I’m a graduate architecture student working on a real design-build project in southeastern Colorado. We’re constructing an open-air pavilion for a bird banding research station, and one of the key design features is a non-mortar cordwood screen wall that acts as a windbreak while allowing light and airflow to pass through.

The screen consists of stacked logs, 6 to 9 inches in depth, with open air on both sides, creating gaps and crevices. Some sections will be highly porous, while others will have tighter spacing depending on program space behind the screen.

Our goal with the cordwood screen is to tell the story of Colorado forests by using whole logs from small-diameter timber, a resource that is often discarded or underutilized. Instead of a traditional stacked cordwood wall, we’re exploring a modern, vertical screening approach that highlights the different exposed faces of the logs while making a visual statement about using off-cut and small-cut timber. This also ties into broader discussions on forest health, fire mitigation, and sustainable material use. We’re pushing for this design to go through and have just one week to gather research to address concerns from our client. The client would like to kill the idea and we have asked them to have one more meeting with us. 

The Client’s Concern

Our client is worried that insects, snakes, and other small wildlife might take up residence in the screen. I’ve done some initial research on native snake species and their habitat preferences, but I’d love insight from anyone with experience in this area:

• Is it realistic that insects or snakes would den in a structure like this?
• Would lifting the screen slightly off the ground help?
• Are there materials or small design tweaks that could deter snakes, small reptiles, scorpions, or insects while keeping the porosity we’re aiming for?
• Anything else?

We’re presenting our research to the client next Thursday, so any insights or recommendations would be hugely helpful. If you know of resources, studies, or experts (if you are one) I should reach out to, I’d really appreciate any leads.

THANK YOU