Photo credit: DesignBuildUTAH@Bluff 

Architecture is more than just designing and building structures. How the structures will be used can turn a simple design into something special. Each year, graduate students from the University of Utah architecture program DesignBuildUTAH@Bluff travel to Bluff, Utah to build a project for the Navajo Nation.

Since 2011, the DesignBuildUtah@Bluff group has completed a variety of projects for the Navajo Nation including homes, public art and community spaces. Each project has a positive impact on the community.

Community members choose a deserving project or recipient. For this project, Catherine Plummer and her son were chosen to receive the 2022 project named Keshii. Plummer wanted to have a home that allowed for her and her son to have their own bedrooms, instead of having the whole space be shared space.

Based on the request, University of Utah students Erik Bailey, Jaden Robertson, Jolie Dunlap, Maja Tacchi, Preeti Gurung, Samuel Wiesenberg, Stallone Cruz, and Thomas McKean began working on a design prior to the build out.  Bluff experiences harsh summers and winters, so the students design the project during the fall semester, and in the spring they traveled to Bluff to build what they designed.

“For many students, the knowledge of construction processes is very new and can be intimidating,” said project member Erik Bailey. “Even for those who are not students and may be building their own home, don’t be afraid to ask questions and look to others who have already gone through this process. It’s a great way to see what you’re capable of, and you might be surprised at what you achieve when you build a house from start to finish.”

Building materials are selected based on what is easily available in the area, and can be assembled without large machinery. Bluff is located in San Juan County, which is a rural region of southeast Utah, and building materials are less accessible than more developed parts of the state. The students factor in natural lighting, heating and cooling options into the design, because the home may not be able to connect to the electrical grid immediately after completion. 

The students follow Navajo traditions in their building design to respect the culture. To honor the Navajo tradition of having their hogans face east to welcome the new day, each of the building projects have an eastern entrance. 

Maja Tacchi, one of the students who worked on Keshii, mentioned that staying in your comfort zone can hinder a project and make it more difficult to achieve the end result. “Don’t be afraid to try new things, staying in your comfort zone will likely be boring and probably annoying to your classmates,” Tacci said. “When you do try something new, ask all the questions you need and don’t hold back on the ones you think are silly because it’s better to be safe than sorry. Enjoy the new and the mistakes, be kind to yourself and others as it’s probably new to them and I’m sure they’ll make mistakes too!”

Homeowners are typically involved in the building process, so they can add onto the homes in the future with confidence. This sweat equity can help the homeowners help themselves, but also give them the skills to help others in the community.

The Navajo Revitalization Fund, managed by the Department of Workforce Services, provided partial funding for Keshii. The goal of the Navajo Revitalization Fund is to maximize the long-term benefits of state severance taxes paid on oil and natural gas production by providing grants and loans to agencies of county or tribal government in San Juan County which are impacted by the development of oil and gas interests in Utah held in trust for the Navajo Nation and its members.

Learn more about the Design and Build Bluff and their community projects at https://bluff.designbuildutah.org/what-we-do/. 

Learn more about Navajo Revitalization Fund and the projects it helps support at jobs.utah.gov/housing/community/nrf.html.