It might be described as Indiana Jones meets architecture design. Through a program called Spirit of Place/Spirit of Design, college students are immersed in locations around the world, absorb the local culture and aesthetic, then build a small structure to add to the beauty of the area. The course, taught by Travis Price, has proven extraordinarily popular; 135 students applied for 9 slots last semester. No doubt the class serves to expand students’ minds and encourage creativity—just check out the house floating in the Amazon river in the photo. It has a photovoltaic system and a sub-aqua septic system? Not quite your average Colonial. The Architectural Record has a great two-page writeup on the program, and you can check out the Spirit of Place/Spirit of Design web site for more information.
Credit: Architectural Record article
