Storypod Makes Room for Writing

A project by Tulane School of Architecture students is helping to facilitate the writing process for young authors working at the Neighborhood Story Project in New Orleans. Working through Tulane City Center, the students designed and built the Storypod, a room to provide a place for writers to conduct interviews.

The Neighborhood Story Project works with young students in the community so that they can write and produce books about the places and people in their lives.

Young New Orleans writer Kareem Kennedy reads from his work at the Storypod, a space designed and built by Tulane School of Architecture students, in this video produced by Brandon Meginley.

Architecture students provided their support by developing the Storypod room within the story project facility in the 7th Ward of New Orleans, allowing writers to have space away from the project's daily activities.

While the story project provides support and guidance to writers whose stories might otherwise go untold, the architecture students became part of that process by bringing their Polygal (polycarbonate sheets used in construction), T-bolts and threaded rods to the table.

"It's a room within a room," says Jennifer Gaugler, a graduate student in the School of Architecture, who said the Storypod idea gave the Tulane students an opportunity to interact with real clients in the community on a design challenge.

Brandon Meginley is a senior majoring in journalism at Tulane University.