GOLDEN HIVE
BOULDER, COLORADO
STUDIO 1 / ARCHITECTURE / FALL 2015
Golden Hive was a design-build project to recreate and update bee hives. This dealt with two types of clientele: beekeepers and honey bees. This design was intended to provide the optimal conditions for educating people about bees and collecting honey, as well as creating a comfortable and functional hive for the bees themselves. This project meshed architecture and spatial design principals with product design and fabrication.
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This hive was designed for people of all ages, sizes, and abilities to allow them to learn and observe the inner-workings of a bee colony. It is best suited for a backyard beekeeper or a community garden as an educational tool. It employs natural materials, modular design, and versatile functionality.
The materiality of the hive was carefully chosen to provide the most comfortable option for the bees while utilizing sustainable, beautiful, and affordable materials for users. In order to create a natural, light, and versatile hive that functions the best, pine beetle kill wood was chosen for the main components of the hive, a beautiful and natural finish that bees prefer. The main lid is oak, a dense wood that stays in place and protects the hive from natural elements. Glass is used for the windows to allow users to see inside. Steel mesh placed in the bottom allows for increased air circulation and keeps disease causing mites and pests out of the hive. The queen excluder is a vertical element used to separate brood from honey production. It is 3D printed from PLA plastic.
The modular design allows pieces to snap together to let users customize their ideal hive and evolve with the user's needs as they change. Modular design also creates an easy-to-assemble hive that can be used and maintained by anyone. Multiple bee boxes can be added to increase honey production while maintaining a healthy colony.
The diagram to the left shows a detail of the tounge-and-groove wood used and how it can 'click' into place allowing the user to easily change their bee hive to their desire. The diagram below shows an exploded isometric view of the standard bee hive and the elements of each component.
