Designing For Haiti

During this short time we spent designing a community for Fond-Des-Blancs, we soon discovered that this was no ordinary project we were undertaking. Design began to take a completely new meaning, as we were forced to consider the reality that these homes and this community would eventually be built and inhabited. We were influenced so greatly by the people of Haiti and Jean and Joy Thomas, and were truly stretched in order to yield the greatest possible design. Learning to design in a new culture has benefitted us tremendously, and it is our hope that it will have benefitted the people of Haiti just as much.

Home for an Expatriate Retiree

 

Specifications

• 2 bedrooms
• 2 full bath
• carport
• 1,650 sq. ft.

Driving concepts

• openness (visual, ventilation and diffuse light)
• multifunctioning (year round porch)
• water collection

 

 

ll Resolution Images

 

 

Ex-Patriot Retiree's Home

Street View

Being tasked with creating a home for a retiree returning to Haiti from the states gave us a long list of criteria that helped shape this preliminary design of this home. Our main driver was DENSITY VS OPENNESS, meaning that we wanted all of the social spaces (kitchen, dining, living and porch) to be adjacent and zoned to one side of the home, while the private spaces (bedroom and bathrooms) would be located on the other end of the home in a densely packed zone.

Floor PlanWe felt that we could best express a sense of openness in the social spaces by opening up the walls with either vent block, or glass doors. In this way, we hope that the entire west side of the home would become a living room for entertaining and a space for enjoying the beautiful weather of Fond-Des-Blancs.

New Plan and SectionAfter reviewing this iteration, we decided we could open up the home even more if we allowed the wall of doors to fold up on each other and collapse to the sides. This would allow the living and dining to spill onto the porch, making it usable all year long. We chose to let the butterfly roof dictate our "wet" spaces by placing the kitchen and both bathrooms adjacent to the point where rainwater would be collected. This also creates a clear datum that emphasizes the separation of social and private, or even, openness vs dense.

Madame Yanick

 

Not long before the clock strikes five, Madame Yanick suddenly jumps up from her restless night. She had a nightmare about the tragic happening that occurred in Port-au-Prince some time ago. When the earthquake hit her home was one of many that collapsed and like many other citizens, Madame Yanick relocated to Fond-des-Blanc to pursue her career and start anew. Just as the clock turned fifteen past five, as the sun peeped through the vent block openings, she turned over in her bed to gain comfort from the sun gazing over the picture that stood on her nightstand. It was a picture of her mother, the only memory she managed to take with her from her damaged home in Port-au-Prince. Madame Yanick kisses her middle and pointer fingers and slowly sweeps them across the photo, then gets out of bed. She begins to prepare for her busy day ahead of her by taking care of personal hygiene and slipping into her favorite dress. She then goes into the kitchen to prepare her breakfast, packs a lunch, then begins her morning stroll to school.

Along her morning stroll, the same one she usually walks, she is joined by the sounds of chickens, kids laughter, and donkeys trotting. Madame Yanick finally makes it to school where she emerges into the presence of all of her students in their uniforms ready to dive into today’s lesson. Madame Yanick teaches elementary students, she has a die-hard passion for kids and their education.

 

School comes to an end and Madame Yanick begins her daily strut back home, only this time with a trail of kids to follow. Along the walk, two young boys detour to “fetch a pail of water” as the other continues to her home.

Upon arrival to her home, they’re invited to sit on the porch as she reads stories to them.

 

Meanwhile the gentlemen return with the water for everyone to enjoy. Before it gets too late Madame Yanick thanks the kids for joining her and encourages them to start their two-mile walk home. As the children all leave, Madame Yanick prepares her evening meal with two neighbors underneath the mango tree, where the most shade is provided. As the smell of red beans, rice, and fried chicken linger in the air; food is ready.She enjoys her meal, cleans dishes afterward, and empties trash on the side of her home.

 

By now the sun is beginning to set, Madame Yanick prepares for the next day, says a prayer, and reminds herself of the amazing day she had, “Bondye bon!” To sleep she goes to begin again the next day.

Final Site Design Proposal

Final Site Plan

In designing a site proposal, our new team wanted to synthesize the strengths of our previous schemes. This amalgamation of concepts, drivers and priorities eventually yielded a site plan that would be practical, beautiful and functional. Above all, we wanted to design according to the human scale, ensuring a meaningful connection between the inhabitants of this development and the built environment. While many things drove our design, there were three concepts that impacted decisions more than others. First, to create a strong sense of community; second, to provide a sense of order that is easily understood and clearly recognizable; and third, to design universally, allowing all people to utilize every feature of the site.

Courtyard PerspectiveThe shared courtyard was the primary avenue with which community was emphasized. We believe that every community needs a tool to enhance social interaction, and that this interaction is necessary and beneficial for every resident. An elongated courtyard ensures a relationship to the pedestrian path that winds through the site, thus connecting the residents to others that may not live within their cluster of homes. By placing the main entrance to the home on the inside of the courtyard, social interaction is optimized and community is created.

 Order vs Organic

We recognized that in a nation that has just experienced tragedy, creating a sense of order would be paramount. Often times, the perception of order is equated with security and safety, so we sought to develop a clearly organized, rigidly executed site plan with one moment of break from that system. The streets (vehicular circulation) were forced to snap to a grid that established the footprint of our blocks, while the pedestrian path to the west of the homes was allowed to break that geometry and follow the natural topography of the land. This breaking of the system allowed for ultimate convenience while one moves through the site. The organic pedestrian path was not a matter of preference, but one of convenience and livability. We sought to create a development that catered to the everyday lives and activities of its residents, rather than to the chance visit by a passerby.

Pedestrian Bridge

In order to allow the development to be utilized by the maximum number of people, we decided that universal design would need to be decision driver. As mentioned earlier, the organic pedestrian pathway was a response to convenience and livability, because half of this development will be inhabited by Ex-patriots who are returning to Haiti to retire. This meant that minimal elevation change along walkways and paths was absolutely essential. The easiest and most inexpensive way to accomplish this was to allow the path to follow the natural topography of the land, creating the organic shape seen above. This ideology was even carried into the design of the footbridge that will span the stream that cuts the site in two. It connects the two points on site that have the least elevation change, allowing for ease of access and continual usage. In addition, the elevated bridge allows for phenomenal views and an unparalleled experience within the site.

These values are not only crucial to a successful masterplan of the site, but are also crucial to the design of the individual homes. Ultimately, our duty is to serve people as best we can. By recognizing exactly what people need and desire in a home, we are able to respond through design and create a space that will be livable, beautiful and enjoyable.

Gallery of Presentation Drawings and Key Images