We design and realize the sheep house in five steps:
1. The needs of the sheep and the location of the sheep house, choose a place by walking around and discussing the pros and cons with different options.
2. Functions of the sheep house, list and prioritize functions.
3. Photos of role models design, put up on the wall and discuss what we think is nice and ugly.
4. Sketch and build the sheep house together in a model and at the same time create its appearance.
5. The youths are cobuilding the sheep house together with staff and volunteers.
2023-09-11 Step 1: The sheep’s needs and the location of the sheep house
Today the youths first got to know roughly what sheeps need and what we can build at the site in terms of building costs and regulations. After that we went out to look at a place for the sheep house. Egnahemsfabriken employees had an idea and we started with that one. Gradually, two more location suggestions came up. All three places were evaluated and then it was time for voting. As usual, the youths had more voting points than adults to even out inequalities.
One of the places was chosen with an overwhelming majority. It has proximity to people who move around at Egnahemsfabriken; is the driest place of the three; the sheep house can be approached both from the field and from the courtyard; is close to drivable surface; has easy access with building materials; and proximity to electricity.
2023-09-12 Step 2: Functions of the sheep house
Today the discussion was about what the sheep house should contain, i.e. what sheeps and people should be able to do in it and around. Everything was written on postits, both what you can think is realistic and the dreams – and also what was written a little jokingly when everyone got tired at the end. These posts with functions will then be the basis when the model building starts.
2023-09-18 Step 3: Talking about role models
We used AI-generated images of different sheep houses to discuss what we think is nice and ugly. Everybody wrote down words to use when searching for images: sheep, soft, square, tower, hay holder, winter coat, organic, beautiful, straw house, winter, animal house, round, pattern, clay, glass, sheep stable, smartly weather proof sheep stable, stylish, rounded, wodden tile. Here are the sixty images that were generated [download]. The discussion about the images resulted in a selection that everyone liked and that felt relevant to the site:
2023-09-25 Step 4: Build the sheep house in model
Before building the model, we looked through the barn at Egnahemsfabriken for windows and doors to reuse. The site for the sheep house was now gravelled and ready for construction and we measured up surrounding buildings and made a sketch at a scale of 1:100 and a board to build on at a scale of 1:10.
2023-09-26 Step 4: Build the sheep house in model
Based on the selection of images, we began to form a first alternative of sheep house. To shake things loose and unleash creativity, we first started shaping sheeps out of clay. This was the result of today’s work:
2023-10-02 Step 4: Build the sheep house in model
Today we decided to test another shape, to have something to compare the first model with. It became an octagonal, a bit inward-looking and cozy house with a sort of envelope roof:
2023-10-09 Step 4: Build the sheep house in model
Time to vote: after an evaluation discussion the proposal below with won big: 14 votes to 2. As usual, the youths had two votes each. We thereafter refined the model with interior design and furniture. Anna had found five suitable windows in the barn that fit the house and we placed these on the model. We also chose places for animal doors and human doors. Last but not least, we built the lambing box, where hopefully some lambs will be born in the future. The cobuilding of the sheep house will start next week.
2023-10-24 The sheep house is starting to be built
Slowly but surely, the sheep house grows with joint efforts under the guidance of Egnahemsfabriken’s carpenter, who finds ingenious solutions so that the designed form ends up as intended. Soon the sheep will have a nice home to cuddle up in during the winter. The hexagonal bench that one of the youths designed and which will stand in the middle of the sheep house has already been built, it is waiting in the barn. The hole in the middle is there so that visiting children can jump in if they get scared of the sheep.
2024-03-13 Inauguration of the sheep house
Now the house is finished – it got a small tower during the construction process – and today the sheep moved in. We celebrated with soft drinks and ships for the people and sweets for the sheep. The youths had invited their families and after the inauguration there was a chance to try sheep’s wool felting.
