The Allerton Nature Boxes are the product of a design-build studio with only 5 weeks of construction time. Each of the three extended box frames are clad with century-old wood siding taken from the site, and offer new vantage points to a tree and the nearby Sangamon River. The siding was all reclaimed from a nearby 100-year old chicken coop that had fallen into disrepair.

This design-build project was completed in 2020. Bryan served as the design lead with Efrain Araujo, Akshay Srinivas, Musa Muhammad, Clayton Overmyer and the entire ARCH571 class with Professor Aaron Brakke.

UIUC Graduate Design Award - Nomination

A person prying of wood from a decaying structure
A person prying of wood from a decaying structure
An aerial drone photo of an abandoned and decaying wood structure
An aerial drone photo of an abandoned and decaying wood structure
A photo of people and a dog laughing inside a wood pavilion
A photo of people and a dog laughing inside a wood pavilion

Treehouse delights visitors of all kinds

Looking up from the Skybox

The siding was reclaimed from a 100-year old chicken coop

1/16": 1'-0" Concept Models

A compilation of wood scale models
A compilation of wood scale models
A photo of a wooden architectural model
A photo of a wooden architectural model

1:4 Scale Prototype

a man walking through an unfinished construction project
a man walking through an unfinished construction project
a photo of aging and patinated material textures
a photo of aging and patinated material textures

The Portal under construction

The Skybox wears a century of history as its skin

An architectural photo of a wood pavilion
An architectural photo of a wood pavilion
A detail drawing of a custom wood joint
A detail drawing of a custom wood joint
A floor plan and elevation of a wood pavilion
A floor plan and elevation of a wood pavilion

Compound Lap Joint Detail

Skybox Drawings

A floor plan and elevation of a wood pavilion
A floor plan and elevation of a wood pavilion

Treehouse Drawings

A floor plan and elevation of a wood pavilion
A floor plan and elevation of a wood pavilion

Portal Drawings