6.19.2008

The house-designers of the future

You might recall a previous item in which Santiago told us about West Linn fifth graders that visited Pringle Creek. They were working on a project to design "the house of the future." The kids' efforts have gotten some coverage in the Wilsonville Spokesman. The article, "Building spaces," talks about advantages of the project-based learning method--and the visit to Pringle Creek:

. . . Over 100 students in all are currently engaged in the research, mathematics and problem-solving skills required to design and construct a house with a footprint no bigger than 2,000 square feet.

The students are not designing and building just any homes, either. Instead, the project is inspired by the Pringle Creek Community, a sustainable planned development currently being undertaken in Salem by a team of designers and architects from Salem, Portland and even Vancouver, B.C.

The project integrates the latest green building technologies, with at least some of the homes being so-called net-zero dwellings because of their capacity to produce more electricity through solar panels than they consume.

Students visited Pringle Creek to examine what a green community actually looks like. Afterward, they began viewing their own homes and communities with the same issues in mind.

“The kids really got into the research as they’ve seen these issues in a personal way,” Locke said.


6.02.2008

Even more recent photos

First strawberry of the season! Local and organic, fresh picked…
Strawberries and mint growing together in the community garden.
Lupine & iris in the gardens, with the greenhouses in the background.
Elephant garlic planted last fall popping up.
Potatoes for Marion Polk Foodshare are coming out.
Native landscaping alongside the LEED-H Platinum Cottage – less weeding and watering and no chemicals.
Local Father-Son duo Larry and Blake Bilyeu of Bilyeu Homes are building this cottage in the background.
Blake up on the roof during the roof installation.
Roofing supplied by Taylor Metal, a local metal roofing company.
The most recent photo of the Tall House, which is about 2 weeks from move-in.
The second floor kitchen and dining room of the Tall House, almost done! Floors are getting finished.
The leaves on all the Oregon White Oak trees have come out, making a nice canopy in the rain.
A close-up of the red-tail hawk.
Regular shot of the red-tail hawk, up in the same tree. Lots of birds this time of year.