Camp JRF’s summer camp expansion harnesses the power of social experience, using a solar-powered, 6,000-square-foot performance building, yurts with communal fire pits, and a bathhouse with outdoor meeting areas. Metcalfe designed a sustainable campus for 90 residents by including solar hot-water heating, rain gardens, solar PV panels, recycled materials, decking made of recycled plastic, and energy-efficient lighting.

A mainstay of our approach is the involvement of stakeholders in the design process — in this case, camp counselors. Their input helped create opportunities for socialization that involve learning about the benefits of sustainable design.