UI Students Earn Honors in “Best Use of Idaho Wood” Design Contest
Tuesday, December 9 2014
MOSCOW, Idaho – December 9, 2014 – University of Idaho architecture students earned honors in a “Best Use of Idaho Wood” competition to design a new presidential residence for the University of Idaho. The projects were judged on how their designs demonstrated a creative solution and knowledgeable application of integrated design and an innovative use of wood
Taking top honors in the competition was Kayla Stoker of Boise, ID., who earned a first place trophy, a certificate and $500 with her winning design. Jacob Liddicoat of Yakima, WA., and B. Tucker Haderlie of Star Valley, WY earned second and third honors. They received award certificates and $250 each. Honorable Mention recognitions went to Alfonso Ramirez of Jerome, ID and Crystal Nutsch of Twin Falls, ID.
“The house for the president of the university is largely a public building and an asset for the university,” said competition winner Kayla Stoker. “I wanted to treat my design that way by showcasing the public components and separating the private residential pieces. Idaho wood was a perfect material to help facilitate that,” she said.
Stoker’s design used five native Idaho woods, which she incorporated to showcase the structure’s ability to form inside and outside spaces and used wood finishes in the house to give a personal touch to a still public space. In addition to the frame and windows, wood was used in panels, columns, purlins, beams, girders and slats.
“I used a heavy timber frame structure in the event side and wood finishes in the house with similar treatment of the exterior cladding system to bring the whole building together and subtly tie into the historic context of the rest of campus, “ Stoker said.
The competition, sponsored by the Idaho Forest Products Commission (IFPC) and the American Institute of Architecture (AIA) Idaho Chapter, aims to encourage, recognize and support the creative and innovative use of Idaho wood in architectural design. Fourteen projects were presented in the competition from graduate students of UI architecture professors Diane Armpriest and Bruce Haglund.
“This was a challenging project,” Armpriest noted. “The design must reflect the identity of the University, serve as a home for the President’s family, and have the ability to accommodate a variety of formal and informal events.”
During an awards luncheon on the UI campus, architect Robert Miller, FAIA from Bohlin Cywinski Jackson (BCJ) of Seattle spoke to the students about wood in architectural design and Shannon Fuchs, mill manager at Idaho Forest Group’s manufacturing facility in Grangeville discussed the future of wood as a building resource. Miller and Fuchs joined experts from around the region to jury the projects including Wendy R. McClure, UI faculty emeritus; Jeremy Jeffers, AIA Idaho Central Section President Elect; and Gunnar Gladics, building performance specialist at Hummel Architects.
The Idaho Forest Products Commission sponsors professional and student design competitions for the “Best Use of Idaho Wood” based on the idea of creating a dialogue between the people providing wood products and the people using wood products.
“I am continually impressed with the students’ ideas. They see the beauty of building with wood and clearly understand the sustainable aspects of using a locally grown renewable resource,” said IFPC director Betty Munis, “Between the growing need for efficient designs and the growing knowledge about using wood in design, it’s a great time to be an architect.”
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Holly Funk
Marketing and Communications Manager
College of Art and Architecture
(208) 364-4540
hollyfunk@uidaho.edu
Betty Munis
Idaho Forest Products Commission
(208) 334-3292
ifpc@idahoforests.org
www.idahoforests.org
About the University of Idaho
The University of Idaho helps students to succeed and become leaders. Its land-grant mission furthers innovative scholarly and creative research to grow Idaho's economy and serve a statewide community. From its main campus in Moscow, Idaho, to 70 research and academic locations statewide, U-Idaho emphasizes real-world application as part of its student experience. U-Idaho combines the strength of a large university with the intimacy of small learning communities. It is home to the Vandals. For information, visit www.uidaho.edu.