design, build, learn. repeat.

Notes from the ServiceNation Panel

[Originally posted on http://handsongulfcoast.blogspot.com/]. Last Saturday’s panel discussion focused on the past, present and future of the volunteer movement in Biloxi and along the Gulf Coast. I took some notes which I’d like to share. Most quotes are paraphrased. First, let’s introduce our panel: Dorothy Noorbaar, Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast / AmeriCorps VISTA Nelson Walker, Hands On Gulf Coast / North Gulfport Community Land Trust Craig Snow, Project Coordinator, Hope Force International Juanita Gaines, Moore Community House Johnis Ross, Hope Coordination Center Moderator: Caitlin Brooking, Director of Programs, Hands On Gulf Coast Why do you volunteer? …

Read more

WLOX reports on Hands On

WLOX reports today on Hands On Gulf Coast’s transition to local non-profit status. And it’s a first look at our new executive director, Lillian Jenkins! Video (should open a pop-up window).

Read more

Hands On Gulf Coast to hold panel discussion

Fun with press releases! Make sure to get out and do some community service this Saturday for the National Day of Action. Hands On Gulf Coast to hold panel discussion The panel and discussion also will help identify the needs and opportunities for volunteer service. The event is part of a National Day of Action organized by ServiceNation, a national grass-roots movement advocating volunteerism and community service. A “Volunteers in Long-Term Recovery” panel and roundtable discussion will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Hands On Gulf Coast, 2113 Pass Road, behind the Beauvoir United Methodist Church. …

Read more

KaBOOM Chicka Boom

Edit [12/26/08]: See these photos and more at my Flickr page. If you haven’t heard of the fine folks at KaBOOM!, they travel the country building playgrounds for neighborhoods that need them. Their goal: a place to play within walking distance of every child in America. Friday and Saturday, I helped prepare and lead the construction of a shade structure as part of a KaBOOM! build at the Isiah Fredericks Community Center in North Gulfport. The shade structure was designed by Jessie Zenor and built by Hands On and the North Gulfport Community Land Trust; it incorporated hundreds of tiles …

Read more

Ike Brings High Water to Biloxi

Biking to work this morning, I thought the low-lying area near our office looked especially swampy. I soon found out that this was no backed-up storm drain but in fact a very high tide due to water being pushed by Hurricane Ike. The water has receded a little for now, but this morning I estimate it peaked at 5 1/2 to 6 feet above normal sea level. High enough to cover the beach all the way up to the seawall, close parts of US 90 and other streets around Biloxi. NORTHEAST TO EAST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 25 TO 35 …

Read more

Bracing for the storm

The approach of Hurricane Gustav made the mood yesterday — the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina — especially tense. No one’s sure how severely the hurricane will affect Biloxi; although it’s tracking towards west Louisiana, it could be a Category 4 or 5 when it arrives, bringing high winds and rain, although a Katrina-like storm surge is less likely. Many residents and businesses are boarding up windows and preparing to evacuate if necessary. I helped Patty board up her windows (no small undertaking from a single 25′ ladder). Yesterday and today, at the suggestion of David Perkes, he and I …

Read more

Looking back: A Blitz Build for Ruth

Ruth has been a resident of East Biloxi all her life. Hurricane Katrina brought 8 feet of water into her home and shifted it off its foundation. Returning after the hurricane, Ruth stayed in the flooded home until she received a trailer from the First Presbyterian Church. Over two years later, her house was finally ready to build. Through the collaboration of volunteer organizations including Hope Force, Hands On Gulf Coast, and the East Biloxi Coordination Center, the house was blitz-built in approximately one week. The new house is handicap-accessible and features two bedrooms, an open living and dining room, …

Read more

A House for Carmen

Carmen’s house is a complex solution to a complex situation, and it’s been my primary house project over the past couple of months; new projects have been slow to come in, so I’ve had the opportunity to develop this one in detail, working in partnership with Jessie. Carmen’s husband, Clarence, has been living on this property since the 1960s, and he seems to have been tirelessly at work during that time; at its pre-Katrina peak, the property accommodated a house at the front (since torn down), a second, two-story house (torn down to the concrete foundation visible below), a rear …

Read more

It’s Flippin’ Pouring

Summer days are pretty predictable in Biloxi – sunny and humid in the morning, hot and humid during the day, rain showers in the afternoon, warm and humid during the evening. Today, it’s just raining; it rained this morning as a warm-up, then rained more, took a brief break for lunch, and a settled in for a good solid four-hour downpour (so far) this afternoon. The rain has, however, provided a great proof of concept for the roof across the street at Mr. Tran’s house. Jason designed the inward-sloping roof as the perfect means to collect rainwater, and it works …

Read more

Update on Division

This isn’t my house, this is one of Jason’s, but as it’s one of the coolest projects we have going on I thought I’d let the wide world know about it. It is a house for Mr. Tran and his family and is being primarily built by Hopeforce. Today they had a contractor come in and spray bio-based (soy) foam insulation, which we also used on Patty’s house. In Mr. Tran’s they’re using a full coat of spray foam in the rafters only; this is instead of insulating the ceiling and then having to ventilate the tight attic space. The …

Read more

Category Archives

Architecture links