MSU architecture majors make Oktoc Community Club more accessible
Contact: Christie McNeal
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擡fforts by nearly 20 幺力视频 architecture majors are making the Magnolia State鈥檚 oldest community club more accessible.
A new wooden ramp at the Oktoc Community Club recently was designed and constructed by the university鈥檚 Freedom by Design team. Now meeting federal accessibility standards, the entranceway on the historic building鈥檚 eastern side is situated near a primary parking area.
Freedom by Design is the community service arm of the American Institute of Architecture鈥檚 student chapter in the MSU School of Architecture.
Established in 1927, the community club was among many launched statewide by what now is the MSU Extension Service to share current information on subjects related to farm production and food preparation and delivery. Members of the south Oktibbeha organization pride themselves for having held monthly meetings without fail over the entire 90-year period.
鈥淭he building is your traditional white rural church style and has steps at each entrance,鈥 explained Larry Box, chairman of the club鈥檚 house and grounds committee.
After several members commented on 鈥渁 need for a ramp to facilitate entrance,鈥 Box said he was encouraged by wife Florence to reach out to the MSU architecture school.
鈥淭his project fit really well with the Freedom by Design spirit,鈥 said Emily Turner, a fourth-year student and FBD co-director. A Starkville resident, she attends MSU as a Presidential Scholar.
A trade-marked title, Freedom by Design was created to 鈥減rovide real-world experience through working with clients, learning from local licensed architects and contractors and experiencing the practical impacts of architecture and design.鈥 Its members focus on finding professional solutions to address physical and other major societal barriers. For more, visit .
As they will following graduation and required licensure, the MSU architecture students began the project with a design charrette to brainstorm preliminary concepts. After completing research to ascertain their design complied with the Americans with Disability Act of 1990 and was within budget, they developed a virtual model to present to the client.
The project took two weeks to complete. The rigorous demands of daily class schedules led team members to complete much of the work at night, Turner said. She gave special credit for meeting the deadline to Pablo Vargas of Ridgeland, a second-year architecture student and the project鈥檚 construction manager.
She also praised support provided by the Boxes, both retired public school employees. 鈥淒r. Box was a great partner to have for our second project; he stayed late to help us and his wife baked treats.鈥 she said.
Turner said the project was much larger than the group鈥檚 first venture, the design and construction of compost bins for the Starkville Boys and Girls Club community garden.
She also noted how the Oktoc project involved a number of first-year majors that 鈥渄idn鈥檛 have a lot of experience in building.鈥 Nonetheless, she said the freshmen 鈥渢ook advantage of this opportunity to learn how to interact with a real-world client. We learned some really important skills that most students just don鈥檛 get in architecture school.鈥
Box said he and other club members are 鈥渧ery pleased鈥 with the outcome. 鈥淚t looks good and is very functional,鈥 he added. 鈥淭hese kids worked hard and I was impressed with their work ethic.鈥
In addition to Turner and Vargas, the FBD team included (by hometown):
CHARLOTTE, N.C.鈥擲ophomore Jacob B. 鈥淛ake鈥 Haasl.
CORDOVA, Tenn.鈥擣reshman Aaron M. Jones.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ga.鈥擲ophomore McKenzie R. 鈥淜enzie鈥 Johnson, project manager
FRANKLIN, Tenn.鈥擣reshman Audrey Eisner.
HARVEST, Ala.鈥擲ophomore Breanna H. 鈥淏re鈥 Richeson.
HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn.鈥擣reshman Pace M. Dempsey.
LINDALE, Texas鈥擣reshman De鈥橵ion L. Dingle.
MADISON鈥擩unior Alexander D. 鈥淎lex鈥 Boyd, publicity co-chair; and sophomore Ashley E. Casteel, director.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.鈥擲enior Felipe M. Olvera, publicity co-chair.
NEW ALBANY鈥擣reshman Daisy Huerta.
SOUTHAVEN鈥擲ophomore Mariah J. Green.
STEENS鈥擲ophomore Madison C. Holbrook.
SUMRALL鈥擲ophomore Hannah C. Strider.
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras鈥擲ophomore Jose Solorzano.
WIGGINS鈥擩unior Kaitlyn R. Breland.
For more about MSU鈥檚 Freedom by Design chapter, contact Turner at eet84@msstate.edu or find the group on Instagram at fbd_msstate.
Information on the School of Architecture is found at .
MSU is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at