Snow or shine, the IDEXlab (Integrative Design Experience Laboratory) cohort continues construction of the mobiLANDING project on Beech Mountain, the home to the Department of Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment’s Small Wind Research and Demonstration Site. The mobiLANDING will serve as a crash pad and docking station for its mobile counterpart, the MOBILab (completed in 2016), and will also be able to operate independently as a sheltered work space and storage component.
The mobiLANDING was designed by a group of IDEXlab graduate students in 2016-2017, who took the design into construction documents and obtained a permit. These drawings were handed down to this year’s IDEXlab cohort to turn the drawings into reality.
In the fall semester, the students used these plans to prefabricate the trusses and deck modules. This spring semester, the students will work on site to set the trusses, install decking, screen walls, and construct the roof. The cohort is also hoping to fund a photovoltaic array to incorporate into the south screen wall to provide energy for lighting and other power needs for the structure.
While the students are responsible for constructing the project, they are also responsible for overall construction management. The students have worked to develop an estimate and work within the allocated budget; they have developed a construction schedule to ensure completion for a grand opening event (keep an eye out for more news on the exact date in April); they have developed phasing and site logistics, and they are locking in subcontractors for welding and crane operation. The students are gaining real project management experience while practicing hands-on skills, and in so doing, are providing a learning platform for research-based education for the future.
To follow what the IDEXlab cohort is up to on a weekly basis, check out our website at www.theidexlab.com or follow us on Instagram @theIDEXlab. For more information specific to the mobiLANDING project, visit https://www.theidexlab.com/mobilanding
mobiLanding project on Beech Mountain
mobiLanding project on Beech Mountain