The Carving

Project Narrative

NarrativeThe Carving is designed to meet the growing market for temporary medical staff housing in the post-pandemic world. The Covid-19 pandemic caught many communities flat footed and unprepared to serve the influx of medical personnel relocating temporarily. To add onto this, existing personnel started working extra hours into the night. When they put their life at risk to help others, creating a safe and comfortable option for temporary housing is a must. A building like this helps any medical personnel who may find themselves too tired to drive home, working double shifts and in need of a place to take a quick break, or being off the clock but still on call in case of an emergency. Frontline workers deserve high quality accommodations to ease the weight of putting their life and soul into saving lives.
The structure is an exploration of using rammed earth building techniques in a temperate climate such as Cincinnati. Such construction is commonly used in desert climates due to the material availability and thermal mass benefits in dry climates. However, exploration in the technique has been occurring in Canada and throughout the Northern United States as it has been found to produce R values twenty percent higher than traditional wood construction walls. It has the benefits of durability in hot and cold climates, potentially providing a longer lasting building that does not need as much continual maintenance. It is a passive construction strategy that can be further developed for a more eco-friendly build.
The simplicity of its structural technique is used as an advantage in the project. The external walls are molded to be two feet thick while the internal walls are molded to be one foot thick. This thickness provides noise and temperature barriers so that private and public rooms can have quality separation. For tired and overworked medical staff, the building serves as a quiet space of refuge. Small but private dorm style rooms are provided on the second and third floors of the building. A communal kitchen and dining area allows workers to enjoy time with colleagues away from the hospital environment. Recreationally the building offers communal spaces, private study areas, and a rooftop greenhouse. There is also a workout facility, game room and a private courtyard. The building includes bike storage and limited parking for the residents. Ultimately, the building provides exactly what any overworked staff member needs, a place to relax and reset before working hard to save more lives.

                                           

Project Details

Submission Category

Building Architecture- Small Scale (<10,000 sf)

Date of Completion

February, 2022