Three M. Arch. candidates at Montana State University, Jonathan Chavez, Kimball Kaiser and Adam Shilling, won an Undergraduate Scholars Program research grant which they used to fund their design-build project: B.O.B., the Backyard Office Box. B.O.B. is a kit of parts which, when put together, create a 150-square-foot dwelling space. The design team, also known as Tr3s, wanted their project to be adaptable to a variety of sites and users. B.O.B. can function as an additional space to already existing projects or standalone as a temporary shelter.
The small-scale design is a simple 11-by-11 foot square further divided into a 3-by-3 grid. The structural grid allows for multiple wall panel configurations, depending on the user's needs. B.O.B.’s scissor jack feet allow it to maintain level structure on a variety of site surfaces.
'Tr3s believes that constraints, while adding to the complexities of design, also are opportunities for interesting design solutions. This constraint of having a team of three, set some guidelines for how we deployed modularity, but also afforded some of the most interesting aspects of the project', said Kaiser.
Easy to install and configure, B.O.B. was constructed using traditional hand tools and transportation, no heavy machinery or construction vehicles necessary. This mobile architecture was constructed with primarily recycled materials. Siding, roofing, insulation, sheathing, operable windows, and even most of the structural steel are salvaged. The design strategies Tr3s implemented led B.O.B. to cost only $19 per square foot.
Learn more about the project here.
Design Team: Tr3s
MArch. Students: Adam Shilling, Jonathan Chavez, Kimball Kaiser
Location: Bozeman, Montana, USA
Year: 2017
Area: 150 sqft
Other Participants: Christopher Livingston, Constructive Solutions Inc., Montana State University, Montana State University SOA AIAS, Southwest Montana Building Industry Association
Photography: Kimball Kaiser, Adam Shilling
