The Girl Scouts of Utah built impressive summer cabins without a single drop of glue

These three <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/cabins/" target="_blank">cabins</a> in Utah were built using no glue, binders, adhesives, or products with volatile organic compounds. As an inaugural project of a partnership between the <a href="http://www.gsutah.org/" target="_blank">Girl Scouts of Utah (GSU)</a> and the <a href="http://www.cap.utah.edu/" target="_blank">School of Architecture at the University of Utah</a>, these structures are meant to raise awareness of careers in the AEC industry for women.

The cabins are located in a wooded area on GSU's Trefoil Ranch Camp.

They were built using Interlocking Cross Laminated Timber, developed by Euclid Timber Frame PC, a company focusing on natural building methods using no glues, binders, adhesives, or products with volatile organic compounds, with research support by the Integrated Technology in Architecture Center as a high-value use for locally-sourced wood damaged by pine beetle infestation prevalent in the American West.

Unusable in traditional stick-frame construction, the wood currently remains in the forest and increases risks of wildfires.

The cabins are part of an initiative to expose Scouts to female practitioners and encourage participatory design processes.

The year-long series of outreach events, including the construction of the cabins, provided an opportunity for the girls to engage with an institution of higher education and learn about community-based approaches of including architects, clients, stakeholders, and other parties in the construction process.

Girl Scouts of Utah Summer Cabins by University of Utah School of Architecture

Girl Scouts of Utah Summer Cabins by University of Utah School of Architecture

Girl Scouts of Utah Summer Cabins by University of Utah School of Architecture