Small work creates IMPACT

 

In the rural studio except by Mockbee the line that really stuck out to me was, “That is one thing I went through in discovering that there’s very little difference between people.” When we talk about justice, equity, diversity, or any word to give meaning to that phrase I do not think which word we use makes much of a difference. What makes a difference is we treat everyone the equally no matter what.

As I read this excerpt by Mockbee, I cannot help but make comparisons to the CommunityBUILD studio in Charleston taught by David Pastre. The Charleston program as a whole was designed for Clemson students to explore urbanism relatively close to home. While the program does achieve this, the community build studio focuses on projects that deal with a much more affluent population than the one Mockbee deals within the deep south.

The story about the trailer that needed to be repaired so the kids could go to school was touching. I think when one can merge design with truly doing good for others that sort of connection is intangible.

Repeatably, Mockbee mentions that the architecture done by rural studio is “authentic” and “Honest.” I think what he is trying to say is that the work solves a much-needed purpose and that the materials and processes are basic yet innovative beyond the norm. I can tell you that being innovative with a small budget is very difficult as evidenced by our own studios efforts to reuse bike frames.

I think the secret to rural studios’ work is that each project built upon the next which created a greater dialogue going beyond the work, but to the community.