Hammock Lookout

May 2024

The University of Miami School of Architecture Design Build Studio is a selective design course that offers architecture students the opportunity to follow the project through its entire lifecycle; beginning with meeting clients to constructing a full-scale project. This semester, our class was tasked with designing an outdoor educational space for the Ocean Studies Charter School in Key Largo, Florida. After meeting with our clients (a collection of teachers, students, and staff) at the start of the school semester, we got started on designing. The final design was developed through a collaborative process that consisted of rounds of conceptual sketches, until all members of the studio were able to agree on common themes and ultimately, a final form. A main request from the students was the ability to climb up into the canopy, and interact/observe the wildlife above the trees. The design we came to consisted of a two story, open concept, allowing the students and faculty to adapt the space for their lessons that day. The first floor facade incorporates a screen design inspired by the work of Piet Mondrian, incorporating rectilinear geometries, with spaces for cubbies to store the children’s school supplies. This primary area is enclosed from above, to allow for class in the rain, but still maintains an open view to the surrounding hardwood hammock. On the second floor we made sure to provide unobstructed views of the surrounding landscape, inspired by a crow’s nest on a pirate ship, the students are able to observe the birds and butterflies as they pass by. The center of the lookout contains a bench made of plexiglass that also doubles as a skylight to allow light into the bottom floor. We presented our final design to the teachers and principal of the school, receiving the final approval to begin building. After this, our studio began the construction process, first building it in the Design Build Lab, learning wood working and power tools, we fully constructed the Lookout. After completion, we then fully dismantled the project and rebuilt it on-site.