Lucy's House, Mason's Bend, Alabama

Related people

Robert Wandel (was created by)
Rural Studio (architect)
Samuel Mockbee (was created by)

Date

2001-2002

Description

Rural Studio, a program offered through Auburn University's School of Architecture, was started by Samuel Mockbee and a fellow professor, D.K. Ruth in the early 1990's. The studio offered students a way to use design to improve the lives of impoverished rural Alabama residents. Many of the projects use recycled materials. Rural Studio has continued at Auburn University despite the death of Samuel Mockbee in December, 2001. Sponsored by Interface, the world's largest manufacturer of carpet tiles, the challenge was to use non-recyclable scrap from the carpet manufacturing process in the construction of a family house. The house walls contain 72,000 individual stacked tiles held in compression by a heavy wooden ring-beam. The tower form contains the parent's bedroom, with a spectacular view of the North Star, atop a cast-concrete family room that performs a dual role as a tornado shelter. Keywords: United States, Alabama, Hale County, Mason's Bend, houses, house, ranch houses, concrete, carpet. Submitted by Robert Wandel.

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