This project was designed and built as part of a five man graduate class at Southern Illinois University Carbondale during the first half of 2016. Over the course of a semester, we worked with a real client (the university) to design a campsite for a new trail that was under construction at Touch of Nature Campgrounds. This site includes permanent bench style seating, an area dedicated to food prep, storage compartments for firewood and coolers, and a permanent fire pit.
After the design phase was completed and approved in the spring, we began construction in the summer. All of the work was done ourselves, including the earthwork needed to level the ground. The location of the campsite proved to be the biggest challenge with the build. It is located along a dirt trail deep in the woods, so transporting materials out to the site was dificult and dependent on weather. Although this was a strenuous project that required countless hours, it was by far the most rewarding project during my architectural studies.