Studio 804

Architecture Class Adds Wind Power to Its Curriculum

Who: Studio 804 is a design/build program at the University of Kansas School of Architecture and Urban Planning.

What: Over the course of an intense five month semester, students design and build an affordable building during which students explore and develop architectural solutions which promote efficiency, sustainability, and creative use of materials. This includes everything from initial design to finished construction and documentation. The end goal: prepare students for their future work as young architects in a rapidly changing and challenging profession.

Why: Provide alternative energy learning opportunity and energy for design/build project

When: In 2008, the Studio 804 project was the first building in Kansas to receive LEED Platinum certification, and the students involved in the 2009 building also aspired to LEED Platinum certification with the construction of a sustainable residence in Kansas City. The residence was designed to maximize energy efficiency so that its occupants could live off-the-grid. Incorporated into the design of the home is a Windspire wind turbine. Due to height restrictions, Studio 804 installed a shorter version of the innovative vertical axis rotor, so that the whole unit stands only 23 feet tall.

Where: Kansas City, Kansas

website: www.studio804.com