ARCH 585 - Camp Melinda Studio

Site plan and building design proposal for a year-round youth camp in Florence, Oregon, along Cleawox lake just north of the sand dunes at Honeyman Memorial State Park for master's in architecture studio.

Studio work aimed to benefit a nonprofit called the Melinda Foundation whose project requirements included for community lodge, a recreation center, a horse stable, administrative camp houses, several cabins, a boat house and a boat dock.

My proposal followed an understanding of the terrain and environmental conditions from an on-site visit. The overall development preserved mature stands of Douglasfir, Red Alder and Oregon Oak. Roadways, parking, and meadows followed contours. Building shapes and orientation supported comfortable outdoor microclimates where needed most.

Concrete foundation walls covered with local stone veneer supported log-cabin walls and timber framed roofs. Green-colored standing seam metal roofing blended with the tree canopies. If the materials and labor were available, the stone base could be exchanged in favor of patterned precast masonry embedded with shell and stone.

Buildings would be naturally ventilated by cool coastal summer forest breezes and shade. Their wall envelopes would be well insulated for cozy winter warmth.

Given the site's exposure to coastal winds and rain, my design connected most buildings with ample covered walkways, extending the use of the camp through winter months.

Changes in wall plane connected interior common spaces to special outdoor places on the site, adding light and interest to the camp on rainy days.

Building construction and materials like stone, timber, precast concrete and metal roofing recalling the public park structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s and 40s.

Efficient and compact cabin spaces complemented the quiet intimacy of the dense coastal woods while commons buildings carved spacious volumes of light out of the dark and dense forest canopy.

I proposed two building volumes and shapes that followed simple proportions:

Option A - proposed precast concrete tile base walls made from local sand and sea shells; smooth, colored concrete porch flooring; 4:12 roof pitches.

Option B - closely followed a Civilian Conservation Corps style with stone base walls; stone porch flooring; 1:1 roof pitches. Stone paved entries, raised planters and hardwood floors brought indoor and outdoors together.

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