Having recently expanded to include the University of Colorado (CU), DesignBuildBluff (DBB) welcomed the Buffs to Bluff for the first time in late May.
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The 22 students began their semester by selecting the family for whom they will create and construct a home. The recipients, Maxine Beguay and her 10-year old son, will choose a design from the students’ blueprints in July. After that, the students will divide construction responsibilities and gather the necessary materials. The CU students will source materials from Denver-based construction companies as well as longtime DBB benefactors such as 3-Form. Construction, which begins in August, is slated for completion by December.
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Founder Hank Louis is pleased by what DBB’s expansion means for the Navajo Nation. “The addition of the CU semester makes us a more sustainable organization, allowing us to build two homes per year and make a bigger dent in the housing crisis on the reservation.”
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Louis says the expansion of the program doesn’t change the essence of DesignBuildBLUFF. “As we continue to grow, we will focus on retaining our experimental culture. DesignBuildBLUFF is a lab for alternative building methods, where we can take risks and try new things. The most important thing is that we never feel beholden to standard operating procedures.”
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