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Communal Canopy
Year
2021
Typology
Community
Program
Entertainment
Location
Knoxville, TN
Faculty
Kevin Stevens
Design Charette: Communal Canopy
Proposed as an addition to the Knoxville Botanical Gardens, the Communal Canopy serves as a unique and capable space to gather, an alternative space to enjoy the outdoors, experience sweeping views of the Appalachian Mountains, and addresses the most commonly observed need across multiple site visits: a place for play.
Lightweight Standing Seam Metal
2” x 2” Timber
2” x 4” Timber
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Floating Deck
Braces
Truss Frame Support
Treehouse Attachment Bolt + Cables
Simple Materials, Big Impact
During conversations with the Knoxville Botanical Garden & Arboretum, it became clear that they knew how to do a lot with a little. Relying on readily found materials, the canopy takes shape with a minimal approach to materials needed for construction.
Figurative & Literal Treehouse
Giving consideration to the site, the “treehouse” nestles against aged growth on the Botanical Garden site. It, in turn, becomes an extension of the tree line, blending in from the distance and blurring the lines between nature’s canopy and itself.
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