IF YOU DRIVE south down State 69 from Tuscaloosa and look out your window, you won't see much. The University of Alabama's grand campus of stately brick buildings and megamansion sorority houses fades to farmland. Cemeteries, a sprinkling of churches, and little else blur by until you finally reach Greensboro, Alabama's lively but diminutive main street.
From there, turn onto State 61, and traverse another 10 miles of countryside to Newbern (with a population of about 130), where Auburn University's Rural Studio springs up like a dandelion in a clover field.
From this 5-acre plot deep in Alabama's Black Belt, more than 1,250 undergraduate architecture students have dreamed up the plans for 220 homes and public buildings that, over the past three decades, have become part of the fabric of Hale County.
Rural Studio is a proven experiment in symbiotic cohabitation. Students in their third and fifth years of Auburn's architecture program receive an invaluable education with hands-on work and civic engagement, while locals benefit from a welcome influx of affordable housing and imaginative community spaces.
Rural Studio's campus is dominated by an 1890s farmhouse that's supplemented by modern additions (like a gabled dogtrot and commercial kitchen), a futuristic glass greenhouse, and a garden. Students live, work, play, and grow during their time here.
Under a grand pavilion, dubbed the Great Hall, they gather for family-style meals at an extra-long table crowded with their peers, faculty, and staff. Most days, the dishes incorporate fruits and vegetables harvested from the on-site farm.
This story is from the April 2024 edition of Southern Living.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 2024 edition of Southern Living.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Some Like It Hot
One of America's oldest national parks is both a geothermal marvel and a refreshing getaway in Central Arkansas
FAROUT
IN THE OBSCURITY OF THE WEST TEXAS DESERT, AN UNLIKELY ART TOWN CONTINUES TO DRAW ATTENTION
Southern Living THE SOUTH'S BEST 2024
HOW MANY TIMES have you been on a road trip and realized that you must have taken a left turn where you should have made a right and ended up in what felt like the middle of nowhere?
Built To Last
A world-renowned student architecture program celebrates more than 30 years of community work in the heart of Alabama's Black Belt
The Legend of Mary Louise
After months of searching for a vintage bar cart, Melissa Smrekar hit the jackpot at a Dallas estate sale—and then she learned about the woman who loved it first
Back to the Land
Encouraged by her family, Kathleen Pourciau turned a newfound passion into a business that cultivates the earth and community
Made From Scratch
A love of passed-down pieces inspires this collection of table linens and vintage goods
A Richmond Revival
In Virginia's capital, a not-so-old house gets some new-old tricks
Think Pink
Watermelon radishes brighten dishes with their color and peppery flavor. Enjoy them while they're peaking
Baby Cakes
Make a big impression at your next party with these adorably petite desserts