UMass Amherst Students Build Timber Grid Shell as Pop-up Exhibition on Fine Arts Center Plaza

UMass Amherst Students Build Timber Grid Shell as Pop-up Exhibition on Fine Arts Center Plaza

After a lot of work, the timber gridshell on the Fine Arts Center plaza is now finally up and open to the public. This multidisciplinary design-build project, led by BCT faculty Peggi Clouston and supported by BCT adjunct faculty John Fabel (and many others), involved many students from across UMass. You can find more information in the official press release (below) and on the accompanying website: AMHERST, Mass. – A massive and intricate wooden dome temporarily adorning the plaza of the Fine Arts Center at the University of Massachusetts Amherst was engineered and constructed by UMass students over two semesters as part of a wood design studio class. Known in technical circles as a timber grid shell, the structure is the end product  of a course taught by Peggi Clouston, associate professor in the building and construction technology program at the university. Thirty feet in diameter, the 3,500-pound shell rises to 11 feet at the center. The 52 longest laths in the...
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BCT Program Wins 2015 USGBC West Branch “Green Giants” Award!

BCT Program Wins 2015 USGBC West Branch “Green Giants” Award!

The UMass Amherst Building and Construction Technology program was honored on December 1st, 2015 at a joint WMAIA/USGBC event at Hampshire College for our efforts in educating future leaders in green building and sustainability. Program director Alexander Schreyer and Associate Professor Peggi Clouston accepted the award on behalf of the BCT program. This is a biannual award and we are very proud to have received it this year. From the program description: The Green Giants program honors the work of trades people, educators, and owners/program directors who help build, teach about, envision and fund green buildings in Hampshire, Hampden, Franklin, and Berkshire counties. This program is intentionally distinct from other building awards in that it honors a wider range of participants in the sustainable building industry of our region. This is the second year of the West Branch Biannual Green Giants Awards program. This award reflects the amazing work of our faculty, adjunct faculty, and our student groups. They are all engaged on a daily...
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BCT/Arch/LARP Alumni Weekend event was a great success

BCT/Arch/LARP Alumni Weekend event was a great success

The combined BCT/Arch/LARP Alumni Weekend event on June 6th not only showcased the new Design Building, it also gave us a chance to reconnect with some of our successful alumni. Attendees came from Commodore Builders, Hill International, Integrity Design & Construction, and Next Step Living. The group photo above and the gallery below give some nice impressions of the event. You can find even more images on the BCT Facebook page. ...
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Chris Novelli, BCT Adjunct Faculty, Makes Business West’s List of “40 Under 40”

Chris Novelli, BCT Adjunct Faculty, Makes Business West’s List of “40 Under 40”

Chris Novelli, Adjunct Faculty in BCT and Architecture, just made Business West's 2015 list of "40 Under 40". In describing his work, Chris said: “You get to be creative on a daily basis, and there’s incredible variety — each day is different,” he explained. “One day I’m working on something that’s totally creative and artistic, the next day I’m working through technical details. The next time I’m on the job site working with the general contractor, and the day after that I’m giving a lecture at UMass. There’s always something new and different going on, and I really like that aspect of my work.” You can read the entire announcement here: http://businesswest.com/blog/christopher-novelli/ One of Chris' recent projects, Butternut Farm, was also recently featured in the Atlantic: http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/06/where-should-poor-people-live/394556/?fb_ref=Default...
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