Soyer Space is an entirely student-run design-build project initiated, conceived, designed, and constructed by myself and Cooper Raposo, with support from Wesleyan’s College of the Environment and North Studio Design Laboratory.

The design responds to the varied needs of the surrounding community and the site's complexities, with durability and adaptability in mind. By integrating pockets for gathering along informal circulation pathways, the project activates once-overlooked interstitial zones into lasting and unobtrusive community spaces.

The project features interlocking timber mortise-and-tenon joinery, set into bespoke hand-poured concrete bases. In blending local materials and salvage practices with standardized hardware, off-the-shelf components, and construction waste, Soyer Space is built to be a versatile space that evolves alongside the community’s changing needs. Located within WILD Wes (Wesleyan’s Intelligent Landscaping and Permaculture Site), Soyer Space is carefully constructed to align with WILD sustainability principles, creating integrated pathways and assembly spaces along the sloping contours of the site.