Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Page 1 photos and commentary by: www.garyforster.com
Camp Collins YMCA (Portland OR) http://www.campcollins.org/
Rotary Village or “The Hobbit Cabins” A gift of NW Oregon Rotarians (several clubs and many individuals in honor of Rotary International’s Centennial. Designed by local Portland architect Aron Faegre (who had previously done the “Treehouse” cabins at Collins). Conceived by former director Dimitri Stankovich (now at Seattle YMCA’s Camp Orkila); completed under current camp exec Willard Burks. Dedicated 2006. Platinum LEED certified.
Page 2 photos and commentary by: www.garyforster.com
Rotary Village is six cabins surrounding a central gathering space with plenty of place to sit and talk, and lots of walls to “tightrope walk” Obviously great care was taken to preserve existing trees, and native plants were used on the earth-covered “green roofs”.
(Right nearby is a unique bouldering wall that not only makes a nice photo-op with “YMCA” in every picture, it adds the variety of not only going all the way around, but also through!)
Page 3 photos and commentary by: www.garyforster.com
Stage at one edge of the village commons (“The Shire?”)
Typical cabin entry. Every cabin is earth-bermed and has a “green roof”.
Page 4 photos and commentary by: www.garyforster.com
Yes, the round doors open! They’re a big hit on check-in day, and in nice weather when they can be left open. But the standard exit door (to the left, out of the picture) is normally used day-to-day.
The round “Rotary Seal” door from the inside. The louvered shutters are for privacy (or modesty!)
Hey Hobbits, wipe those furry feet!
Page 5 photos and commentary by: www.garyforster.com
Deliberately chosen “green” carpet from Interface Flooring of GA (this pattern is called “Nature Trail) covers the hydronic heated concrete floor. It’s been successfully used by camps for many years. The steal bunk rails and ladders are a camp “trademark” that’s been carried over from the Treehouse Village and decorative ironwork for coathooks in the dining hall. Note the bunks are hung from the ceiling to make cleaning much easier. Each camper has built-in shelves. Also note that each camper has their own operable window. Also a carry-over from the popular Treehouse Village design.
A central skylight of translucent insulated fiberglass (“Kalwall”) removes any temptation to climb the roof and peak in. (You have to think of everything!)
Page 6 photos and commentary by: www.garyforster.com
Each cabin has a simple bathroom (note the renewable resource true linoleum floor). All showers are in a separate shower house so as not to compromise the traditional “summer camp” experience. (Though they are very NICE shower houses with individual shower stalls and changing areas; they still provide the social experience of a whole group going to shower together; rather than one-at-a-time at so many camps with a single shower per cabin.)
A tiny boiler provides hot water for the in-slab heating system. This type of radiant heat is very comfortable (warm feet, to start!) because it heats the objects in the room more than it heats the air. As a result thermostat temperatures are typically set much lower than for hot-air or baseboard heat.
