At DesignBuildBLUFF, we task our students to create harmony from some of the most disparate elements they will ever face in their careers; non-traditional materials, natural building methods, an unforgiving environment, a minuscule budget, and the constant, unyielding expectation to do good, in every sense of the word. With a focus on physically building the homes they design and integrating sustainability into every facet of the project, our vision is to not just build a home for a family in need, but to build the architects the future deserves.

Most of our students begin DesignBuildBLUFF with no background in construction. By the end of the spring semester, as the final touches are being completed, they’ve gained nearly five months of hands-on building experience. This forces students to rethink the translation of design from the sketchbook and computer to reality, creating an investment in the project that goes beyond what most architects ever get the opportunity to experience.

Throughout the year students are encouraged to explore alternative building methods, unique building materials and innovative solutions. Energy-efficiency is a key criteria against which each project’s success is measured. Unlike many projects in the “real” world, this is not just sustainability for sustainability’s sake; it is because the situation demands it. Off-the-grid sites call for passive solar and thermal heating; reused materials supplement a stretched budget. It is, in a way, the ultimate sustainability—use of the elements naturally at hand, within reach, both physically and economically.