KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily.
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University of Kansas architecture students celebrated Friday the completion of their design and build of the Kaw House in North Lawrence, which will help community members transition out of homelessness.
Nonprofit Tenants to Homeowners purchased the land and worked with KU's Dirt Works Studio class to build the first of eight tiny, affordable homes on the lot.
"As both a building and a teaching instrument, Kaw House stands as an example of how innovation in architecture can simultaneously advance sustainability, education and social good," the press release about the development said.
In May 2024, the City of Lawrence's Affordable Housing Advisory Board said its goal is to add 1,200 affordable units to the city's housing stock by 2029.
“We love working with Dirt Work Studio because, basically, there’s free student labor. They get a learning experience, and we get a more affordable but higher-end houses," Rebecca Buford, Tenants to Homeowner executive director, said.
Junior KU architecture student Camryn Strope said she could talk about the houses tiling for 30 minutes. She knows the project inside and out, and showcased it Friday as people lined up out the door to take a look.
“It was crazy how much we (students) actually got to do," Strope said. "I was doing electrical work, I was doing some of the plumbing, cutting things, using power tools — all these things I never thought I’d be doing myself.”
Students started designing the house in August 2025, and in March, the build process began and lasted eight weeks.
During the build, students met the woman who will move into the home.
“Just the joy I felt at seeing her appreciate someone looking out for her and providing a home for her was really special," said Tori Schmidt, junior architecture student.
Federal, state and county funds and rental assistance programs will help keep the tiny homes affordable on a sliding scale for tenants, according to Buford.
Some of the units will be supportive housing, which can include on-site supportive services for people with disabilities, mental health conditions or chronic illnesses.
Buford said there is no time limit on how long a tenant can stay in their home.
"We have KU students learning about designing affordable housing. How great is that? Maybe they’ll go on to be architects and design more affordable housing, because that’s a special niche," Buford said.
Students also focused on where their materials come from and what kind of environmental impact they have.
“We need to really focus on the impact we have as humans as a whole on our Earth," Schmidt said. "That goes down every tiny building that we build. A small home can make a huge impact.”
The house marks the first project in Kansas to utilize mass plywood panel construction to enhance environmental performance. Other materials and features included in the project "create a highly insulated, air-tight building envelope that reduces embodied carbon, accelerates construction and supports long-term durability," according to a press release from the University of Kansas.
“We’re all so passionate about it because it’s such a special project to us, and it’s so close to our hearts because it’s for such a good cause," Strope said.
The junior KU student said her class has a story for each part of the house.
“It’s crazy because we physically left our mark here," Schmidt said. "I can come back here whenever and be like, ‘I built that house.’”
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