ABOVE: The anatomy of a single ‘cassette’ module, nested in a 4’x8’x.75″ plywwod sheet, ready for milling
RIGHT: Exploded cassette diagram shows horizontal repetition and vertical differentiation. When assembled each modular unit row ‘tooths’ into the previous installed row below it which forms a robust structural shell when full assembled.
Design Intent and Pedagogical Framework
As a research endeavor, the project investigated how computational modeling and CNC fabrication could produce modular assemblies optimized for rapid field construction. The design prioritized tectonic clarity and modular logic, using a plywood cassette system that integrated structure, enclosure, and built-in furniture. Each wall and floor module was digitally modeled and fabricated, designed to slot together in a sequence that mirrored the logic of a kit-of-parts assembly.
This workflow allowed the greenhouse to function as both a building and a system—each cassette serving multiple roles as structure, storage, and workspace, collectively forming a coherent architectural language. The design also addressed the educational mission of the site: durable, adaptable, and easy to maintain, the greenhouse supported student-led horticulture and environmental learning. The result was a demonstration of how fabrication research could yield a spatial framework that is both functional and pedagogically resonant.
Digital Fabrication and Modular Assembly
The fabrication process was grounded in advanced parametric modeling and CNC workflows emphasizing adaptability and precision. Working in Rhino and RhinoCAM, each cassette was digitally nested, milled, and labeled for efficient sequencing and field assembly. The fabrication logic integrated notching, slotting, and “drawer-box-like” interlocking joinery strategies for each ‘cassette’ module resulting in superior joint strength, precision alignment, and repeatability. Fabricated from ¾-inch plywood, every joint was tested and refined to balance friction fit, alignment, and structural performance.
Once fabrication was complete, the prefabricated wall and floor cassettes were organized, labeled, and delivered to the Crutcho site with a detailed set of assembly instructions. The Construction Science team constructed the pier foundation and then assembled the modules in the field. This handoff between fabrication research and on-site construction established a workflow that mirrored professional design-build coordination, connecting computational precision to logistical execution that exceeded typical real-world tolerances achicved by the most skilled professional trades.
ABOVE: Construction science students assembling cassette modules on site, gaining first-hand experience in modular sequencing and field installation.
Reflection and Legacy
The Crutcho Elementary Greenhouse Classroom remains a pivotal early project in the evolution of Gibbs College’s design-build pedagogy. It established a new hybrid model that merged digital fabrication research with construction science education, balancing computational precision with the coordination required for on-site assembly. The project proved that the success of fabrication research depends as much on collaboration and communication as it does on technical execution.
More broadly, the greenhouse demonstrated how small-scale architecture can achieve disproportionate social and institutional impact. By combining research and service, the project redefined how architectural education can engage the public realm—showing that innovation in digital design can directly contribute to environmental learning, community resilience, and pedagogical advancement.
ABOVE: Team portrait of construction science students, in front of the finished Crutcho Greenhouse Classroom, completed in one semester as a proof-of-concept for future ASDB pedagogy.
ABOVE: Exterior assembly of the Crutcho Greenhouse Classroom, where CNC-milled plywood cassettes were enclosed with dual-layer polycarbonate to create a year-round grow lab.
