Gayogo̱hó:no’ Learning Center

Contributors

Helen Bennett (M.Arch. '26)
Bodie Chisum (M.Arch. '26)

Class

ARCH 5113 Core Design Studio III: Engaged Practices

Instructors

Sean Anderson
Anna Dietzsch

The Gayogo̱hó:no’ Learning Center is a 3,500 sqft learning center designed for the Gayogo̱hó:no’ community on the north shore of Lake Cayuga. It offers three essential programs in response to the immediate needs of the community: gathering, cooking, and learning. The traditional Haudenosaunee longhouse was constructed using interior wood framing (often cedar) and clad using elm bark panels. If one piece were damaged, it could be easily replaced without disrupting the entire structure. We learned from this technique, mobilizing the wood frame and insulated paneling system with the hope that it may warrant an open-ended phasing strategy — the material and structure are adaptable to the programmatic (and formal) needs of the community as they arise for generations to come.

The volumes are elevated above ground, inseparable from the world around, constantly ensuring that inhabitants are engaging with the space below (through the elevated deck and water hole), the landscape around the building (through windows and semi-porous facades), and the space above (through skylights and wood stoves). We hope that as students and community members engage with the space, they find that the boundary between interior and exterior begins to blur.