Four University architecture students spent the summer designing and building an outdoor solar-powered pavilion in the backyard of the YMCA Baranco Clark Branch on Thomas Delpit Drive.
The students — Stacy Palczynski, Steven Armstrong, Megan Harris and Marc Berard — range in age from third year undergraduate to third year graduate student. Led by associate professor of architecture Jim Sullivan, the students were selected for the team by responding to a call for those interested in designing the structure as part of an independent study in the spring.
Sullivan said he and the students constructed the entire pavilion, including the foundation, steelwork, framework and decking. He said the pavilion was finished about two weeks before University classes began, but the pavilion project is still underway as the Baton Rouge Community College team finishes their work on the solar panels.
Solar panels atop the roof of the pavilion collect energy that powers the four light fixtures, outlet and fan inside the structure. The Baranco Park YMCA, which is located less than two miles from the University, utilizes any leftover energy.
Berard said the pavilion was originally designed with the children of YMCA summer camps in mind. The team included a chalkboard and pin-up board so the pavilion could be used as a shaded outdoor classroom. He said other uses, such as a stage for a band or a crawfish boil, emerged as the building process continued.
Grover Harrison III, executive director of the Baranco Clark YMCA, said the pavilion will be used to hold outdoor board meetings and meetings for the senior citizen program during cooler months.
Harrison said he can also see the pavilion being used for birthday parties and other community events.
Berard said his favorite part of the entire process was the building stage. He said he enjoyed the challenge of solving problems as they surfaced and being in charge of construction decisions.
Armstrong said he enjoyed being a part of the design and construction processes from start to finish.
“Everything sort of comes together,” he said.
The project was a joint venture with the Center for Planning Excellence, which received a grant from the Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation for the project and invited University and BRCC departments to participate.
Sullivan said the College of Art and Design has participated in “design-build” projects for architecture majors before this one, including a Habitat for Humanity house and another house constructed in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans.
He anticipates another project by the summer or fall and said the college is “always looking for