Frenchburg Wellness Center
Several years ago, the UK College of Architecture under David Mohney convinced a small town in eastern Kentucky to surrender their funding for a wellness center to allow Architecture students the opportunity to design and construct the project at a discount with free architectural design services. Of course the intention was to emulate Samuel Mockbee's work at Auburn University. However, the results are far different as successive studios with no continuity between them or adequate faculty supervision drag out the project from 18 months to several years.
Needless to say, this is a tremendous embarrasment to the alumnae of the college. A recent Lexington Herald-Leader article entitled "Wellness Center's appearance a laughingstock in Menifee" says it all. But without the recent pictures to make it all real, it just doesn't have the impact necessary to convey the blow to UK Architecture's credibility.
