International project
Cedar Hall – U.S.A.
The town of Bluff’s geographical location limits its resources, often forcing
University of Utah students to find innovation in the process of “making do”. You
could say that resourcefulness is the essence of both their curriculum and rural
life in Bluff. Challenges on the Cedar Hall project present many similarities to
those faced by African architects.
tlight Home Tours
A
fter twelve
years of
trying to
accommodate
a meeting
space;
classroom;
office; print
room; gallery;
mess hall;
model storage; pantry; movie
theatre; dance hall; not to
mention dormitories, and
more, into the historic 1890’s
property, affectionately called
the Scorup House (named so
after the famous Utah cattleman
Al Scorup who once built and
lived in it) it was time to create
something new.
The University of Utah DesignBuildBLUFF wanted
a space that would not only
allow them a clearly identifiable
workroom, but also a building
that would offer a connection,
a face, to the Bluff community,
and their neighbours. Thus, the
student’s proposal for a gateway
to the campus, Cedar Hall, was
born.
The moniker is derived from
the high grade durable timber
that adorns and wraps up the
walls and over the roof, coated
in a marine grade finish. The
idea was to create a portal that
brings the energy of outsiders
into the campus, which is why
the north exterior wall is faceted
with a natural plaster finish to
enhance the funnelling effect.
The south face on the other end
is extruded, into a trellis system.
africandesignmagazine.com
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