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Theses from the Architecture Program Architecture Program
May 2006
REZidential Housing: A Prototype for the Winnebago Tribe
Alissa Piere University of Nebraska-Lincoln
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REZidential Housing: A Prototype for the Winnebago Tribe By Alissa Piere A Terminal Project Presented to the Faculty of The College of Architecture at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfi llment of Requirements For the Degree of Master of Architecture Major: Architecture Under the Supervision of the Professors Zeynep Kezer and Martin Despang Lincoln, Nebraska May 2006
ABSTRACT This project investigates the current housing challenges of the Winnebago Indian Reservation located in North- east Nebraska. The project will develop prototypical solutions to the housing problems and design the residential environment on the reservation at three different levels: 1- the domestic unit itself, 2- at the level of the immediate community formed by the clustering homes within a neighborhood and the indoor/outdoor spaces they share, and 3- at the level of the site plan.
BACKGROUND Historically Native American architecture was an expression of the identity of the people who created it and served as a visual reminder of their community values. Colonization by European settlers has dislocated Native Ameri- can Tribes from their traditional homelands and forever disrupted their everyday lives and patterns of settlement. Since the 1950’s many Native Americans have been placed into government subsidized housing by HUD. These homes fail to meet their spatial and cultural needs and the consequent alienation the Native American’s suffer exacerbates the overall sense of poverty, dislocation, and cultural conflict. More recently, in addition to renewed efforts by HUD to address these concerns, many independent organizations in the United States and Canada are attempting to solve the Native American housing problems in the reservations with mixed success. Despite all attempts, many Natives are still in houses inappropriate to their needs, while others are homeless.
OBJECTIVES The specific project objectives, listed below, were developed through rigorous investigation of the Winnebago people, their architectural history, the community’s cultural transformations, the current housing environment, and the way in which the community has reacted to the current housing situation. • Incorporate family involvement in the design and construction of the houses. • Utilize green building techniques for energy saving benefits. • Provide Shared space for dining within site plan. • Create flexible houses that are able to adapt to changing family sizes and are quick and inexpensive to construct. While excavating the Winnebago’s historic traditions has been an important aspect of my research, my project acknowledges that the tribe has adapted itself to contemporary mainstream American culture. Hence, while I hope to develop an environment that allows the Winnebago to maintain their cultural continuity, my goal is not to replicate directly architectural solutions from the past.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction 4. Background Native American Housing Social/Physical Effects 9. The Winnebago Tribe History Traditional Housing Winnebago Today Housing Today 27. Current Solutions 41. Mismatches 53. Cultural Precedents 67. Architectural Precedents 89. Program Requirements 97. Process 111. Final Design 147. Bibliography (Annotated) of policy. evaluation a than rather environment the of design the on focus will but problems as addressed be will policy government concerning problems the of many project thesis architectural an is this Because today. people the facing are that problems the and situation housing current their of depiction accurate an ensure to tribe The project includes working closely with the Winnebago plan. site the of level the at 3- and share, they spaces indoor/outdoor the and neighborhood a within homes clustering the by formed community immediate the of three different levels: 1- the domestic unit itself, 2- at the at level reservation the on the environment design residential and problems housing the to solutions in located Reservation Northeast Nebraska. The Indian project will develop Winnebago prototypical the of This project investigates the current housing challenges Introduction
1 Introduction
still in houses inappropriate to their needs, while others mixed success. Despite all attempts, many Natives are with reservations the in problems housing American Native the solve to attempting are Canada and States concerns, many independent organizations in the United effortsthese renewed address to to addition HUD in by poverty, dislocation, of and cultural confl sense ict. More recently, overall the exacerbates suffer American’s cultural needs and the consequent alienation the and Native spatial their meet to fail homes These HUD. by housing subsidized government into placed been have of settlement. Since the 1950’s many Native Americans patterns and lives everyday their disrupted forever and Native American Tribes from their traditional homelands values. Colonization by European settlers has dislocated community their of reminder visual a as served and it created who people the an of identity the was of expression architecture American Native Historically the past. from solutions architectural directly replicate to not is Winnebago to maintain their cultural continuity, my goal the allows that environment an develop to hope I while Hence, mainstream culture. contemporary American to itself adapted has tribe my the that acknowledges research, project my of aspect important an been has traditions historic Winnebago’s the excavating While are homeless.
3 Introduction NATIVE AMERICAN HOUSING necessary; every animal killed was used in its entirety, Background from food to clothing, to shelter. The traditional nomadic Most housing problems developed with the creation of lifestyle of hunting and gathering was no longer the reservations in the seventeenth century. 1 After the possible when people were forced to live within limited founding of the United States, British settlers formed reservation boundaries. Because they had no other treaties using bribery and coercion to convince the choice, a dependence formed on the U.S. Government Natives to give up their territory. The British reformers for every day necessities. then developed three main proposals to compensate the Native’s loss of land. First - offer individual tribes The United States has an obligation to provide safe, land, second - treat their land as sovereign nations, decent and affordable housing to its Native people, and third - provide Natives with living support such as however the housing on reservations is substandard in 2 shelter, food, education, etc. (Prucha, 2-10). comparison to housing nationwide. Because of the disconnection between the U.S. government and Native The Native’s entire existence was previously based Americans, the Native Americans have fallen victim to off an equilibrium of taking from and giving back to the every changing policies of the government as well Mother Earth. There was not a need to have more than as problems of misunderstanding and indifferences 1 The traditional way of living off the 2 Housing conditions on reservations land was made diffi cult when living on a res- include severe overcrowding, deterioration, ervation, meals, clothing, and shelter where mold, insect/rodent infestation, inadequate giving to tribal members from the government ventilation and or heating, and lack of in- instead, loosing control over basic elements frastructure support including roads, sewer, of life. water. culturally sensitivearchitecture. and research tribal on spent is money government little and homes are based off economics, the of designs The necessities. Native general the of opinion outsider’s an on based often are communities the of The designs people. Native the from input no or little with developed were They programs. housing public off based are housing American Native for used are that regulations and guidelines The groups. two the between
Background SOCIAL/PHYSICAL EFFECTS cultural needs of the residents, 2- many residents have little or no involvement in the design or construction of Through observation, it is apparent that many of the their houses, and 3 – depending on their economic government funded houses deteriorate soon after a standpoint, the family may not have to pay for their family moves in. Some houses fall below the point of house. adequate shelter, becoming detriments to physical and psychological health. Households that are not adequate Overcrowding on the reservation is also a concern. It is for shelter, and homes that are not socially, or culturally part of the Native culture to treat all relatives as close stimulating, lead to social dysfunction. Inadequate family, and generosity has always been a part of their housing in reservations contributes to high rates of cultural pride. When a family member is in need, it is obesity, alcoholism, and mental health disorders common for another family to take them in giving them (Jackson, 31-34). shelter, food, clothing etc. Many Winnebago feel that the entire tribe is their family and it does not matter who Lack of pride and sense of ownership, poor construction belongs to which family. With the shortage of available materials, and no funding or support for maintenance housing in addition to the majority of the homes at a and remodeling contributes to the occurrence of substandard level, many reservation houses succumb deteriorating houses. There are three main reasons to overcrowded conditions. It is not uncommon to find for residents to lack in pride and ownership of their as many as 18 to 20 people living under one roof. Colds, houses: 1- Housing units are not appropriate to the flu, lice, lung infections, and other diseases are hard to and failingtostayalertinschool(Chester, 10). deprived sleep are children the consequently, talking, loud or television by disturbed are Children are rampant. conditions overcrowded and alcoholism where inhomes sleep to children school-aged diffi for is cult It abuse. sexual sometimes pregnancies—and activity, early and awareness sexual early to leads often privacy lacking housing in generations of mixing around. The people many so are there when neglected simply are children Some conditions. overcrowded in compromised often is rearing Child facilities. bathroom and beds same the use people many so when control
7 Background
The Winnebago Tribe
9 The Winnebago Tribe THE WINNEBAGO TRIBE (HISTORY)
Like other tribes that were displaced, the Winnebago tribe was moved from their original location near the Green Bay area of the great lakes, to what is now Nebraska. Modern Winnebago people fi rst made contact with Europeans in 1614, when they encountered French explorers near the eastern borders of Lake Superior. In 1634, the tribe numbered around twenty-fi ve thousand people. By 1640 it had been reduced to a little over a hundred souls. This population loss was due to three massive smallpox epidemics and war with surrounding Algonquian tribes. The tribe signed their fi rst treaty with the United States in 1816 in which relocated them from Northwest Iowa, to Minnesota, South Dakota, and fi nally to their current location in Northeast Nebraska (Smith, 1). formed the sides. Through the forks transverse poles transverse forks the Through sides. the formed top, the at forked cedar, of Poles Winnebago. the to The Gable Lodge was the oldest known form of shelter Easton, 52). (Nabokov, lodge sweat the the and lodge, lodge, platform ceremonial the lodge, grass the tipi, the lodge, the round lodge, the long lodge (or longhouse), gable The structure): enclosed an for term lodges(a of types homes. known their eight create had to They earth the from directly materials used Winnebago the their shelter. Like most other tribes of the Great Plains, creating of style unique own its had tribe Winnebago the began, system housing reservation the Before today. environment their and environment past of their differences the identify to history, architectural American Native the understand to important is It WINNEBAGO TRADITIONAL HOUSING simple manner using poles if ironwood driven into the into driven ironwood if poles using manner simple very a in constructed were houses The matting. reed of covering roof a with bark of another and matting, reed of entirely made another bark, of entirely made one varieties- three had Winnebago The used. shelter of forms common most the of one was longhouse The (Radin,The Winnebago Tribe, 104). day the symbolize to blue painted always were these there were only two central poles, one at each lodge, entrance; gable the of description another to According shaded. where entrances often lodge, the to doorways two were There fasting. was he when lived family the of child favorite the Here off. partitioned and lodge the of rear the in erected was high feet 5 to 4 platform a of the long sides on a platform raised 2 feet. Frequently better support of the roof. Beds were placed along both the for lodge the of center the in arranged were poles Three attached. was roof gable the which to laid were
11 The Winnebago Tribe ground, bent over and tied to other poles which contact 20-30 feet wide. Depending on the size of the family them from the opposite direction. The poles were tied the longhouse would be from 40- 400 feet long. On the together with basswood bark at the joints. The same front and back entrances were representation of the material was used in attaching to these poles the cedar family’s (or clan’s) symbolic animal. In each house the bark that forms the walls of the lodge. The walls were oldest woman held position as the reigning longhouse supported on the inside by a varying number of poles “mother.” The house was enlarged to accommodate attached to the corresponding poles of the other side. new couples from the matriarchal family, the size of Sometimes a series of transverse poles were inserted the house became a rough indicator of how many in- beneath the exterior vertical poles. The bark roofs were laws it had acquired and of how long it had stood in the incased in frames made of irregularly distributed vertical village. poles with generally one transverse pole. If the roofs were made of reed matting two or three of the external There were typically two types of roofs used on the poles have poles attached to them which are arched longhouse, one was a barrel-roof with poles bent to the across the matting. The reed matting lodges, as a rule, form of a bow, and the other was a gable roof. The have no external vertical poles and only two transverse Winnebago used elm wood for the structure, and bark poles each, one on the outside and one on the inside peeled form trees as a skin. They cut pieces of bark that (Radin, The Winnebago Tribe 105). were typically 6 feet long by a foot wide and assembled on the exterior of the building using basswood, and ropes The longhouse varied in length but was always from to attach it. Smoke holes in the longhouse roofs were Floor plan Structural Diagram
13 The Winnebago Tribe the sole source of light, however, some basswood bark of war. The other shelters mentioned where mostly used houses built by the Iroquois had sliding wall shutters on for ceremonial purposes such as the sweat lodge, the the side walls for illumination. platform lodge, and the ceremonial lodge (Radin, The Winnebago Tribe 25). A central corridor divided the fl oor area. Each family had their private domestic space, and they shared a space in the center with the family across. Every 20 feet of so a hearth with its own smoke hole was shared by two families whose private domains were across the aisle from one another. On either side low bunks about Wigwam 6 feet long ran along the side walls. 6 feet was usually the unit of measurement used throughout the house. There would also be a transition space between each set of shared spaces that was used as a storage space for dried food goods, clothing, and hunting supplies (Nabokov, 82).
The other forms of shelter such as the grass lodge and the tipi were used for hunting purposes, and in the time Inside Tepee
Wigwam Structure
15 The Winnebago Tribe
as farm land, while some land some while land, farm as The majority of the land is used river. Missouri the near areas wooded with plains, grassy mostly is land The Nebraska. Northeast in county Thurston of area entire the encompass reservation. Both reservations Indian Omaha the to adjacent The Winnebago reservation is is approximately 4,000 people. population in the United States Winnebago total however,the is people; 1,500 approximately today reservation on the living population The WINNEBAGO TODAY
17 The Winnebago Tribe is used for ranching, and some is set aside for wildlife. see the general layout of the town. The town is small, The climate is temporal with harsh cold winters and hot consuming one post office, one building containing humid summers. offices, one volunteer fire department, a convenience store/gas station, three churches, one school with track The town named Winnebago lies within the Winnebago reservation. It is a small town with a population near 1,000 people (the other 500 people live outside of town) that is located on Hwy 77, 25 miles south of Sioux City (Iowa), and 10 miles north of Walthill (Nebraska). The town is also at the intersection on Hwy 75 with Hwy 77 so there is a large amount of traffic passing through. Directly to the east and a few miles north of the town is the Missouri river. The tribe owns the land up to the river, and a small patch of land on the other side of the river in Iowa, because of the change in the river channel since the time the reservation was allotted to the tribe.
In diagram A, the circle #1 shows the main town center. Diagram A The #2 shows the Pow wow ceremonial grounds which will be discussed on page 58. In diagram B we can will givethemaride. north going someone hoping 77 Hwy on village the of families. It is not unusual for people to stand to the north extended with share vehicle a without families Those City. Sioux South in else anything or theatre, movie mall, store, grocery nearest the to miles 25 drive must vehicle. It is a necessary object to own here where one own her or his to have age driving of legal person each for common also is It car. a has family every Mostly small clustersofgovernment-fundedhomes. and groups in area village immediate the of outside of the town. There are other residential areas scattered residential developments located to the north and south business and government offices. There are two newer the of most are highway the of side other the On 77. Most of the older residential area is to the east of highway college. tribal one and hospital, one facilities, field and Diagram B
19 The Winnebago Tribe WINNEBAGO HOUSING TODAY
Currently there are 180 HUD homes on the reservation . Winnebago is in need of a Approximately 110 are low rent and 70 are mutual help, new housing system. The which are homes that will eventually be owned by the community is currently residents. The mutual help homes are located on land suffering from many of the that is purchased from the tribe by the owner, the rent psychological and physical homes are located on tribal land. There is approximately effects from inadequate a 5 year waiting list for a house on the reservation. housing mentioned earlier. In the next 10 years there will be expected 100 new Observations of the current homes built by HUD. With the mutual help homes, housing situation reveal residents are responsible for their own maintenance. a large portion of homes With the low-rent homes, the residents must place their in severe neglect, and house on a maintenance list to request a member of the abandonment. At the same HUD maintenance team to repair their problem. Many time, there are a large of these problems get overlooked due to the small number of new homes under budget for maintenance, and the small maintenance construction. It is a constant team available. frequency ofrebuilding. the reduce to materials better and remodeling, research, in investing of instead homes new funding in year each dollars of thousands wastes government The years. few a in home new a for apply and list the on name put your simply can you know you when ambition little also is There condition. good in it difficult to keep their houses remodeling many families find or maintaining for government support little is there Because new. building and old the abandoning of cycle
21 The Winnebago Tribe Images from left to right: 1. Mobile home located in the immediate area of Winnebago. 2. Brick two story home with siding build in 1991. This house has been abandoned for weeks, however the exterior lights re- main on. 3. 1985 vinyl siding house lo- cated in the outskirts of town. 4. Brick house showing ne- glected back yard, and uninvit- ing transition space. 1. 2. 3. 4.
23 The Winnebago Tribe Images from left to right: 1. Brick house, large gable roof not facing the street. This im- age shows lack of connection with the landscape, and no in- door/outdoor space to enjoy. 2. Image showing lean-to car port. Hand made, yet cars still end up in yard. This shows lack of interest in maintaining a yard, as well as the need for separa- tion from parking spaces and recreational spaces. 3. This im- 1. 2. age shows the poor transition near thehome. be to vehicle the for need the highlight images these of four All lawn. neglected the as well as windows, the into crammed notice the air conditioning units Also construction. cheap its with itself maintain to struggles 1985 in built house 4. This es. spac- exterior and interior from 3. 4.
25 The Winnebago Tribe
Current Solutions
27 Current Solutions Three changes have made an impact on the tribes housing market: one in 1950, one in 1974, and one in 2003. Before 1950, the tribal members had two options for housing; one was to buy or build their own house with no government support, or utilize government support and rent a single-family house. If a family chose to receive government funding for a house they would fi rst have to place their name on a list and wait until there was a house available. Then they would rent the house based off their gross annual income. It is not uncommon to have the monthly payment be negative, eet eeomns eas o te supin that assumption the of because developments recent two these of based was project this for analysis the of Much Ho-Chunk. called company new a through is other the and HUD, through is one town, of outside just located are developments current most The used. still is 1974 in used was that system same Todaythe design process. the in owners the include or houses the individualize to attempt no made government the however houses, the in ownership and pride of sense the increase help would change policy this that hoped They hole. a into money putting endlessly just than rather generations, future for houses their in invest to families allowed This renting. of period a after owned be to housing funded government allowed that law a passed congress 1974, In home. the of respect for room no and ambition, for room little very leaves system This house. the of rental the towards nothing pays resident the case which in other housingmodels. the newest housing should be an improvement from the
29 Current Solutions HUD Development The development to the south of town was build through HUD. It is a work in process that began in 2000, and is expected to be completed in 2009. Today most of the infrastructure has been completed but the housing for the last phase (out of three phases) will be built later. The houses are all similar in size, single story, with an attached carport to the side. The houses currently built offer three types of floor plans. Two floor plans are very similar with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, a living room, kitchen, and dining area. The only difference between them is the layout of the closets, and the laundry room. The other option is a four bedroom with the living Elevations areas in between them. The site plan is designed with economy in mind, keeping the houses lined up close together to minimize infrastructure costs. There is very little connection with the ground, the buildings seem as if they were just sat on top of the ground as soon as they arrived from the factory with little or no landscaping done to the site. 31 Current Solutions Images from left to right: 1. Back yards of houses seem unprotected and un-used. 2. Streets are open and seem empty with the lack of planted trees. The attached ramp on the closest house shows the markings of which house has a handicapped resident. 3. Houses appear plopped onto the landscape from above, there is no attention paid to environmental orientation. 1. 2. weather concerns. other and wind from tection pro- and storage, exterior carport creates problems with garage/ The activities. terior ex- promote not does spaces exterior the of design The 4. 3. 4.
33 Current Solutions
Ho-Chunk Development architecture firm out of Omaha, Nebraska, HDR, to Ho-Chunk is a company owned by tribal members design a plan for the new development. A team of ten that works to raise money for the tribe through selling professionals including HDR Planning, 180 degrees native products, tobacco, gasoline, and other products. Design Studio, Opticos Design, and P. Knight Martorell Some of the profit is used to improve the housing worked with a group of local community members in options in Winnebago. The Ho-Chunk company is a a weeklong design Charrette, which led them to the partial owner of the Dynamic Homes company. Ho- creation of the design guidelines for the Ho-Chunk Chunk rents the houses to residents using the rent - to Village. The mission was to create a pedestrian-oriented - own policy. Dynamic Homes are pre-manufactured village center for the residents of the community. HDR sectional modular houses that are built in Minneapolis later completed a code that is meant to facilitate the and then trucked to Winnebago. There is no design or development of the designed master plan (appendix). construction involvement with the owners of the house, minus picking out a floor plan from limited choice In Diagram C we can see the proposed site plan for catalog. the development. The Light pink color indicates the streets that are currently built, and the dark pink
The Ho-Chunk Development is to the North of the town. indicates the buildings that are currently built. The rest The land came up for sale, and the corporation began of the development is currently under construction and planning for a much needed residential development. is expected to be completed within the next 10 years. In 2003, the Ho-Chunk Corporation (HCI) hired an The site plan is designed with future growth in mind. Drawing byHDR
35 Current Solutions It is planned to create a feeling of a new town center, with a shopping area, and center community space. The design also attempts to address the problem of housing for the non-nuclear family. Those people who have no children, who are not married, or divorced, as well as the elderly. HDR introduces multi-use apartment building with commercial uses on the first level.
HDR’s presentation of the project leaves much to be desired. With their ideas of putting the Winnebago’s culture on display as if the people lived in a museum of their own culture. Image on page 35 shows the intended use of the courtyard space in the middle of the development decorated with life size statues of Natives in their traditional costumes, as well as a mock up of the historical wigwam.
The Dynamic Homes company offers several options for floor plans, however only three or four floor plans fall Diagram C the garage. of addition the to due home” “trailer a as street the from identifiable less are they but very similar to the HUD homes is homes the of layout space The life. entire their house the in live will they because it worth its that feel residents the of many but expensive, more slightly are houses The well as a fully enclosed garage. as basement complete a with some houses, HUD the than larger slightly are houses The budget. expected their within
Drawings byHDR
37 Current Solutions Images from left to right: 1. The current development of the new “Town Center.” Only the Dollar General, and two office buildings have been completed. 2. Construction of a new Dynamic Home. The garage is built completely on- site, while the house is shipped in two sections from Minne- sota. 3. Completed house, looking from the street. This house has been vacant for 1 1. 2. year because the rental price provided byresident. be must utilities Kitchen house. same of Interior 4. residents. Winnebago most for high too is 3. 4.
39 Current Solutions
rm rwn u i te ra n vstn m native my friends’ housesasaguest,opposedtoaninterviewer. visiting and area the in up growing from experiences my mind in kept also have I Winnebago. to visits separate four over visits these conducted I appendix). in located questions (interview them with have gathered from just visiting their I homes and talking theinformation of some and fi out, to ll family” the of “head the to gave I that interviews using gathered I information the of Some project. my for resources get important most the to of one was This developments perspective. their new the in live who individual families to went I perspective, outsider’s an from developments housing new two the examining After Mismatches
41 Mismatches Site Plan and Community Facilities and left the way nature intended. The current site Individual lots plans give each house a large front lawn that looks There are many problems with the site plans that unattained if un-mowed. The site plan should be have been designed for the new developments. One designed to create a more natural landscape that particular thing is the fact that the land is divided up does not require mowing grass. into single family lots, with single family houses on each lot and clear boundaries showing that there are Picnic Facilities separations between property owners. There are strict The layout of both the new developments and the borders laid out for who owns what part of the land older residential areas show no sensitivity toward and where one can put a fence up and one cannot. the Winnebago custom of large family dinners. The This contradicts what Winnebago people think. They site plan does not include various picnic locations, see their reservation as a place for everyone in the or outdoor eating spaces next to the family homes. community to share. Their lawn becomes a place for There is one such facility in the town; however, its not only their own children to plan, but all children in location is next to a high voltage power location, and the community. The Winnebago also do not share the train tracks. It is also on the edge of town, across the same ideals about mowing grass as the majority the highway from all the residential areas. of the U.S. They feel that the land should be natural, the house. of maintenance the through ownership and pride of lack the shows also image This unit. conditioning air a for used aperture of Example 2. empty. usually is which site, the at population typical the to railroad tracks. This shows adjacent and facility, power a near located facility Picnic 1. right: to left from Images 1. 2.
43 Mismatches Building Systems and Construction maintaining their home. This however does not solve
Sense of Ownership all their problems, they still do not have the basic skills As mentioned earlier, the residential environment to maintain their home, or the money to renovate or in the Winnebago reservation seems to be poorly upgrade materials, finishes, house ware, etc. Another maintained. With a quick observation of the problem associated with ownership is the ability to reservation one can see that the houses, and yards be involved with the design and layout of their home. are not kept up to a level of standard as the rest of Currently they only have a few options to choose from, the common residential areas of Midwest. For years picking out a floor plan from three different (yet very the renters of the homes felt no sense of ownership, similar) choices hardly constitutes having options. they were practically given the homes, with little work
or money loss on their side. They were never taught Efficient Living the skills needed to maintain their home in the same Another mismatch is the heating and air conditioning condition it was when they moved in, and they didn’t units. Most of the houses that are available for the tribe feel a loss if their house was damaged. One change include an expensive central air unit. This seems like that has helped turn this around is the possibility a good idea, however many tribal members cannot of ownership. As mentioned earlier, in 1974, HUD afford to run their systems. The air conditioners are sponsored programs that allowed Natives to own rarely turned on, and in the winter, many families in their home after a period of payments. This gave are left cold. Some older houses are not equipped the families a sense of ownership, and purpose for with air conditioners, thus families are forced to use Space Allocation be connected with nature, and a good place to absorb members feelthatitisimportantto Many Winnebago enjoy.to space interior-exterior adequate provide not within and around the houses. The current houses do space of sizes the with problems many are There site toitsassemblyinWinnebago. of 1,700 just to ship the house from its manufacturing Dynamic Homes of Minnesota. It is an additional cost from is from houses their purchases Ho-Chunk that to the high labor costs of today; however, the company manufactured modular homes. This makes sense due pre- all are today reservation the for built homes The Cost Efficiency reduce theoperabilityofwindows. window units, which are not energy efficient, and also Indoor /outdoorspace lcd diinl als n h ohr ra o the of areas other the in tables additional placed simply family This area. dining small the to solution family’s one of example an see can we _ diagram In areas. dinning options housing current the of layout and size the with difficult is large dinners family extended having of custom The home. the in Winnebago’s space important very a is area dining The Dinning Area place forchildrentostashtheiroutdoortoys. perfect the be to seems it but space, the in chair a in space. Ittosit for anindoor-outdoorisuncomfortable for the entrance; however, it does not satisfy the need decoration attractive an as serves porch small This chair. a in sit to enough wide barely wide, feet three protection. The HUD houses offer porches that are sun only and size in inadequate are homes the of many However,porch. a or deck a offeredporches the with like space indoor/outdoor an using through is nature
45 Mismatches Images from left to right. 1. Front porch of a HUD house. Usually collects more junk and toys than is used for a space to relax in. Because it is a space right next to the door it is con- venient to place piles of shoes or other temporary items. 2. Image of an older house in Winnebago. This shows the absence of an indoor /outdoor space. 3. Floor plan of a Ho- 1. 2. that is4’ tall. space storage unused strange, the showing home HUD of a tion Sec- 4. bedrooms. the of one in table a of situation extreme an even this, of variations many saw and houses many to went I kitchen. the in others the from disconnected is room living the dinner. The group that must sit in family typical a for arrangement table the showing home Chunk 3. 4.
47 Mismatches home to satisfy their needs. This seemed to work pulling on a handle and the entire door comes off. for the family, however it made it difficult to navigate There is no steps, and no ladder to help one get around the extra tables and chairs especially during into the space. Two women that I talked to about the dinnertime when people were seated at the tables. crawl space were extremely worried about being able to get in or out the door in the event of a tornado.
Storage Other people were frustrated with the size of the door In any home a common complaint is that there is because they couldn’t get large items through it. never enough storage. However, on the Winnebago The homes with carports are missing a place to lock reservation this statement is extremely valid. There up their valuables such as lawn mowers, bikes, and two major problems that the Winnebago must face grills. They feel that if there wasn’t enough money in when it comes to storage. One is that there is no the budget for a full garage they should at least have space inside the house to store large items, and the been given the option to have an exterior storage other is that there is no space outside the house to building or an exterior closet next to the garage. One store large items. The HUD houses provide a crawl family found a solution to this problem by placing space under the house for this purpose (as well as items on their roof, this way it was moor difficult for maintenance and storm shelter purposes) however people to thieve their stuff, rather than leave it on the the door to the space is too small, and hard to uses. lawn. Located in the hallway or in the Laundry room is a small (2’-6”x 3’) door cut out of the floor. It opens by Space Flexibility large family. a have not do who those for punishment of feeling a creates This singles. for just buildings apartment are there were town of center the to down move to suddenly shrinksto the sizeof one, theonlyoptionis and into another in the same neighborhood. If a family when this happens it is easier to move out of a house communities other In circumstance. crowded their from them relieve to yard back the in tent a up set to was option only their that found family One house. one in stay to difficult it make may size family’s a in changes Many born. be might baby unexpected an in, move might grandmother a college; to go to out a family grows or shrinks over time. A child may move when problem a causes This life. entire their for their live likely most will reservation the on home a owns who family a selling, and buying for market housing small the and homes, of shortage the of Because Changing Needs Light andShade transformation of a tradition from when the tribe lived tribe the when from tradition a of transformation interesting an is This rods. on curtains or shades, blinds, than rather curtains for blankets native use to Winnebago for common is it houses, the Inside Native Blankets are ignoringotheroptions. this problem but the current residential developments to solutions possible other are There vandalism. with away get to criminals for easy and see, to difficult is it down goes sun the when families, the for problem the new developments. This creates an even greater Because of this there are no exterior lights installed in break. they until them at rocks throw or night, at out it find bulbs light the shoot to neighborhood Teensthe in amusing vandalism. to due keeping lighting with exterior problems had has community The Vandalism
49 Mismatches in teepee’s. It was common for the families to decorate the interior walls of the teepees and wigwams with their own hand made blankets; this was an act of beautifi cation, as well as insulation. Today, the blankets are nailed and tacked to the walls above the windows. This makes it diffi cult to adjust the amount of light throughout the day, so usually the blankets stay down all throughout the day.
1. in windowforsunprotection. hung blanket Native showing Image 3. house. crowded a of yard back in tent showing age Im 2. snow. and winds from carport before winter to protect on building a fence around the at this house said she planned living woman home. The HUD a to attached carport of terior Images from left to right. 1. In - - 2. 3.
51 Mismatches
of theircommunityvalues. reminder visual a as served and it created who people American Architecture embraced the very identity of the needs and cultural beliefs. practical The characteristics of Native by driven typically were materials building of selection confi or orientation, guration, building as such decisions, design architectural Basic community. Indian the architecture, within unity and place of or sense a provided objects, ritual whether ceramics, design, clothing, Native traditional all Historically, Cultural Precedents
53 Cultural Precedents There are two types of ceremonies that the Winnebago do not participate in the sweat together. still participate in one is the powwow, the other is the Many sweats start with all the participants fasting for an sweat lodge ceremony. The powwow happens once entire day, and during that entire day avoiding caffeine, a year during the first full moon of august. The sweat alcohol, or other potentially altering substances. This lodge ceremony occurs more regularly. should be a day of contemplation, in preparation for the sweat. Both types of sweats usually start with cleansing The sweat lodge ceremony is conducted for two the skin, and passing sage smoke over the body before different purposes. One is to cleanse the body and entering the lodge. Inside the lodge the fire tender puts draw out illnesses. The other is for spiritual relations seven rocks (burning hot) in the small hole of the lodge, and drawing out demons. The sweat lodges are built using a bucket of water the tender will sprinkle the rocks in many locations; the sweat lodges that are used for to produce steam. In a traditional sweat, there is more cleansing and illness removal are sometimes built guided prayer, chanting, and drumming. Some sweats right in the back yard of a home, while the sweat are done in complete silence. Each round lasts around lodges for spiritual ceremonies are usually in more 45 minutes or so, and afterward the door is opened, private (and sometimes more permanent) locations. and the fire tender puts 5 more rocks in. Sweats are Two or three families use the cleansing sweat lodges, sometimes done completely naked, but other times where as many as five or six families will share the participants will wear shorts, or a towel. spiritual ceremony sweat lodges. Males and females 1. 2. was hiddenin. lodge sweat the that area wooded thick the resents rep- area Orange The go. Winneba- near woods the in visited I that lodge sweat ofthe plan Site fi 2. repit. the around sitting people represent circles Orange structure. lodge sweat the of section and plan Floor 1. right: to left from Images
55 Cultural Precedents 1. 2. 3. 4. behind aWinnebagohouse. lodge sweat a of Structure 4. canvas. cloth or hides animal traditional the of instead tarp up. This shows the use plastic Interior of sweat lodge, looking 3. curving. branch and piles, rock showing View 2. area. wooded in point entrance from loge, sweat Ceremonial 1. right: to left from Images
57 Cultural Precedents The powwow grounds are located to the west of town camping area, this is made clear from the entrance to slightly off HWY 75. A sacred place that gets used once the grounds, by a man taking money, and by signs nailed a year. The grounds are left for nature to take over the to trees that say tribal members only. The arena is a rest of the year the place is deserted, the buildings are circular grassy area with a set of bleachers enclosing it. locked up and boarded shut. Just before the powwow, There are three main openings to the arena one to the tribal members come to prepare the site, mowing the east, one to the south, and one to the west. The west grass, painting, and cleaning. side of the bleachers does not have a canopy, or shade, so it lets a lot of light into the arena in the evening. This is not considered a wasted space when it is not used because there is not a shortage of land in the area. Just outside the arena to the south and southwest are Smaller powwows are sometimes held in the woods, vendors for selling native goods. The products being behind homes, in the school gymnasium, or other more sold range from t-shirts, leather moccasins, turquoise private areas. jewelry, dream catchers, beaded items such as belts, bracelets, and barrettes. Other items being sold are The organization of the site is based on the cardinal native blankets and shawls, clothing made from animal directions as well as privacy. There are many levels hides, weapons made with carving rocks and stones, of privacy, with the entrance to the south, being the and CD’s of native music. The food vendors are most public, as you move north to the back becoming clustered around the arena to the east. The common extremely private. Outsiders are not allowed into the foods sold during the powwow are all authentic Indian lo h dnig sometimes dancing the Also else. everyone with sleep to fun and ceremony the of part on the powwow grounds. This out camp to is them for stay the powwow, the only place to join to distances long travel not live far away. Some people might they though even week ceremony the during grounds powwow the at stay families Many sites. camping the are arena the of North the To beans. and bread, fry corn, has that fry soup a and beans, with bread Indian burgers, Indian tacos, Indian as such foods
59 Cultural Precedents lasts most of the night, so it is common for some people to go off to sleep while some stay and dance. There is one structure to the north that houses a bathroom and shower facility. The camping structures that individual families set up range from authentic tepees that might be hundreds of years old, made from buffalo hides, to teepees made from synthetic material and canvases, to the common plastic tent from Wal-Mart.
The grand entrance happens two times a day, one time at around 1:00 pm, and one at 7:00 pm. This is where everyone involved in the dancing comes into the arena at once. There are prayers said at this time, and special announcements, and other considerations. The grand entry always starts from the opening to the east. The dancers move very slowly in and around the circle in a clockwise rotation until everyone has joined the circle. Material Culture 61 Cultural Precedents 1. 2. hidden in. is area the that trees dense the shows this structure, nial ceremo- of Southwest the to Area 4. grounds. wow pow Empty 3. Category. Dance Fancy the in competition nual an- in participating Dancers Three 2. dress. traditional in Indian Winnebago of Image 1. right: to left from Images 3. 4.
63 Cultural Precedents It is important to look at historical artifacts made by the Winnebago to see some of the repetitions in methodologies. One important tradition the Winnebago partake in is beadwork. Beadwork was the most common form of decorating clothing, and other items, giving the items color and vibrancy. The traditional way to make beadwork is to use a beading loom. This mechanism stretches the threat in parallel lines which creates the underlying structure to create the designs. Then the beads are threaded through the transverse direction, the colors are changed to create the patterns. 1. 2. beads. 2.Beadedbelts made with leather, bones, and garment chest Winnebago 1. right: to left from Images
65 Cultural Precedents
design. fldesign, environmental general and (modular), exibility involvement, community project: the for specifirequirements c on based categories into down broken are precedents architectural the research the simplify To is important to choose the right techniques for the tribe. it today available technologies construction the all With Architectural Precedents
67 Architectural Precedents
eas o is uaiiy lw ot hg insulation high cost, low durability, its of because bale homes where chosen over stick straw frame construction The homes. bale straw two including projects born. They have currently fi nished Thirty-Three housing was organization the home, this of development the of success the With Feather. Red Katherine of name the by woman a help to Dakota North in reservation Ridge YoungRobert 1994, fi Pine the in group a organized rst In reservations. on ones new build as well as homes damaged reconstruct to dedicated group non-religious non-profi a is t Group Feather Red The Development. Nation Seabird the and group development feather red the are noting worth examples To communities. their develop to tribes with States worked that Canada United and the throughout organizations many at looked I precedents involvement community For Community Involvement changing needs offamilies). fl oor plans and barrier free designs to accommodate the (using modular construction) and fl exibility (using fl exible affordability, materials) quality high of (use Durability, lighting) and heating on save to energy earth and solar wind (using planning, sustainable of concepts basic latest the concepts in housing construction them and design. They use offering as well as people Nations First the of culture the acknowledge that and homes multi-family of series a developed have They Group. Feather Red the as in goals similar very has but Canada, based is Project Nation First Island Seabird The housing spreadtoalltribesinthenation. friendly environmentally and sustainable, affordable, of concepts the using theirs, as such program a see to like would organization country.The the of areas most in available readily is straw that fact the and values,
69 Architectural Precedents 1. 2. design. mosaic clay interior designs artist Local 4. application. stucco for ready installed, bales Straw 3. Feather. Red Katrina for house on working Volunteers 2. Group. Feather Young-founderRobert Red of 1. right: to left from Images 3. 4.
71 Architectural Precedents 1. 2. energy uses. showing unit housing of diagram Section 4. year. snowfall they receive each of amount large the shed to well work houses the of peaks The landscape. mountainous the into set building showing Image 3. and 2. unit. housing single of door Front 1. right: to left from Images 3. 4.
73 Architectural Precedents
used to build temporary homes, barns, and churches. and barns, homes, temporary build to used Sand Hills region in Northwestern Nebraska. Straw was the in began Experimentation emerged. houses bale straw the that baler, the of invention the with 1800’s, the till wasn’t It centuries. many for around been has Building with grass and straw packed in mud for mortar heat fromescapingduringthecoldwintermonths. the of much keep will openings few with building the of of the building. Using a straw bale wall on the north side qualities insulation the as well as project the of aspect involvement community the in aid will construction bale construction and the concept of a passive house. Straw that will be initially considered will be the use of straw bale help reduce the energy use of a building. The main goals can that today available technologies many are There Environmental Design ae 2 ice wd) s 47 A w-tig ae (18 bale two-string A 54.7. is wide) inches (24 bale inch for straw bale is 2.7. The R-value for a three-string per R-value average The homes. than effi brick cient energy conventional more times four to three are homes bale straw Chiras, Daniel to the According home). make you customized how on depending built; mainly using recycled products) to over $80 (contractor built; (owner $5 from range can foot square per Price 05.htm). (http://www.unm.edu/~abqteach/southvalley/01-06- techniques building conventional with replaced was house bale straw the before long not was It too. came lumber milled region, the into expanded railroad the As structures. permanent homes the made and exteriors weather. The homeowners then stuccoed the interior and structures were durable and comfortable in hot and cold the that discovered Nebraska of immigrants the Soon
75 Architectural Precedents inches wide) has an R-value of 42.8. The compression strength of straw bales is 10,000 pounds per square foot. A typical 2x4 wood wall has a compression strength of 1,500 pounds per square foot. Before buying bales for a home, make sure they are baled with a compression setting between 250 and 500 pounds. A dry density of 7 to 10 pounds per cubic foot is recommended. Straw bales do not burn easily due to the lack of oxygen. With an added protective coat of plaster the walls become virtually fi reproof.
Two types of walls can be constructed using straw: load bearing and non-load-bearing (fi ll-in). In a load-bearing wall the straw bales are stacked like bricks. The bales are pinned together with rebar. The bales support the roof and provide insulation. The fi ll-in technique (non- load-bearing) uses posts and beams to create a frame. The straw bales are placed in between the posts and provide insulation (Roaf p.63-64). temperatures. low winter increase and reduce temperatures, high summer to mass thermal internal an using usually materials, dense or lightweight from constructed be can house Passive walls. exterior for Valuematerials R- high and windows insulated super insulation, of levels high use typically houses Passive day. the of part coldest the during use for heat the stores and gain, solar direct utilizes house passive A building. the inside animals and people from heat body and devices, electrical from heat waste as such sources internal from heat intrinsic its of use extensive makes house boiler.passive A a of heater water hot for domestic except system, heating central separate no require houses Passive building. Super-insulated a of category the in be also could codes. house Apassive new buildings that meet today’s U.S. energy effi ciency current than heating space for energy less 100% to 75 typically uses that building a is House Passive A
77 Architectural Precedents Flexibility and Modular Design systems allows for larger ceiling height, and more commonly employed for two story single family The use of modular construction will help to keep the units. construction costs at a minimum as well as increase the flexibility and personalization of individual houses. There • Three Dimensional- this system is similar to are many types of modular construction including: the sectionals in its cubic or box-like shape, it is • Sectionals- applies to a family of boxes of cubes generally smaller, and a greater number would which when joined together at the job site form be required to complete the same building unit. a completed structural unit. Typically fabricated Each component is pre-finished, pre-wired, pre- in half house sections which may vary in width plumbed etc… from 10 to 14 feet and length between 38 and 56
feet. The individual sections leaving the factory • Manufactured (prefabricated flat pack)- A are completely finished with flooring carpeting packaged or manufactured home composed painting, building systems, etc. Usually requires for the most part, of flat components which are a low sloped roof to follow shipping height incomplete in that final finishes have not been limitations. applied prior to delivery to the building site. Wiring, plumbing and related mechanical work is not • Sectional box- a sectional house without its necessarily included in the factory process, but factory installed roof system. A separate roof added at the building site. The intent is to reduce • • • usually usedformobilehomes. home, the of size the increase to core center a from out hinge walls the end and floors, that walls, side way a such in fabricated outs- Fold panels, floorwindowsystems,etc. wall rafters, trussed as such items structural of terms in of thought generally are Components sources. different from come home the construct to used are components Individual Components- are unloaded. in that the building can be constructed as its parts order designed a in truck the on loaded are They package. the in structure the erect to required items all including by time construction site on modular unit which contain all mechanical, electrical produced factory a is core utility Core-The Utility move airinitstransportation. that systems modular in occurs that space wasted the flexibility for unique house designs, as well as decrease most the gives it because case this in prevails system modular pack pack flat The walls. interior the flat for used be will system the be project, this would for typologies acceptable modular the of many While initial construction. in needed skills the decrease and time over home the of flexibility the increase necessary.will if This remove to easy install, and to easy are they so room mechanical and facilities, laundry facilities, kitchen bathrooms, for options different giving by idea this utilize will project This systems. related and Riebc, Mdlr osn i the Real”) in Housing “Modular (Reidelback,
79 Architectural Precedents Images from left to right: 1. Sectional house, showing the two halves being bolted to- gether. 2. Three Dimensional system. 3. Flat pack design by Walter Gropius. 4. Com- ponents.
1. 2. 3. 4.
81 Architectural Precedents Design Precedents The most infl uential architects for my design process include Rick Joy, Craig Ellwood, and Mies van der Rohe. I also looked at other architects including many contemporary buildings from the Krinksky book however I felt most inspired by the three men- tioned. Craig Ellwood’s work I found to be very sensitive and simple. I especially liked his ability to carry a room from the interior to the exterior. I appreciate Rick Joy’s sensitivity of materiality. I found his use of concrete and steel to be very inspiring. I also appreciated his sensitivity to- students. by designed usually are and experimental, just are used has HUD designs the of Many Winnebago. in using rently cur are they what than rather Americans Native for signed de actually were that HUD, by built been have that es hous many researched also I courtyards. integrated with designed es hous and apartments his at tion for me. I especially looked inspira an also were designs simplistic Mies’s design. my in courtyard the with create to tried I boundaries blurred the inspired Arizona in studio architecture His nature. wards - - - - - Craig Ellwood
83 Architectural Precedents Images from left to right: 1. Rick Joy’s studio courtyard. 2. Rick Joy’s studio interior. 3. Rick Joy’s studio court- yard at night. 4. Rick Joy’s studio floor plan. This shows how small the actual court- yard space is. My design has a courtyard quite bigger than this, but I tried to keep it small to create the feeling of and outdoor room. 1. 2. 3. 4.
85 Architectural Precedents 1. 2. thick adobe. with created are Walls 1991. AICAE, Pueblos. for house Prototype plan 1992. 4. HUD Navaho. for house Modular 3. workshop. AICAE vaho. Na- for house HUD 2. posal). (pro- Pueblos for house HUD 1. right: to left from Images 3. 4.
87 Architectural Precedents
bedrooms (thenumberyettobedetermined). and kitchen, space, dining space, living a determined), will house include a bathroom units (the number and size yet Each to be spaces. specifi c for design the in included be should what describe to important more Itis aredetermined. and sizes spaces defi of nition the where program typical a not is This homes. the of design the in included be should that requirements of list a developed have I mismatches, of analysis the and interviews, the investigation, research the From Program Requirements
89 Program Requirements
Construction Finishes -minishenergyconsumptionandcosts. Materials suchassewer, water, electricity, androads. Infrastructure Community MasterPlan summer hot for shading appropriate and months, winter cold during -ing Itisalsopreferablefor thetribetohaveentrancefaceeast. months. build Building Orientation families,and/oraspace outsidetoshelterlargedinners. extendedfamilydinners, thereshouldbeeitherasharedbuildingformultiple havelargedinners.Becausethehousewillnotbeenoughforregular Dinning Area largeequipmentorotherobjectssuchasbikes. protectionfromsnow, andalockablespaceforstoring storageneeds.Ifitisacarport,thespaceshouldhave Garage/Carport This shouldbeflexibleinsizedependingonfamiliescar Lighting Trees/Bushes/Shrubbery Exterior Requirements Category
Materialsfor constructionshouldbelocallymanufactured,and produced todi Building finishes should be locally produced, as well as being durable. The durable. being as well as produced, locally be should finishes Building Housesshouldbeclusteredinsmall groupstoutilizeinfrastructuralamenities There shouldbeanexteriorspacewherethefamilycan Exteriorlightingshouldusesolarenergystoredduringdaylighthours.
The house should use the sunlight to its benefit, using sunlight to warm the warm to sunlight using benefit, its to sunlight the use should house The Requirements Plants shouldprovideasenseonenclosureandprotectionaroundthehouse.
91 Program Requirements
Hall/Living area Bedrooms groceries. andalsotheystoremorefoodbecauseittakes solongtodrivetownbuy -agespace,familiesoftenstorelargeramounts offoodfortheirspecialdinners, enoughtohandleextra largepotsandpans. There shouldbeapantrylikestor Storage lightinginkitchen,and office/orreadingareas. Electric systemforthosefamilies whodonotlikeputtingblanketsup. oftheblankettoletlight in. There shouldalsobeanoption forabuiltinshading shouldbearackabove windowsthatallowsthis,andfacilitatesinthedrawing Window Shades shouldbenaturallightineveryroomofthehouse months.Overhangsshouldprotectthewindowsforsummer Natural (windows) lighttheareassurroundinghouse. Exterior Lighting beverynatural,briningreferencefromtheearth,easytomaintain. Flooring thehome. ownershouldbeabletochoosefromalargevarietyofmaterialsindividualize home Kitchen
Lightingshouldbeavailable in eachspaceofthehouse.Specialattentiontotask Exteriorlightingshouldusesolarenergystoredduringdaylighthourstosafely Adequate cupboardspaceshouldbeavailable. Cupboarddoorsshouldbelarge There shouldbeacoat closetnearfrontentrance, and/orentrancefrom garage. Adequate closetspaceshouldbewideenough forhangers. The interiorflooringshouldnotbecarpetedonthefirstfloor. Thematerialshould ManyNativefamiliesusetheirownfamilyblankets forwindowcoverings. There Windowsshouldprimarilyfacethesouthtoincreasewarmththroughwinter There
93 Program Requirements
theenergyconsumption ofthehouse. HVAC Systems thehomehoweverthey like. functions. This istofacilitatelargeindoordinners,andthe freedomtocustomize Interior Spacelayout ofownership,anddecreasetheinitialcostsconstruction. This will increasetheownersskilllevelsInmaintaininghome,sense Building Construction similartotheotherunits. caps. There couldbeaoptionalunitthatincludesthesefeaturesappears Accessibility foundationshouldbebuiltaccordingtofreezingcodes. Basement/Foundation mowerandbikes.Itcanalsoconsistof2separatespaces. shouldbeeasilyaccessible. This spaceshouldincludeaforthelawn Large objectStorage
The houseshouldbedesignedforpeopleinwheelchairs,elderly, orotherhandi The buildingsystemsshouldutilize greenbuildingtechniquestohelpminimize
Constructionofthehomemustinvolvecommunitymembersandowner. Interiorspacesshouldbeflexiblesothatfamilies canuseonespaceformany There shouldbespace,eitheroutside,orinsidetostore largeobjects. This The houseshouldhavesomeareathatisbelowground fortornadoshelter. The
95 Program Requirements
Process
97 Process
99 Process Because there are so many possibilities that standard size basement, with the additional parts could be suitable for this project, it is important sitting on point foundations or piles. This allows the to explore many options. I presented two initial house to grow or shrink to whatever size it needed ideas at the mid review during the first semester. without harming the landscape. The first option I chose to explore was the idea of using prefabricated cubes that could fit together in multiple combinations to create houses. Starting with the maximum dimensions allowable for transportation (53’ long x 13’ tall x 15’ wide) I broke this size down into squares of 15’ x 13’ x 15’ this created smaller units that would be easier to work with. Then I added extra pieces to give the design more options, and also included a utility core that housed a bathroom, kitchen facilities, mechanical units and sometimes a laundry facility. The connection with the ground used a concept that allowed the base unit of the house to sit on a hy hs t pt no t I ok eeec from reference took I it. into put to chose they effort and money much how and include would it for themselves and they could decide what amenities responsible be would community mini the that place a be would This room. game a even or shop, laundry,a as such facilities shared other or also have the possibilities to have a shared kitchen should it easier, food moving and cooking make to houses, individual the from away far too be not should space This dinners. these house could a building or at least a space outdoors where they shared that context larger the within communities mini make to decided I house the within groups larger in together dine to space enough having not each of problems current to the of related Because other. houses individual the how was explored be to needed that idea next The the familiescouldpurchase, orreturn,asneeded. that unit prefabricated separate a be would slice member to stay in a home for their entire life. Each family the enables This time. over shrink grow,or designed in a fashion that would allow the house to was scheme this in house The vehicle. the from shared. This space was meant to separate people all they that space community or sidewalk, inner fashion they wished. I also focused on creating an any in themselves arrange could communities mini The stripes. in work would grid structural the slices, in worked that system housing a taking By housing. the organize to way a as string, of lines the using of idea an with up came I work, the bead of structure the of Thinking inspiration. as work bead their using culture material tribe’s the
101 Process 1. 2. 3. 4. ing different arrangements. show- plans Floor 4. model. Images of “slice house” study 3. communities. mini for outs lay- different showing gram Dia- 2. options. plan site ent differ- investigating Diagram 1. right: to left from Images
103 Process
I initially proposed as a housing prototype. I also I prototype. housing a as proposed initially I what than rather prototype community a now is which fi design my nal to me lead This houses. no correlation to how they relate to their neighboring with landscape the onto plopped are that majority of the tribal housing that is currently single noticed houses I and interest, some sparked This houses. individual the surrounding space immediate the in happens what was out leaving was I that things important most the of one that realize me helped they however direction; right the in go to starting was option second the that recognize to me helped review the at critics The needed. family just moves to a large or smaller house when community.the within sizes housing of a way This but a more practical solution is to provide a variety bedroom. I decided that this is an interesting Idea, unnecessary now the return simply could family house. When the twins grow up and move out, the the to attaches that bedroom new a purchase and warehouse the to go simply could they twins, has family a when that meaning This cycles. size its throughout family a accommodate to able be to house the wanted I impractical. little a was house decided after the review that the idea of the fl exible
105 Process The solution was to use the idea of the linear structure, in the form of straw bale walls built by the community (this is to promote sense of ownership and pride), with a protected space in the middle utilizing the idea of the spatial relationship of the tepee camp. The design focused heavily on deriving patterns from the longhouse, which was the most common housing type for the Winnebago before they were placed on reservations.
The houses were to include many levels of privacy, with different locations for the for locations different with experimented also I back. the of instead side the to but house the as side same the on parked was car the where another and wall, straw the of side opposite the on parked one scheme where the car was houses, the of arrangements spatial different with worked I houses. 10 to 8 of consist so each mini community could space, community the of size of units was determined by the the to community space. The addition number in space outdoor private a including
107 Process kitchen, bedrooms, and living spaces. The construction of the house was to utilize prefabrication. The space dividers (walls) were to be non structural prefabricated units, and the bathrooms, mechanical rooms, laundry rooms, and kitchen facilities were designed to be utility core units that could be placed where needed within the design. 109 Process
Final Design
111 Final Design The final design was developed from the last process scheme described. It uses the three historical precedents of the Winnebago: the tepee, the beadwork, and the longhouse.
The mini community plan is arranged with straw bale walls to the north of each house. The houses are lined up from north to south with individual courtyards acting as buffer zones between properties. The community space is protected on the east and west sides by the houses, and the north and south sides with landscaped burms. The a feather. Feathers are a very a are Feathers feather. a from derived is space this of landscaping the for idea The summer. the in dinners large their hold can families where community. This is the also a place of protection the under space where children can safeplay a be to meant is This community. mini the of interior space the from restricted is transportation Vehicular soft. and natural, organic, is space community mini the of interior the while hard; and square, rigid, community mini the of exterior the keeping of idea an represents design overall
113 Final Design important symbol for the Winnebago, so implying this The spacing creates a unique experience while walking idea is ideal. The walking path acts as the quill, while next to it- from straight on you can see through, from an lines of different planted grasses act as the barbules. angle you can’t.
The space is designed so that it would never need to The outside fence acts like window blinds. The fence be mowed. This is another unique feature of the tribe; “posts” are larger in size, about 3’ wide, and they pivot to many people don’t see it appealing, or necessary to open and close. One side of the “posts are wood, while mow their lawns. This design allows for people to walk the other sides are corten steel. The moving parts allow over the different grasses, and still look interesting and for the occupants to choose how exposed they want manicured when not mowed. their courtyard to be to the street. It also creates interest There are two different designed fences in the mini from the street, throughout the day the exterior façade community prototype. The fence on the interior is will change depending on the mood of the occupants. again, feathery. It is organically arranged, following Each family has a courtyard, which allows another level the organic edge of the houses. The material is a new of outdoor privacy. It is a space that the family could product developed in Germany. It is a wood that is heat have a garden, or just relax in. The space is to directly treated to create a sealant. This wood could be driven communicate with the interior living space, like a room into the ground without the need for a concrete base, extension, making the interior feel bigger. due to the fact that it will not decompose. The interior The roofs of the individual houses are grass. The north fence is to create privacy, and a definition of boundary, of the straw bale walls are also green, covered with while still allowing views into and out from the house. different types of vines, and crawling plants. This is to 115 Final Design create a pleasant atmosphere for the person in the courtyard. A wall that is natural, which might change with the seasons, is very pleasant.
The interior of the house, as mentioned before utilizes prefabrication. The house is designed using a 4’ and an 8’ grid. This allows for variation within the grid, but still reduces cost with order. The walls are not structural so they can be moved to different locations within the house when needed. The utility cores would remain stationary, however the family can choose where, and which ones they would like. vdn ta te ein is design the that evident is it houses the of section north/south the at Looking community space. the then and courtyard, the into move you the privacy level decreases as Then space. single this to up open bedrooms private the all to the longhouse design in that back refers This space. living open the be would privacy of area next The wall). straw the to (next quit most the and house, the of area darkest the be would This wall. north the on placed are bedrooms The zones. privacy on based is house the of layout The
117 Final Design based off a passive house system. The south wall contains the main aperture, while the floor, north wall and roof are massively insulated (refer to page _ for more information on passive design). The floor of the house is concrete, with ground pebbles for texture and color. The floor slab contains two elements to assist the passive design. On is the addition of a material called PCM, or Phase Changing Material. This is a wax-like material that acts as a thermal mass, but without the mass. It absorbs heat during the day through the sun, and releases it throughout the night. avs a as b painted be also can canvas The light. “sleepy” soft very a creating system lighting the is wall the Inside tepee. the of that replicating wall the toward angle an at is canvas The material. canvas a with stretched is wall the tepee, a of interior the to back Referring buildings. straw interior treatment that is unusual to most an with foundation, the on sitting straw section the shows wall bale straw The summer itiscooler. the during and warmer, is core Earth’s the winter the During surface. Earth’s the below deep from water circulate that pipes water contains also floor The
119 Final Design on in the same manner the Winnebago paint the exterior of their tepee’s based on their families design. There is an aperture in the straw wall to allow air movement, and also a skylight, or in this case, a moonlight.
The ceiling is also designed to have a high R-Value. The structural component of the ceiling is once again the heat treated wood. This creates a large amount of thermal protection as well as creating an interesting texture and variable color.
The glass facing south would be a triple glazed design, it to their home accessibility is to solution tribe’s The from diabetes. suffer who members tribal of percentage large a is there earlier, mentioned As the ramp. of handicapped attached signs tale tell the reduce to grade on slab be to designed are houses The individual. handicapped a for obstacles the reduce to is addition in this level, interior the meets level ground same-the the is level ground the of detail The courtyard. the into extends a feeling that the room actually create to ceiling the of design the into embedded be would
121 Final Design provide each family who is in need a attachable ramp. This pin points those families with the disease, and creates an embarrassing appendage.
Because tornadoes are an issue in Nebraska, there is a multi functioned space called the “multi purpose circle.” This space is a structure found in the community space. It is a tornado shelter when needed, as well as an underground space that could be used as a conference room, a dining hall, or a lounge. There are windows from above to give the space natural light and ventilation. The surface level construct asweatlodge. to base a even small powwows, as such purposes ceremonial for used be also could large space The dinners. cooking even or marshmallows, roasting and warmth for pit fire a as used the be could It months. summer in space fountain a for allow to designed is It purposes. many be for used can structure the of
123 Final Design
the highway as the school and of side same the on housing having of advantages The buffaloa now is ranch. It area. the owns currently tribe the that is One reasons. many for development for location best the be to seemed This area. business and school the of north the to and 77, HWY of west the to located site a chose I project. the of phase first the considered be could what developed I can altersignificantly. shape of the community space the and number, and size in change can houses The time. every same the exactly being without times many replicated mini community design can be The needed. as designed be would plan site the design prototype a is this Because
125 Final Design other businesses are very important. There is concern with children currently walking from the Ho-chunk development across the busy road to school every day. The system of roads that connect the mini communities could be arranged in any fashion. This design was created to mimic the natural slopes of the landscape. The walking path connecting the mini communities is optional. The intent is to connect the communities through the centers rather that the streets.
127 Final Design
Model made with bass wood bass with made Model Mini CommunitySpace and MDF.
129 Final Design
Made withfiredclay Site Modelshowing Winnebago area.
131 Final Design
eitn srw ae and bale straw Depicting canvas lightwall. Section Model
133 Final Design Interior Living Space Watercolor 135 Final Design Courtyard Watercolor 137 Final Design Street View Watercolor 139 Final Design Community Space and Front Porch Watercolor 141 Final Design Section Showing Hanging Blanket Watercolor 143 Final Design Bedroom Watercolor 145 Final Design
Annotated Bibliography
147 Annotated Bibliography Native American History Prucha, Francis. Americanizing the American Indians. Harvard University Press. Cambridge, Massachusetts: 1973. Thornton, Russel. Sandefur, Gary. Grasmick, Harold. The Urbanization of American Indians. Indiana University Press. From this book I took mostly the dates and laws Bloomington: 1982. passes over the native Americans. It describes the process of From this book I mostly focused on the epidemic of the reservations, and the many laws that were developed in Indians leaving reservations to become more independent the “control” of the native American. How America wanted the individuals in urban cities. In 1955 the bureau of Indian affairs’ Indians to be brought under the protection and the restraints developed a relocation program which assisted those who of the law, just as other citizens were. Describes in depth wanted to move. Most Indians helped in this system either the ideas of the Dawes Act (1887), which first separated the moved to Chicano, or Los Angeles. Reservations into individual owned plots of 160 acres.
The major incentive for migration is economic, Indians Discusses the early reformers ideas of total assimilation moved to urban areas hoping for more job opportunities, of the Indian into Anglo society. “can they be civilized?” There better jobs, higher wages, and improved living conditions. The was another group( National Indian Defense Association) extended family is a crucial social and cultural component of who wanted to maintain tribal organization and tribal property Indian life. It makes it more difficult for and Indian or Indian until such time as the Indians themselves saw fit to change family to move. Kin network on the reservation constantly their way of life. This group was quickly defeated by the exerts pressure on the individuals to remain in, ore return to reformers. the reservation.
The Indian functional family in the city consists of several Parks, Larry. Native Americans: Current Issues. Nova individual household nuclear families providing support Science Publishers, Inc. New York: 2002. for one another. They might all live in different houses and different locations but they remain connected and share their This book addresses current issues dealing with native recourses as needed. Americans including Indian law, Indian heritage and gaming questions. The Indian health service (HIS) under the authority of ltom. aiis poie n aohr ol share would another one opposite Families platforms. along each side. Compartments were furnished with sleeping compartments, or sections, occupying families individual with interior, the split hallway wide Abark. cedar or elm of slabs was constructed on a framework of poles over which were tied and eighteen feed side and high. Gabled roof, the longhouse popular house was the longhouse. It was up to sixty feet long most The raised. were tobacco and sunflowers, pumpkins, squash, beans, corn, productive, was it was wherever agriculture pursued burn and Slash life. of way gathering and fishing, hunting, a followed who people archaic were They this area,nexttoatribefromarea. to moved later Winnebago the because well as chapter this on focused I Indians, plains great the about 4, Chapter area. Winnebago because they were originally from the Great Lakes the Northeastern hunting-farming 3, tribes. This includes the tribe of Chapter to attention my focused I America. north in Inc. PacificPalisades,California:1974. Perspective Anthropological 1.4 million American Indiansand Alaska natives. approximately for services health environmental and rehabilitative, curative, preventive, comprehensive assuring of responsibility federal the Snyder out the caries 1921 of Act The Winnebago were of the Algonquian Linguistic family. Indians the about history detailed a gives book This Newcomb,William. ot Aeia Idas An Indians: American North . Goodyear Publishing Company,Publishing . Goodyear ey ecitv i te al yas hog te hne of changes the through years early the in descriptive very is It america. of creation the before tribe Winnebago the in Dover Publications,Inc.New counterpart, anevilspirit. malevolent his was who brother twin a had spirit great The everything. plants, animals, as well as beings supernatural rights, andnopoliticalpositionsofthehouse. property no acquired they outsider, an remained but wives, their of house long the to moved men marriage, On family. activities the of the family line, were directed by female an older woman the of the through other each to related families nuclear of Composed longhouse. a occupied which family, grounds, andmenstrualhuts. a number of other buildings such as sweat lodges, ceremonial also were There camps. hunting for housing permanent less as used were structures wigwam Other firewood. other and food, corn, dried of supply common the for house were areas long storage the of ends the At fireplace. common a This book takes the reader through a life of a man living man a of life a through reader the takes book This York: 1963. Paul. Radin, Native American History:Winnebago Tribe other of creator a was spirit great The beliefs: Their extended matrilineal a was society of unit basic The The Indian Winnebago a of Autobiography . 149 Annotated Bibliography puberty, the chores and daily lifestyle in the tribe. This book Princton Architectural Press. New York: 2004. Pages 93- was helpful in giving an insider’s perspective to the tribe. 97
Radin, Paul. Winnebago Hero Cycles: A Study in This book, I took from it the chapter on Red Feather Aboriginal Literature. Waverly Press, Development Group. It illustrates the founding of the Inc. Baltimore: 1948. organization and the process that Robert Young, the founder, went through to develop it. This organization works with the Radin, Paul. “The Winnebago Tribe” Smithsonian rehabilitation of native American homes on reservations, Institution bureau of American ethnology annual report 37: as well as building new houses. They have worked with 1915-16. architecture students at the university of Washington to design straw bale houses. They have since used this technique due Cultural Differences in Housing/Architecture to its availability and the nature of its construction. People in the community join together to build the straw bale homes Martin, Tania, Andre Casault. “Thinking the Other, themselves, saving money and giving the community a larger Towards Cultural Diversity” Journal sense of pride and ownership. of Architectural Education Sept. 2005: 3 Brolin, B.C. Two Case Studies in the application of the This article describes an architecture studio’s project modern Ideology Van Nostrand of working with a native tribe in Quebec. It takes the reader Reinhold. New York: 1976 88-103 through the process and problems the students must face to design for a culture other than their own. Their goal was to design a housing type that better responds to Amerindian This paper was an interesting evaluation focusing mostly sensibilities while procuring for its inhabitants the benefits of on a city development in Chandigarh, India. The focus was modern conveniences and technologies to which they have looking at Modern Ideology which is a statement about how become accustomed. people should live and how the containers in which they live should look. This new neighborhood was an expansion to a Bell, Bryan. Good Deeds, Good Design: Community city that was growing. The design was done by Le Corbusier, Service Through Architecture. who placed his ideas of homogenization of the world, and requires eating immediately after cooking. This seems to be to seems This cooking. after immediately eating requires which Chapati, eating of tradition Indian the to due feasible not was area dining the as allocated space The time. one at together eat to members family the all for allow didn’t it that most disappointing room in the home. The room was so small the was kitchen The purpose. planned original their for used accommodate their needs. Some of the rooms were no longer The India. families who from inhabited the home had to re-adjust the person rooms to a the than rather for westerner, designed common were homes The problem. another was selling merchandiseofthesamecategory. and shopping bargaining in bazaars, the shopping centers became places for for preference regions the of because But necessities. day every get to leaving without area their within stay could families the way This goods. of variety a selling centers stores multiple for place shopping a as used be of to intended were that design the with problems There activities. also these were for home the using of preferences cultural to due people the by un-used mostly was instead but entertainment, and activity,leisure, of place a as used be to hoped was city.It the throughout weaved that Park” “Leisure homes. park called with alarge was designed The landscape the and area the inhabited who Indians the of patterns living cultural the considerations into take not did designers The making the families living in the area were feel out of place socially. decisions design of sort what detail in explained was It community. the into life day every about assumptions his
h huig ht a dsge fr h community the for designed was that housing The with acultureother thantheirown. required one least course in the architecture program that made a student work at adapt to consideration logical a be would it think I extreme. more made be can problems these client the and architect the between differences cultural are there were cases In criticism. their against work our defend Thus we are more likely to repeat this role for the clients and us. tell critics our everything to agree than rather critiques in work design our defend to taught are We client. the than school planning and aesthetics in design knowledgeable more are we in that on early learn We them. for works what designer the teach client the letting than rather people on his mistakeswereinChandigarh. to produce another city such as this without discovering what commissioned get not did Corbusier Le Hopefully inhabited. her mistakes if there is no research done after the building is his/ from learn can architect an way no is evaluations. There occupancy post of importance the is documents two other the in discussed is that thing misunderstood important their One assumptions. of own, results the their know than should other they that cultures architects for are designing in often involved So today. designers and architects extremely was unsuccessful andfrustrating. Chandigarh of people Indian the on ideas western traditional the Imposing assumptions. architect’s an a very drastic situation of mismatching cultural traditions with I think too often architects try to impose their design ideas hs ocp i a eteey motn tpc for topic important extremely an is concept This
151 Annotated Bibliography Groth, Paul. Bressi, Todd. Understanding Ordinary This book is a textbook format describing all historic types Landscapes. Yale University Press. of Native American architecture. I focused specifically on Pages 56-66 (Rina Swentzell, “Conflicting Landscape chapter one which looks at the architecture of the Northeast Values: The Santa and great Lakes areas where the Winnebago tribe was initially Clara Pueblo and Day School. ) from. It describes the two most common types of housing: the wigwam and the Long house. This article explains the contractions between the housing The wigwam was created by taking saplings that were desires of the Santa Clara Pueblo, in New Mexico and the gathered and chopped by the men, they used young hickory, Bureau of Indian Affairs. It takes a very personal perspective basswood, or elm trees for this. To secure the poles, the of the child (Rina Swentzell, Same person interviewed in supple tips were wound around each other of overlapped, the “on her own terms”). Talks about the differences between lashed together with pliable strips of fresh white oak, or roots. what the American government thought of play time, verses Women then sheathed the frame and installed the furnishings. school time. The Pueblos did not separate the two, while the They used wall mats and floor mats, the women would sew government put up walls and fences around the school, and a the mats using needles made from animal bones. They had to separate play area that they could only use during recess. This survive in an extreme environment, their homes were pliable, article also addresses the difference in the way the pueblos lightweight, and provided effective insulation. They utilized the viewed the earth. They liked having dirt walls and floors, principle of insulation by means of walls enclosing a dead air believed there was an energy that flowed directly through the space in which convection currents are retarded by filaments. earth and rocks to their skin. The walls are the outer layer made up of the hard lower half The author says that her experiences show that once the of the leaves, while the filaments are the inner layers of thin Bureau of Indian affairs changed their physical settings, lack leaf tips. Inside the wigwam, the fire was placed in the center, of confidence and feelings of inadequacy had become a smoke escaped through a parting in the mats. characteristic trait of children who lived in these new homes Another type of dwelling was the long house. and schools built for an American. This was a large structure that was divided internally into different family partitions. Some families would share a fire in the middle, but there were many rules abut stillness and Nabokov, Peter. Easton, Robert. Native American quietness as you moved from room to room. Architecture. Oxford University Press. New York: 1989. readerscomp/naind/html/na_043200_winnebago.htm. college.hmco.com/history/ Co-Housing Roaf, Sue, Fuentes, Manuel, Thomas, Stephanie. EcoHouse 2: a design guide. Architectural Press. Oxford: McCamant, Kathryn, Charles Durret. CoHousing: A 2003. contemporary Approach to Housing Ourselves. Berkeley: 1994. Magwood, Chris, Mack, Peter. Straw Bale Building: how to plan, design and build with straw. New Society Publishers. Addresses the need for a new housing type, with the Gabriola Island, Canada: 2000. changing lifestyles of people today it is hard to spend so much time driving to places to socialize. Co Housing was invented Mackenzie, Dorothy. Green Design: Design for the in Denmark. It is a housing hype that combines the autonomy environment. Laurence King Publishing. London:1997. of private dwellings with the advantages of community living. Each house has private residence, but also shares extensive Osmundson, Thodore. Roof Gardens. W.W. Norton and common facilities with the larger group. Company. New York: 1999 The authors describe in detail several groups that have accomplished their goal of developing co-housing. It Quinn, Martin, Catherine, Macleod. Grass Scapes: gives examples of small projects including about 6-8 homes, Gardening with Ornamental Grasses. Ball Publishing. Batavia, medium projects, and large projects including 30-40 homes. Illinois: 2003. Special Thanks to: My two mentors Zeynep Kezer and Martin Despang Also I would like to thank all of those who helped including Patricia Morgado, Jeff Day, Jim Potter, and Tammy Eagle Bull, and to my Mother who helped fire the clay model.