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daily kansan
wednesday
4.14.99
ten.a
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
A University of Kansas professor and students have built several industrial-style homes around Lawrence, but not everyone appreciates the variety.
Left: Dan Rockhill, professor of architecture, looks over his latest architecture project at the corner of 12th and Pennsylvania Streets. Rockhill has taught in Lawrence since 1980 and produced 24 to 30 projects that some community members thought were unconventional.
Far Left: The construction site of the Studio 804 class at the corner of 12th and Pennsylvania Streets.
Marc Epard, Lawrence resident, commissioned Rockhill to build his home at 1629 Hillcrest Rd.
story by derek prater $ ^{ \circ} $ photos by augustus anthony piazza
t was a cold, gray Kansas morning at an east Lawrence construction site. A significant hole had been gouged in the earth and a concrete foundation poured within. The unturned dirt
foundation poured within. The uplifted unity scattered stacks of wood, and cacophony of hammers and saws characterized a typical construction setting. The faces of the workers, however, revealed something different.
They weren't weathered from long hours in the sun; they weren't all bearded; the majority of them weren't male. But then, Dan Rockhill's projects have a reputation for the unconventional, and as he supervised his students, it was evident his latest project would be no exception.
Rockhill, professor of architecture, has been teaching in Lawrence since 1980. During the years, his 24 to 30 projects around the area have raised eyebrows and, at times, vehement protests.
Against the scream of a circular saw and the intermittent thuds of hammers, Rockhill talked about his inspirations, the attention his projects have drawn and his approach to teaching.
"I'm not aware of any other architects that really do their own building to the extent to which we do it, and as a result I think the buildings look different." Rockhill said.
It doesn't require a house number to locate Rockhill's homes in Lawrence. Formidable masses of stone wall, galvanized steel awnings and unconventional lines make Rockhill's homes stand out in the neighborhoods. Rockhill attributes this uniqueness to his use of different materials and the autonomy of building his own projects.
Rockhill, whose graying hair and lined visage reflect his years of experience, finds his inspirations in the search for something novel while reflecting on the regional character of Kansas.
Marc Epard, who commissioned Rockhill and Associates to build his home at 1629 Hillcrest, said that he and his wife, Kathy Porsch, were both raised on farms and that they enjoyed the rural inspiration of their home as well as the use of native limestone.
Rockhill said he viewed the unselfconscious designs of agricultural and industrial buildings as a framework from which he could derive domestic concepts that capture a sense of the area.
"Kansas has a regionalism that is something free for creative architects to try and derive an architecture from, and I think that's important because it helps capture some of the area," Rockhill said.
Some of the people who live near Rockhill's homes don't appreciate the uniqueness of the designs or their sense of regionalism, however.
"I it's ugly; I just don't like his stuff," said Gaby Holcomb, who lives near a Rockhill design at 933 Pennsylvania St. "It's very industrial looking, and this is not an industrial zone."
Holcomb's sentiments have been echoed in several neighborhoods where Rockhill's designs have been built. Residents have expressed concerns that the designs compromise the homogeneity of the neighborhoods.
As far as property values are concerned, Douglas County Appraiser Marion Johnson said that, to his knowledge, nothing indicates that Rockhill's projects have affected sales in those areas.
Nonetheless, critics have continued to show their disapproval. Roger Shimomura lives in a home designed by Rockhill and Associates at 1424 Wagon Wheel Road. His home has been the target of more hostile criticism.
Shimomura, distinguished professor of art, said his home has been spray painted and egged. And three months ago, his mailbox was cut down with a pipe cutter.
Despite the negative reactions, Shimomura said that he and his wife, Janet Davidson-Hues, loved the house and were not surprised by the negativity.
"While the building was going up, people were screaming obscenities at the workers," Shimomura said.
"They do have a tendency to sit up the hornet's nest whenever they can." Rockhill said. "If you're going to do things different, then you better get prepared for people to not openly embrace it."
Rockhill said that during the years he had become numb to the criticism and the local media's attention on negative reactions to his work.
“It’s no different than putting art work out there that people don’t like.” Shimomura said.
Rockhill said he felt that part of the reason his work faced criticism at the local level was that people tended to have a rigid view of domestic architecture.
"Everybody's an expert," Rockhill said. "That's the problem, because everybody lives in a home."
On the other hand, Rockhill has been bolstered by support from local allies and recognition from prestigious national sources.
Rockhill said that he had been fortunate to have the support of his associate and collaborator David Sain, and John Gaunt, dean of architecture and urban design. Their support has helped Rockhill look past the criticism and achieve success.
Eardand Porsch's home was featured in an article in Architecture magazine that referred to Rockhill's new houses as "intelligent responses to Kansas's inspirational farm machinery." The house also was featured on Home and Garden Television's "Extreme Homes."
The house at 933 Pennsylvania St., which is a student project finished last year, placed second in the 1998 Global Home Competition directed by the Structural Board Association.
The student projects are innovative not only in
Jon Riddle, Raleigh,
N.C. graduate student,
saws off the
end of a metal rod at
the construction site
at 12th and Pennsylvania Streets. Student has worked on
the house as part of the
Studio 804 class,
which is a graduate-
level course that Dan
Rockhill teaches. Students construct a building they have
designed in the class.
Kim Albrecht, Lawrence graduate student, is working this spring and summer on Rockhill's latest project at 12th and Pennsylvania streets.
their designs, but also in the method of teaching architecture and design. Studio 804 is the graduate level course Rockhill teaches where the students actually construct a building they design.
She said that students would be working 10- to 12-hour days, six days a week to finish the project. "It's a great educational opportunity for us," Albrecht said.
Rockhill said that the student projects were financed with community development block-grant money, which was available to most cities that apply for it.
He said that Studio 804 could become a model for architecture schools around the country. For his part, Rockhill pledged to continue to build and continue looking for something different. His favorite projects are always on the horizon.
'The best one is always the one we're starting now,' he said.
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