Eagle Project
Covered Shelter for Sammamish Rowing Association Boathouse
As a high-school sophomore, I was a member for the Sammamish Rowing Association (SRA) in which I participated in afterschool rowing practice, overnight regattas, and regional competitions. During daily practices, the combination of Seattle's famous rainy weather, our aggressive rowing enthusiasm, and poor (but improving) rowing technique lead to many practices ending in bone-soaked, tired members. As a sophomore (as were many of my peers), we weren't able to drive ourselves and had to wait for our parents to pick us up after practice. As a result, many evenings after practice ended standing in a parking lot, huddled around trees, hiding from the rain while waiting for our parents.
Thus, the idea of a covered waiting area born. As an active member of Troop 751 of the Boy Scouts of America striving to reach the rank of Eagle Scout, I was given an opportunity to bring this idea to life.
Preliminary Design Concepts
Initial designs were created to start getting a feel for functionality that could be integrated and what kinds of features and considerations would be needed. Consulting with the boathouse manager, my fellow crew members, and construction managers, I identified key features that would need to be employed.
Desired Features:
Half-wall siding
Half-wall siding provides a place for SRA members to sit, without providing a permanent seating solution
Free-Standing Design
As the SRA Boathouse sits in a state park, excavating any amount of dirt for construction purposes requires a host of legal paperwork and approvals, often with considerable lead-times. Designing the shelter as a free-standing structure eliminates the need for a lengthy approval and certification process, effectively qualifying the structure as a shed.
Integrated Skids
After discussing the project with the boathouse manager, the state had considered plans to expand the parking lot in which the proposed shelter would stand sometime in the next few years. As a result, any kind of permanent structure may not survive the expansion. This, in combination with the free-standing considerations, gave way for integrated skids on the structure. These skids would allow the structure to be moved without damaging the structure.
Large Roof
A roof larger than the footprint of the structure allows for SRA members to continue to be covered without being inside the structure itself. This expands the total available space and use options available to an SRA member without expanding the footprint of the structure.
Deck flooring
Deck flooring provides a stable surface for people to stand on while allowing for dust, dirt, and water to fall through the cracks.
Low Maintenance
Must not require regular maintenance as the boathouse lacks the facilities or resources to provide regular maintenance
Final Design
I attempted to create a set of drawings on my own that would incorporate all the above design features.
However, as I am not an architect, I sought out the help of a professional architect to draw the final shelter designs and the aid of a retired construction manager to help construct the final project.
The final design includes all the design criteria listed above and gives a much better aesthetic look.
Final Result
Completed Shelter
Shelter Completed: October 2018
Relocated Shelter
Shelter Successfully Relocated: Spring 2023