relaxed evening watching Family Guy and socializing generally. Some of us viewed the stars from the lawn, and told ghost stories in the darkened drawing room after others had gone to bed.

Strange sights in the drawing room  
  Saturday morning on the grounds of the mansion

Saturday April 9: Presentation Day

We had only a few hours to finish up our boards, spray-mount the drawings, and present them to our client and community representatives. Presentations went well and we soon found ourselves on the road again for our return to Muncie.

Desma's presentation Jeff's presentation
Front: Harry, Desma, Kayo, Kionna
Back: Jeff V., Deron, Bryan, Jeff W.		 The sliding wall