The Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center, located in the heart of the city’s historic downtown, plays a vital role in bringing commerce and community together. Unfortunately, the organization’s existing building was not effectively facilitating this role. Instead it was a mishmash of past uses, dating back to the 1920s, ranging from a utility company, to private offices, to a bank. The studio partnered with the Chamber to renovate the 3,150sf building. The renovated facility better aligns visitor and staff experience with the organization’s core mission.

Each aspect of the design was viewed as an opportunity to connect building to place. This was accomplished by mapping material histories, phenomenological qualities, and cultural iconography onto specific project needs. Students investigated the incorporation of multiple streams of waste material from sources of local cultural significance. The design focused on surgical interventions during the demolition process; moving and reusing existing building elements. The project also recalls Moscow’s well-regarded history of brick making through the development of a mortar-less compressed earth block partition wall system that challenges conventional office wall assemblies.

Through research, collaborative discussions, experimentation, prototyping, and construction students were able to provide a flexible and adaptable home for the Chamber. Integrating project responsive applied research and regenerative approaches resets the boundary for both students and the community of what architecture can be - both as a process and an outcome.

Ezrie Anderson

David Asokeji

Carson Connery

Asia Davis

Bethany Frey

Litzy Gomez

John Gross

Karl Hunt

Chloe Macon

Anneke Mulder

Syringa Riley

Garrett Schwalber

Madeline Smith

Kelsey Starman

Taylor Watson

Matt Weigand

scott lawrence, assistant professor

brittney ellenbecker, teaching assistant

riley leighton, teaching assistant

Collaborators

Sam Martinet - Director, Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center

Moscow Chamber Foundation

City of Moscow

Gropp Heating Air and Electric

McCoy Plumbing

Daniel Gunnell - CAA Technical Shop Director

2024 A+ Award Finalist

Architecture + Low Cost Design

Architizer.com

2024 Design Build Education Award

Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture

2024 Gray Award

Gray Magazine

2024 Architecture MasterPrize - Student Winner - Best of Best

Commercial Architecture

Renovations and Restorations

“From the Ground Up”

David Jackson. uidaho.edu

August 2023