College - Author 1
College of Architecture and Environmental Design
Department - Author 1
Architectural Engineering Department
Degree Name - Author 1
BS in Architectural Engineering
Date
6-2026
Primary Advisor
Kristin Potterton, College of Architecture and Environmental Design, Architectural Engineering Department
Abstract/Summary
The Modular House is a student designed and constructed structure in Poly Canyon. For decades it served as a home for the Canyon’s caretakers who maintained the structures, looked over the Canyon, and helped construct student projects. After being abandoned for a variety of reasons, the structure now currently stands as an open-air pavilion.
This project studies The Modular House as a unique and storied site and proposes a theoretical retrofit to make the structure habitable again. Historical documents, past senior projects, images, and firsthand accounts were reviewed to understand the site’s history and how it changed over time. In creating a proposed retrofit, consideration was given to the surroundings, the original project’s design intention, structural strength under modern design codes, seismic performance, building enclosure design, and constructability.
Through developing the design this project explores the interaction between architectural and structural design decision making in the context of retrofitting a remote and historic structure. The project concludes by reflecting on the process and identifies areas of the design that could continue to be developed in the future.
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/arcesp/263