Perry Lakes covered bridge
Perry Lake outhouses
Boys and Girls Club, Akron AL
Day 13 - Rural Studio
Our second day of rural studio was spent mostly at Perry Lake Park, where rural studio had built a pavilion, three washrooms (each with a unique view), a covered bridge, and a 100 ft tall tower. We had a picnic at the pavilion, then had a debate for one of our courses. After some more exploring we headed to a church designed by Paul Rudolf then drove to Atlanta for the night.
washroom |
washroom view |
washroom view #2 |
pavilion |
view from birding tower |
birding tower |
Paul Rudolf Church |
Church Ceiling |
Day 12 - Rural Studio
The day was spent touring around small towns in Alabama to see projects done by Auburn University's Rural Studio. We looked at a lot of interesting projects, and visited the rural studio office in Newbern. Here there are a series of pods that were designed and built by students for students to live in while they worked on other projects, as the university is not nearby. The cabins are used as test materials, and are each unique.
We also looked at two lamella structures that incorporated more rectilinear enclosures. The first had a building within the lamella, while the second had one side of the lamella raised up to sit on the building.
Thomaston Farmers Market |
Rural Heritage Center |
Rural Heritage Center |
cardboard wall interior of pod |
pod exterior |
pod siding |
pod walkway |
Newbern Fire Station |
Newbern Fire Station |
Pie Lab |
Pie Lab |
Pie Lab |
Pie Lab |
Akron Boys and Girls Club |
Akron Boys and Girls Club |
Akron Boys and Girls Club |
Akron Boys and Girls Club |
Akron Boys and Girls Club |
Add caption |
Glass Chapel |
Glass Chapel |
Reuse of Car Windshields at Glass Chapel |
HERO Knowledge Cafe |
HERO Knowledge Cafe |
Lion's Park |
Lion's Park |
Lion's Park |
Lion's Park Playground |
Rural Studio, Picnic Pavilion, Perry Lakes AL
Rural Studio, The Three Washrooms, Perry Lakes A
The three public washrooms here at Perry Lakes were all locked when we were there. Fortunately I was able to climb in or through two of them to get photos.
The wood in this photo is the entrance to the first washroom.
The third washroom was elevated about 7 feet up and was a lot harder to get access to sense there was no hole big enough to fit myself through. However I did manage to get my hand in there and take a photo looking up, which is basically what the view would be like.
Rural Studio, tower, Perry Lakes AL
Rural Studio, covered bridge, Perry Lakes AL
Rural Studio, 20K House, near Greensboro AL
This house was built by Rural Studio. We got wind of an opening of their new 20K house and went to see what it was like. We got to talk to some Rural Studio students at the opeing as well. A 20K home is built for lower income families and the premise behind these houses is that if a low income family can afford a twenty thousand dollar trailer then they can afford a 20K house.

Rural Studio, Butterfly House, Maisons Bend AL
Rural Studio, Glass Chapel, Maisons Bend AL
Rural Studio, Boys And Girls Clubs, Akron AL
Pie...I love Pie!! -- Greensboro AL
This was a very cool place is Greensboro called PieLab. I really wish there was one of these back in Halifax. It was started by two guys named Matt and Mark. In a nut shell the premise of the business is this:
Download Press Release
Pie + Conversation = Ideas / Ideas + Design = Positive Change
I think that this would do really well in Halifax.

This is the back of house where the graphoc designers work.


A stylish narrow bathroom.



The Pie, THE PIE!!!
Download Press Release
Pie + Conversation = Ideas / Ideas + Design = Positive Change
I think that this would do really well in Halifax.
This is the back of house where the graphoc designers work.
A stylish narrow bathroom.
These walls are on wheels and separate the front of the store from the back where meetings and designing happens. We had a great chat with Matt and Mark on the salvage wood table.
The Pie, THE PIE!!!
Rural Studio, Animal Shelter, near Greensboro AL
Rural Studio, Lions Park, Greensboro AL
Rural Studio, Fire Station, Newbern AL
Rural Studio, Rural Studio Building, Newbern AL
Rural Studio, Memorial To Samuel Mockbee, Newbern AL
A memorial to Samuel Mockbee who was a co-founder of Auburn University Rural Studio. The memorial was also designed and built by Rural Studio students.