InfoWash
Architect/Firm
The Design Workshop, Parsons The New School for Design
Description
Designed and constructed by students in an academic design/build program, 39571 InfoWash is a direct response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in DeLisle, Mississippi. The project houses both a 24-hour laundromat and an organization which provides rebuilding assistance to local residents. Composed of two volumes connected by a covered breezeway, the southern side of the building is sheltered by a deep overhanging roof, while a translucent polycarbonate northern wall provides ample daylight to interior spaces and allows the building to glow at night. A panelized wood slat screen attached to aluminum straps wraps both the opaque and translucent walls tying together the program elements while adding a degree of warmth and familiarity to the expression of the facades. Western Red Cedar was chosen as the primary exterior material because of its resistance to insects, its workability, and its weathering characteristics.