Happy New Year!

The year 2011 is drawing to a close, and a short reflection back on our first few months in the New Norris House reveals what we learned and what happened during that time. Similar to any new residence, there was a period of familiarizing ourselves to the house and the systems inside it. Some things in the house were brand new to us (the heating and cooling units, the rainwater cisterns, the solar hot water, and the small refrigerator and freezer), while others were familiar but required an adjustment (low flow faucets and shower, cabinet and storage configurations, and the furniture).

rainwater cistern in backyard (on flickr)

The house was ready for occupancy on July 1, and the finishing touches were completed throughout July and August. We set up our post office box and internet service, and enjoyed meeting people who came by for house tours over the 4th of July weekend. Students wrapped up their work on the yard and rainwater garden, and seeded the lawn. Kinks with fluctuating water temperature in the shower were worked out, and the solar hot water heater was installed. Railings on the deck and entry were leveled and secured. Temperature and humidity sensors were installed throughout the house. We became familiar with the air conditioning unit manual as we figured out the ideal way to run the systems in the summer heat.

the house in december (on flickr)

The official ribbon cutting ceremony for the house was in August, and hundreds of people attended and toured the house. Also that month, there were multiple media events to promote the finished project within the Norris and Knoxville areas, and at the University of Tennessee as well. Professors Tricia Stuth and Bob French, along with the student researchers and other student participants, have been a pleasure to work with during this experience. We've appreciated their patience with us while we went through learning about the house.

In the next six months, we’re looking forward to some new activities, including starting a garden in the raised beds in the backyard and exploring more of the Norris area. Until then, we wish you a Happy New Year!

it was all a dream.

Honestly, I’m not concerned about what people think of the chair bed in the Norris House. For me it was about the process. Claire and I worked hard on the design and completion of the furniture and managed to make a chair that works, but we struggled. Only through collaboration with Professor Stuth, Levi Hooten, Matt Hall, Sam Bouck, Chris Melander and Professor Rose was this possible. We all thought to make a chair that worked and looked good. We did it. We had a hard time doing it, but we did it.

Something I've discovered this semester is the art of working collaboratively. More importantly, working collaboratively on a design build project. A lot of my peers building the actual house could speak much more knowledgeably on the subject, but I was able to take a small part in the process. Designing this chair and subsequently building it has taught me that the most important thing to do is just that: do something. Oftentimes Claire and I would be talking about possibilities for the chair and throwing out ideas and were advised to try them. And we did. Mock ups of the give of plywood, hardware details and stain options. It all seems obvious now, and eventually, halfway through the semester we got it. Just do something.

So here’s to you, Norris, for dooming me to never want to work solely behind a computer screen again, for enjoying collaborative work, and for allowing me to learn more than I have to date in my college career.Thanks to Professor French, Professor Stuth, Sam, Levi, Matt, and everyone else who contributed to making the project possible, because sincerely, I’m grateful to have been a part, albeit small, of the project.

photo courtesy of ken mccown

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