Alabama students built a home from 72,000 used carpet tiles in 2002
Students at Rural Studio have transformed donated carpet tiles into the innovative Lucy Carpet House, providing a vital home and prayer space for the Harris family. This initiative is part of a broader effort that has resulted in over 200 projects within Hale County, enabling students to gain hands-on experience while tackling the challenges of affordable housing in rural communities.
In 2002, six students from the Rural Studio at Auburn University constructed a unique home in Hale County, Alabama. Known as the Lucy Carpet House, the structure contained 72,000 individual carpet tiles arranged in a stacked pattern, held together by a heavy wooden-ring beam. The project was funded by Interface Carpet, which provided $30,000 in addition to the carpet tiles.
The house was built for Lucy and Anderson Harris and their children, with a bedroom dedicated to prayer, featuring a sculptural tower open to the sky. This innovative approach to construction helped conserve the budget and allowed for the inclusion of a personal space for prayer. Rural Studio, an off-campus design-build program, has been active in Hale County since 1993, working to address the housing needs of rural communities while providing educational opportunities for students. The studio's efforts have resulted in over 200 projects, educating more than 1,200 students.
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