Last week, our intern Nicole completed her final pin-up at James Madison University. Nicole is a senior this year, studying Architectural Design. This critique was even more exciting as our CEO, Charles Hendricks, had the opportunity to serve as one of the critics for her review.
Her project focused on a three-generational home designed to support grandparents, parents, a young child and their dog, within a shared framework that balances togetherness and personal retreat. At the center of her design are flexible gathering spaces that use large pivoting doors to open for family interaction or close to create moments of privacy.
Another meaningful aspect of the project is the inclusion of spaces for prayer, both collective and individual. These areas are thoughtfully integrated into the circulation of the home, creating intentional pauses throughout daily life.
The home is constructed from locally sourced interior rammed earth, grounding it in its Moroccan context while taking advantage of the material’s thermal mass to moderate the region’s hot, arid climate. Wooden accents and a woven screen façade add texture, shading, and filtered light as they wrap the exterior.
Throughout the project, subtle “light moments” appear through carefully placed openings that capture sunlight at specific times of day. Cross-ventilation, shaded thresholds, and breathable façade elements also support natural cooling, reducing reliance on mechanical systems.
Nicole’s design results in a responsive, climate-attuned home that supports the layered needs of a multigenerational family, an impressive culmination of her work this semester.
We are so proud of Nicole’s accomplishments this semester and can’t wait to see what she does with her final semester in the Spring!
