pavilion ii (design + build)
fifth year elective studio // profs. Jose Cotto and Emilie Taylor Welty



collaborative design-build

Sugar Roots Farm, Lower Algiers, New Orleans with The Albert and Tina Small Center for Collaborative Design
AIA New Orleans Award of Honor, small projects, 2022.

completed project: 1,275 sq ft pavilion; includes teaching kitchen, storage, gathering space, production space, educational overlook, bioretention pond, educational wall.

This project helps Sugar Roots, a teaching farm located 20 minutes from downtown New Orleans, scale its vegetable production and educational capacities. Part of an annual design-build program where the Small Center partners with a local nonprofit to provide pro bono design/construction services with upper-level TuSA students. 



sub-project lead: overlook design/build

a deck perched above the bioretention pond. ordered new materials with <2% waste and reused railing posts from previous design-build, reused slab formwork for structure, led group of ~3 in design and fabrication.

entry sequence renders (drawing by z. braaten; 3d model by studio)

design goals

reuse pre-fabricated posts from previous design-builds
reuse formwork wood for structure
maintain entry sequence in one-point perspective terminating in view of garden
minimize construction waste; use standard dimensional lumber to its full length



practical goals

integrate rope screen and concrete inlays
create educational space to see/discuss bioretention pond and rainwater cistern
optimize space for small class of children (limit escape routes, be scaled appropriately)
be in compliance with relevant codes

construction details

team

more on the project here!

collaborators

sugar roots farm: Brooke Bullock, Cloud Henderson, Emily Hiatt, Anika Wasserman, Valeria Emmett, Kendall Winingder, Ashley Locklear

team members

project leads: Jose Cotto, Emilie Taylor Welty

students: Merrie Afseth, Brianna Baldwin, Le’Bryant Bell, Zach Braaten, Kelsie Donovan, Kareem Elsandouby, Ellen Feringa, Nick George, Ella Jacobs, Sam Lindley, Connor Little, Mandii Malhotra, Valentina Mancera, Johnathan Michka, Sofia Perrotta Mensi, Malina Pickard, James Poche, Natalie Rendleman, Katie Schultz, Karan Sharma, Bruno Soria, Giuliana Vaccarino Gearty, Yao Zhang

staff: Nick Jenisch, Ann Yoachim

special thanks: Pam Broom (Farmacia) Aron Chang; Gardener’s Outpost; Kostmayer Construction; Eric Lynn (Workhaus) Johann Palacios, PE (Pace Group, LLC) Jenny Snape, PE (Batture, LLC) Brittney (cow)



photography: jose cotto, emilie taylor welty, valentina mancera, zach braaten