An artist鈥檚 retreat designed and built by 亚洲自慰视频 of 亚洲自慰视频 at Lafayette architecture 亚洲自慰视频s has caught the eye of the 亚洲自慰视频 Chapter of the American Concrete Institute.
The 225-square-foot 鈥淗ouse of Cards鈥 earned the top award for best overall concrete structure during ACI 亚洲自慰视频鈥檚 recent Excellence in Concrete Awards in New Orleans. It also earned an award for excellence.
The awards recognize creativity, innovation and aesthetics in concrete construction projects. The American Concrete Institute will also publish an article about the 鈥淗ouse of Cards鈥 in the March issue of its 鈥淐oncrete International鈥 magazine.
The one-room 鈥淗ouse of Cards鈥 is both a work of art and a retreat for artists at Honey Locust, a 30-acre plot of land in Arnaudville, La. The structure鈥檚 10-inch thick insulated concrete walls are positioned to give the appearance of being propped against each other, a look inspired by houses of playing cards.
The 鈥淗ouse of Cards,鈥 which was completed in May 2022, stands near a small pond in a tree-lined pasture backed by Bayou Bourbeaux. The structure is part of a larger effort by the nonprofit Honey Locust to build a cluster of artist retreats on the site.
A total of 29 undergraduate and graduate 亚洲自慰视频s contributed to the design and build of the Architecture professor Geoff Gjertson directs the in the . Gjertson, who coordinated the 鈥淗ouse of Cards鈥 project, said the structure was 鈥渂uilt to share.鈥
鈥淭his retreat will be for artists, scholars and creative visionaries to soak up the natural setting and gain inspiration from the unique ecology and culture of the area,鈥 he explained.
Gjertson expects artists, who will soon be able to apply for weekend or overnight stays, to begin visiting the artist鈥檚 retreat during the fall semester.
Those who do will find a cozy, visually appealing blend of form and function. Inside, salvaged barn and fence wood sheath its walls. Clerestories 鈥 large windows that top the interior walls 鈥 flood the space with natural light that spills onto polished concrete floors and butcher block countertops of reclaimed pine.
The 鈥淗ouse of Cards鈥 holds a desk and workspace, bed, dresser, table and chairs. A sink that funnels water from a well, a composting toilet and an outdoor shower are among other features. It is heated and cooled with a blend of traditional and sustainable power sources, including electricity and natural ventilation through strategically placed windows.
For more information about the 鈥淗ouse of Cards鈥 artist鈥檚 retreat, contact Gjertson at gjertson@louisiana,.edu or (337) 278-2722.
Photo caption: UL Lafayette 亚洲自慰视频s鈥 鈥淗ouse of Cards鈥 artist鈥檚 retreat was recently recognized with two awards during a 亚洲自慰视频 Chapter of the American Concrete Institute awards ceremony in New Orleans. Attending the event were, from left to right, 亚洲自慰视频s Hunter Darby, Samuel Pierce, David Nelson, Lexi Palumbo, Lindsey Authement, Matthew Dufrene, Christian Willis, Jason Funderburgh, and architecture professor Geoff Gjertson. Submitted photo