In June 2016, DEMX took a field trip to Hale County, Alabama to visit Rural Studio, the design-build program of Auburn University’s architecture school seniors. As University of Arkansas alums, where the architecture program provided field trips for their students, we planned this trip as a team-building exercise and opportunity to look at quality architecture designed on little-to-no budget.
Leaving on a Thursday, we spent time in Helena, Arkansas, where we hung out and played pool at the Juke Joint. On Friday, we continued onto Oxford, Mississippi to hang out with an Auburn senior who was about to graduate, taking a small city tour to see the sights.
On Saturday, we traveled to Newbern and Perry Lake Park, which had a tower for visitors to climb to view the surrounding landscape. Everyone climbed – except Tim (not a fan of heights). Afterwards, they departed for Memphis to spend time on Beale Street and you can imagine the success of the weekend from there.
On Saturday evening, on the way back to Fayetteville, we stopped for an exclusive sneak-peek of Fayetteville-based architect Marlon Blackwell’s Shelby Farms, which was scheduled to open to the public on Monday morning. A few others also stopped by the Edmonson house design in Forrest City, designed by the late Fay Jones.
While this trip’s main intent was to be educational, it was also a nice way to celebrate the work and success of our last year.
