This week at Yestermorrow Design/Build School brought together presentations, detailed design work, and inspiration from outside projects. Each part of the week helped move us forward in our understanding of design and how it connects to real-world building.

We started off with our half-inch scale framing model presentations. The class was divided into two groups, with each team refining their models using notes from earlier projects and feedback collected from client questionnaires. These additions helped us ground our work in real needs and expectations, rather than just design ideas on paper.

The highlight of the presentations was sharing our models with a well-known local architect and designer, Kathy Meyer, who joined us to provide outside feedback. Having a professional perspective gave us valuable insight into our progress. The results were encouraging, and the feedback helped point out strengths while also giving us new ideas to keep in mind as we move forward.

Following the presentations, we shifted gears and split up to begin working individually on different aspects of the house design. Each student focused on a specific area: orientation, and how the building would interact with the environment; exterior design; and interior layouts such as the kitchen and living room. This approach allowed us to cover every angle of the project while aiming to create a design that is efficient, functional, and cost-effective. Though this stage is still in progress, the process is helping us think through the details that will shape the final product.

Another major milestone this week was the start of the design and build process for a snow stake at Sugarbush Mountain. Unlike our classroom models, this project will result in something that will be actively used by the community. It’s exciting to see our skills applied to a functional piece that will serve a real purpose on the mountain.

To close out the week, we had the chance to step away from the classroom and go on a field trip to four different houses. The tour began with a small shed/guest house and built up in scale to a single-family home. Each stop gave us the opportunity to see how different designers approached the challenge of fitting daily living needs into different layouts and square footages. From compact solutions in the smaller structures to broader layouts in the larger homes, the visits gave us a range of examples to keep in mind as we continue our own projects.

All in all, this week combined presentation, detailed design work, real-world building, and firsthand inspiration. Presenting our models gave us professional feedback, our individual design work allowed us to dive deeper into key aspects of the project, the Sugarbush snow stake began our next build, and the house visits offered fresh perspective. Each of these steps is shaping our growth as designers and builders, and we’re excited to carry this momentum into the weeks ahead.

-Jake Spitz, October 6th, 2025