Contact: Maridith Geuder
Working side by side with members of a Northeast Mississippi city, Mississippi State University architecture students are redefining the 'work' in homework.
Third-year students in a design class are completing a semester-long project to enhance a former vacant lot in Okolona, a community of some 3,500 in eastern Chickasaw County. With support from the CREATE Foundation of Tupelo, the Mississippi Arts Commission, and Chickasaw county and Okolona city officials, nearly 30 students spent class hours and weekends building a mini-park. Other contributors to the project include Stuart C. Irby Co. of Jackson and Louisville Brick Co., which donated building materials.
Official dedication of the new downtown space takes place May 2 at 1:30 p.m.
The class is taught by Shannon Criss and Nils Gore. Criss directs the School of Architecture's Small Town Center, which works to preserve and enhance small town life in the state and region.
To orient themselves, students first assessed the site and learned more about Okolona. They took photos, talked to community members, met with the Chamber of Commerce, and developed a historical perspective. As they planned, they presented their ideas at community meetings to gain consensus and support for the project.
Student Laura Butler of Huntsville, Ala., said the class began its efforts with a broad view of their mission. "We knew we couldn't make major changes in just one semester, however," she added.
With the time constraints in mind, the student teams sought to develop a project that they could build over a three- to four-month period. "We wanted spaces to be as versatile as possible," Butler said.
Their theme was "Double Take," said Gore, a visiting assistant professor at the architecture school.
"We wanted to emphasize the idea that, if you take the time to look around, you see things you missed at first," he explained. "In fact, you see some extraordinary things. One of the things that we wanted to do is to use ordinary materials in a fresh way."
The "fresh" approach includes using steel rebar to construct a trellis and parking bumper curbs to help create a retaining wall. The end result is a space similar to an urban plaza, complete with an arbor, benches, and a wood stage for public performances, Gore said.
Both teachers and students say the project takes the learning process from abstract to concrete.
"This project is true to life," said Butler. "We've dealt with real-world constraints such as budgets and differing opinions. We now know what realistic design is all about."
Community members say it's been exciting to get an outside perspective of their town.
"We've really enjoyed the students' viewpoints and their expertise," said Patsy Gregory, director of the Okolona Area Chamber of Commerce. "We're excited about the new look for the community and about having a public place to gather."