The Goat House was constructed as a two-day laboratory in Green Building by students in Georgia Tech's College of Architecture taking BC 4953A: Green Buildings. Nicknamed for its goat-sized ergonomics, the Goat House was designed by students and constructed from nearly 100% recycled, natural, or otherwise "green" building materials. The primary purposes of the laboratory were to introduce students to the mechanics of green or alternative materials in a "hands-on" fashion, and to conduct informal experiments in the weathering and durability properties of walls made from these materials.

Project Parameters:

The four students taking the class were instructed to work either together or in teams to design a structural and construction plan for one wall of the structure. One student elected to design a simple roof for the structure and assist the instructor in designing one wall of the structure. Each wall was supposed to meet the following design and construction parameters:

• Materials used should be primarily recycled, waste, or natural materials
• Net dimensions = 4 feet high x 6 feet long
• Must support an axial compressive load of 150 pounds per linear foot
• Must be free-standing, i.e., require no lateral support
• Must maintain structural integrity under typical weathering conditions for at least three months
• Must be constructable by four students + one instructor in two hours or less

Students were required to generate the following for each design:

• Conceptual structural design and analysis
• Sketches of wall plan and elevation
• Construction plan and schedule
• Material list

Each student or team of students were instructed to act as project manager for the construction of his or her wall, with the remaining students and instructor serving as laborers under the supervision of the project manager(s).

Project Details:

• West Wall - Glass Bottle & Mortar/Soil Mix
• South Wall - Tires & Rammed Earth
• East Wall - Magnolia Leaf & Clay/Cement Mix
• Roof - Recovered Wood & Felt
• Material Sources & Project Economics
• Student Feedback on Laboratory Experience

Project Team

(left to right):

• Jamie Frazier (Fourth year Building Construction)
• John David Harvill (Fourth year Architecture)
• Kelly O'Boyle (Sixth year Architecture)
• Chun-I Wang (Sixth year Architecture)
• Annie Pearce (Instructor)