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In January 2006, The Design Workshop at Parsons The New School for Design was approached by SHoP Architects to join a rebuilding effort in DeLisle, Mississippi. Spearheaded by local resident and client Martha Murphy, the project began with her vision to create a place that could meet both the physical and emotional needs of a community devastated by Hurricane Katrina. The team was asked to design a facility that functions as both a laundromat and information center. The simple task of washing one’s clothes would provide immediate relief while exposing community members to critical information necessary in the complicated process of recovery. The program is contained within two volumes separated by a breezeway which functions as a gateway between future development and SHoP’s recently constructed business incubator. The building’s form was inspired by its dual role as refuge and information exchange. A wrapping of materials conveys a sheltering atmosphere while the open south elevation draws visitors toward the information. A luminous north elevation facing future development serves as a beacon. A 2,000 square feet freestanding building, this is the most ambitious project undertaken by The Design Workshop to date. Throughout the spring semester the team worked swiftly through a series of collaborative efforts to arrive at their final proposal. They have spent the summer tackling the many challenges inherent in the transition from a projected design to a built reality. The Design Workshop is honored to be part of this effort and hopes
its work will have a lasting impact on the community of DeLisle. |
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for
weekly photos: + from our friend flo: |
