the new centre rosalie javouhey girls' school complex: project outline (#thinkinggirls)
DESCRIPTION
This book tells the story of Thinking Development, the start-up NGO that didn't want to settle for inadequate school reconstruction in the aftermath of Haiti's 2010 earthquake. The book outlines the organisation's work to plan & reconstruct one of Port-au-Prince's biggest girls' schools complexes. The result is a unique case study, detailing the reconstruction planning process with the local community involved, the project principles and the proposals for a sustainable, disaster-resilient, high-density and child-friendly school that could be replicated elsewhere in Haiti and beyond. It is a clear, visual & accessible resource for all those interested in development planning, participatory design, international aid, & disaster response & recovery. Graphic design by SVI Design. The printed version was supported & published by the University College London Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction. The book is free to download. Copyright Thinking Development.TRANSCRIPT
New Centre Rosalie Javouhey Girls’ School Complex
Project OutlinePort-Au-Prince, Haiti
New Centre Rosalie Javouhey Girls’ School Complex
Project OutlinePort-Au-Prince, Haiti
©2014 Thinking Development. All rights reserved. Registered charity 1147071. 47C Lime Grove, London W12 8EE.
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Contents
Our Story in a Nutshell 4Context 6
What We’re About 8Our Objectives 9Our Principles 10
Our Process In The Field 12Social 14Design Criteria 21Technical 22
Our Design Proposal 26Design Features 28The Module 30Construction Phase One 34Structure 36Passive Design 42Service Design 46Architecture 52
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6
Phasing Strategy 58Phasing Principles 59Phase One 62Future Phases of Construction 63
Costings And Funding 64The Bottom Line 65Overall Project Cost Projection 66
Acknowledgements 68
4
A city collapsesIn January 2010 a magnitude 7 earthquake hit near Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, devastating the city and nearby areas. Thousands of schools, medical centres and houses were destroyed, and hundreds of thousands of people displaced. The estimated death toll ranges from 220,000 to 316,000.
The sisters needed helpThe Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny were one of the many groups affected that day. One of the largest educators of women in Haiti, they lost schools, teacher training facilities, an orphanage, medical centres and more. Unable to face such an unprecedented disaster alone, the sisters activated their international networks, calling for support from all over the world.
We mobilised to connect resourcesAnd all the way over in London a small group of us responded. We thought we could connect them with our skills and networks, and help them to plan something that would leave a lasting impact. So we started planning with the sisters to do a different kind of collaborative project.
Their top reconstruction priority Was Centre Rosalie Javouhey, a destroyed complex of girls’ primary schools that served up to 1,280 girls from the slums of Fort National and St. Antoine, Port-au-Prince. The only support they could find was for emergency and transitional shelter. So, we set up Thinking Development to find an alternative.
We set an ambitious project agendaWe had to get everyone working together on the recovery plan, the users who know the place best, the Sisters, the local authorities, and expert advisers. It had to be a case study for best practice in disaster-resilient, sustainable
Our story in a nutshell
5
participatory design and construction. Everyone had to be able to access our learning. And it had to allow local people to learn better planning and construction skills during the design and building process.
Thinking Development now has 4 interrelated objectives:To develop an inclusive and sustainable masterplan for the reconstruction of Centre Rosalie Javouhey, to document the process in video and text to share with all those who want to keep developing this kind of work, to ensure that capacity-building happens during design and construction, and to create a replication package so that the process and design can be easily replicated.
Permanent Reconstruction
Case Study Documentation
Construction Training
Replication Package
Now we need your help To get these schools built properly, to fund construction, and to translate all our learning into an accessible case study for locally driven, internationally supported collective design. In this book, we will present our vision, our process and our plans, and ask for your help in finding the remaining funding and technical support needed to make this plan a reality.
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Capital of Haiti: Port-au-Prince
GDP Parity of Haiti: $12.44 billion (2011 est. CIA)
Life Expectancy: 62.51 years
Capital of Dominican Republic: Santo Domingo
GDP Parity of Dominican Republic: $93.23 billion (2011 est. CIA)
Life Expectancy: 77.44 years
Hilly, tropical, and deforested, Haiti is exceptionally vulnerable to earthquakes, hurricanes, landslides and flooding.
The countryHaiti is the third largest country in the Caribbean. It shares a 224 mile border with the Dominican Republic, but enjoys only a fraction of the economic security and disaster resilience of its neighbour. Hilly, tropical, and deforested, it is vulnerable to earthquakes, hurricanes, landslides and flooding. Even before the 2010 earthquake, Haiti was the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with 86 percent of its capital, Port-au-Prince, living in slum conditions. Only 67 percent of eligible children enroll in primary school, and less than 30 percent of these reach the 6th grade.
The Thinking Development project emerged to respond to the 2010 disaster in a way that also addressed these deep-rooted Haitian afflictions at a local level.
Context
HAITI DOMINICAN RePuBLIC
Port-au-Prince Santo Domingo
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Port-au-Prince
The School site
FACT: Around 85% of Haitian schools are private, often managed by religious orders, under resourced, and thus low quality.
FACT: A key strategy for reducing cholera is to improve drinking water in schools.
The siteOur site is a unique oasis of wooded land in the heart of Port-au-Prince. Bordering the densely populated slum of Fort National, it provides local children a rare opportunity to enjoy some nature and play space. Most site facilities were destroyed by the 2010 earthquake. Moreover, the school managers, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny, lost land tenure nearby and had to move another school to the same site. Our challenge, therefore, is to double the site capacity while preserving nature and play space for over 1,250 children.
At present, school admissions are partially suspended, as there are not enough classrooms, toilets, kitchen facilities, or play spaces to accommodate the demand. There is no clean drinking water, and limited toilet water means that toilets smell bad. Moreover, the prevalence of low-capacity temporary buildings (1 of which we deem to be unsafe), means the playground is cramped.
1What we’re about
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Permanent ReconstructionOur primary objective is to sustainably reconstruct Centre Rosalie Javouhey girls’ school. We have produced a phased masterplan that allows students to stay in school during construction, delivers essential facilities as quickly as possible, and ensures that all phases of construction fit into a sustainable and integrated vision for the future. The finished complex will be maximally energy- and water-independent, and accommodate up to 1,280 students, with scope to expand service in the evenings and at night. This book will outline our proposals for Phase 1 of reconstruction, and the strategy to replicate the designs in subsequent phases and elsewhere in Haiti.
Case-study documentationWe are documenting our planning and construction process in short films, and we aim to share these lessons with development practitioners, donors, and other disaster-affected communities.
Capacity-buildingThe planning and construction process is as important to disaster recovery as the final product. That’s why we’re insistent that planning and construction is locally led and properly supported with training or ‘capacity-building’. The finished Phase 1 classroom block will also become a living case study for safe school reconstruction by including ‘open section sculptures’ that help to communicate how the building was built.
ReplicationOur longer-term goal is to create a replication package so that our designs and participatory process can be easily adapted and replicated elsewhere in the city, thus benefitting from economies of scale, and addressing Haiti’s urgent need for high-density, sustainable and permanent schools.
Our objectives
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Inspiring School spaces must be child-friendly; they must inspire learning, play and creativity; they must allow local children to learn the skills their communities need; and they must feel safe, secure, and welcoming to all they serve.
Our principles
Passive Design Buildings must be naturally lit and ventilated during daylight hours. When electricity is required, such as for computing and water purification, it should be sustainably sourced. This is good for the environment, and cheaper to maintain.
efficient Designs must use materials, styles and skills on the local market. They must also be modular and easy to replicate. This makes the building cheaper and easy to maintain, and enables people to improve the construction skills that they need.
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Inclusive The design and planning process has to include all groups who are immediately affected by the project. This should ensure a non-partisan outcome that is maximally useful. It should also empower all collaborators to look after their collective creation and continue sustainable development planning.
Disaster-resilient All designs and implementation plans must be resilient to environmental and social threats, like earthquakes, hurricanes, poor materials and poor construction skills.
Holistic Projects must be planned with the bigger picture in mind; they must consider all local needs, resources, infrastructure and ambitions for the future. This ensures that we only implement projects that are needed and that lead to empowering, equitable, and sustainable development.
Our process in the field
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13
HAITI
Port-au-Prince
Community base
Our project was founded because neither locals nor foreign NGO’s in Haiti could take on permanent development planning of the Centre Rosalie Javouhey school complex. So, we started this project to ensure best practice disaster recovery for those at Centre Rosalie, and to create a case study to share our lessons with the many development projects that are faced with similar circumstances.
From London, we are not ideally placed to work with the Centre Rosalie community in planning their recovery. This is particularly true in the wake of a disaster where the conditions on site change quickly; the community around moves, new people appear with new needs, land tenure problems elsewhere lead the sisters to consider hosting more services on the same site, and different organisations make their mark on the site from month to month.
However, although we cannot all be in Haiti throughout the design process, we have been innovating to ensure that this project doesn’t repeat the mistakes of past development projects. In this section, we’ll highlight some of these planning activities in Haiti and in London.
Dealing with distance
uK
London
Design base2
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SISTeRS: They own the land, and run the schools on site and the medical centre next door
There are four main stakeholder groups operating on our site
STuDeNTS: From kindergarden to 6th grade, aged 4 to 16
Social:
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OTHeRS LIvING NeARBy: With a view of and/ or access to the site, such as parents, past pupils and neighbours
TeACHeRS AND OTHeR SCHOOL STAFF: Including caretakers, toilet, kitchen, and administrative staff
As planning facilitators, we believe that lasting, sustainable and fair disaster recovery can only happen if all community members feel represented and satisfied that the proposals are fair. To ensure that our plans did this, we sought information from as many representatives of each group as possible, and used video to help each group understand the other.
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School spaces must be child-friendly; they must inspire learning, play and creativity; they must allow local children to learn the skills their communities need; and they must feel safe, secure, and welcoming to all they serve.
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We worked with each group, to find out their: Humanitarian and educational needs on and off-siteWe wanted to ensure that the classrooms and outdoor spaces allowed all school activities to take place, and to make sure that the spaces catered for all kinds of people. We also wanted to identify how the school could address the other needs of our stakeholders, like access to water, toilets, open space, community meeting space, emergency gathering facilities, and other resources.
Preferences, tastes, and fearsTastes, cultures and perceptions of danger vary drastically from one place to the next. To ensure a design that was appropriate for Centre Rosalie, we asked site users to tell us where on site was scary and why? Where was their favourite place on site and why? We also showed the sisters and children images of different materials, spaces and structures and discussed their reactions. (image of the red and green faces show children’s first reactions to the images)
Ambitions for the futureTo make sure that the reconstruction plans were flexible and could facilitate change and growth on site, it was important to understand what people hoped for the site in, for example, 10 years time. As such, we asked about what kind of services everyone thought the site would ideally provide, in addition to discussing what kind of energy and waste treatment facilities would be most sustainable and appropriate.
understanding of other stakeholders’ needs and resourcesOften those using the site do not understand the concerns of those managing it. Likewise, we found that the site managers were not always aware of the preferences of other site users. For example, the sisters over-estimated the children’s fear of tall buildings; it transpired during our design activities that the children were instead scared of unstable-looking buildings – particularly those made from blocks. This conclusion enabled us to design 3-storey buildings to accommodate more
Masterplanning with 3D model
Student feedback on materials and layouts
Mapping nice, scary or uncomfortable spaces
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students. In many cases, we showed stakeholders videos summarising meetings to which they may not otherwise have had access. This technique was very useful in communicating with extremely busy, nontechnical audiences, and in helping them to understand the circumstances of their neighbours, employees, students, etc.
Feedback on our 6 principlesIn a place accustomed to getting pre-designed hand-outs from NGOs and poor quality cheap products on the local market, we found that it had not occurred to most people that they may have the ability to turn down some offers, and pursue things that they had not had in the past, like alternative building materials or toilets. Nor had most people considered aiming for a best practice reconstruction solution that they proposed themselves. We therefore had to discuss our own agenda and principles to make sure that the community thought them appropriate, and to ensure that we agreed on their interpretation.
Confirmation that proposals for construction were representative Finally, after gathering this information through frequent contact with the sisters, information collected by partner NGOs, and through design workshops in Haiti in July 2010 and September 2011, we developed our reconstruction proposal. To make sure that it really was compatible with all stakeholders’ interests, we refined it in September 2011 and finalised it on our 3rd stay in Haiti in June 2012.
Student explains her playground design
Using video to communicate our plans
Mapping the route to school
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Teaching facilities
Masterplan features
Other activities
Site facilities
• Additional classrooms – the sisters can host 24 class groups at any 1 time, but they currently have only 6 safe, permanent classrooms available
• Additional educational facilities (e.g. library, science lab, computer room)
• Nature and garden classrooms that grow food in particular
• Livelihoods training facilities – flexible space and kitchen space for cookery school
• Diverse shady spaces for play and meetings
• Indoor community gathering space
• Unintimidating, safe buildings
• Low maintenance costs
• Space for safe earthquake evacuation
• Storm shelter
• Infirmary
• Improved access to clean water and power
• More toilets and washing facilities with water-saving features
Resulting Design Criteria
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Technical
To develop a safe and feasible design in accordance with our principles, we gathered all the technical information we could from local experts, using our volunteers’ skills and with the help of other organisations in Haiti. There were 3 stages to this exercise:
1. Desk StudyWe gathered all published documentation on the area’s geography, such as seismic maps, tectonic setting diagrams and geological maps. It must be noted that to date no official seismic hazard map has been developed for Haiti.
Tectonic Setting
Geological Setting
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2. Site StudiesThese included:
1. Surveying the site and documenting the changes at each visit (with additional visits from Basic Initiative and Article 25)
2. Understanding the water, gas and electricity supply lines and maintenance costs, and the quantities of each service required on site when running at full capacity
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6. Studying the local construction techniques, materials available on the market, and their value for money (with special help from ‘Boss William’, Ben Hedde and Bruce Shaw Quantity Surveyors)
3. Testing the bearing capacity of the soil, which measures the maximum load the soil can carry (Thanks to Regan Potangaroa, Red Cross and their Scala Pentrometer!)
4. Shear vain testing the soil, which reveals the soil strength, and informs foundation design
5. Testing the soil drainage properties with an infiltration test in trial pits on the proposed site (with thanks to Basic Initiative)
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3. Cross-Checking & ConnectingThe Thinking Development project came about because of the apparent lack of knowledge-sharing in the humanitarian response and development sectors. In our efforts to avoid this failure, we have sought feedback on our learnings, information and plans from many architects, engineers, development planners and NGOs in London, Dublin and Port-au-Prince. In addition to helping the project to be sustainable and successful, cross-checking our information and discussing our plans with others also helps us to make our case study more useful to those who will replicate it, or refer to it later.
3Our Design Proposal
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The result of this design process is a phased masterplan for permanent reconstruction that increases the site’s capacity to 1,280 students, and allows students to stay in school while reconstruction happens.
All phases of construction are designed to fit into an holistic long term plan that meets the needs of all site-users in accordance with our 6 design principles.3
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Structural Strength
Accessibile
Flexible & Diverse Spaces
Weather Resistant
Secure by Design
Acoustically Insulated
Naturally ventilated
Power Independent
Integrated Circulation
Naturally Lit & Sun Shaded
Water Independent
Modular & Replicable
After working with the sisters, teachers, students, and others at Centre Rosalie, after getting advice from our peers in Haiti and abroad, and after carrying out technical tests on site, we came up with a phased masterplan for reconstruction. It’s designed to meet the needs of the local community for the long term, and to meet these needs in a way that supports Haiti’s wider sustainable development. In it, our 6 design principles are translated into 12 design features.
Design Features
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Translating our 6 principles into 12 design features:
efficient
Passive Design
Inspiring
Inclusive
Holistic
Disaster-resilient
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Phase 1 roof and layout studies
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The masterplan is based on a simple, easily replicated classroom module. The regular and symmetrical module is the simplest form to build safely, and by using it as the basis for all parts of the masterplan, we ensure that local construction workers improve their skills through repetition. Moreover, replicating a module within the site and elsewhere in urban Haiti allows for performance improvements and reduced costs with each replication.
Modular structure
The Module
Holistic
efficient
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First 2 blocks at Centre Rosalie Javouhey
Masterplan
Multiple buildings at Centre Rosalie Javouhey
Replicated planning process & buildings elsewhere in Port-au-Prince and beyond
Construction Phase One
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Phase 1 development Space on site is limited, and Centre Rosalie must remain open for classes throughout the reconstruction process. So, reconstruction must happen in phases.
Phase 1 will host the first 2 modules. Each one is 3 storeys high, with 2 classroom units per storey. Phase 1 will therefore create a total of 12 classrooms. Both blocks connect with an external corridor, and there are 2 staircases.
Phase 1 classroom modules
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Structure
Holistic
efficient
Deep reinforced concrete footings
Reinforced concrete
walls & floors
Passive Design
Disaster-resilient
Seismic & Storm ResilientThe structure is designed in accordance with principles of seismic and hurricane design, and it is compatible with CUBiC, BREEAM and LEED building codes. It is simple, symmetrical, regular, continuous, rigid and highly standardised, which simplifies the construction process and enables successful construction skills training.
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MaterialsThe seismic resisting system has been developed using reinforced concrete. We chose reinforced concrete over reinforced masonry and steel frame. While masonry blocks are widely available on the local market, at the time of concept development, block quality remained too poor for a safe, 3-storey building. Imported steel profiles were another possibility explored, but they proved too expensive when compared to the alternatives.
Reinforced concrete is a traditional material that can be locally sourced and controlled to obtain the required strength. With adequate quality control, it has the advantage of providing enough resistance and stiffness to be both tall and seismic. Its main disadvantage is, however, that it requires a better-skilled workforce capable of reproducing the reinforcement detailing adequately. Despite this, there is good evidence to show that this can be obtained with training, and that reinforced concrete construction skills are important to develop for Haiti’s long term recovery.
Structural Components Applying simplicity, symmetry, regularity and continuity, the structure is formed by a rigid column-beam system to limit lateral displacement. Horizontal loads are transferred by the floor slabs to the rectangular columns in the perimeter. A continuous system carries the loads down to a rigid foundation that distributes the stresses and movement uniformly.
Destroyed Rosalie Javouhey School, 2010
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RoofThe roof will be a timber truss with hurricane strapping down to the main reinforced concrete structure.
Concrete beams with capacity-design reinforcement are especially detailed to provide adequate confinement, ensuring flexural behaviour for cycling loading and moment reversal (ground shaking in both directions).
Second FloorFirst and second floor slab will be a 250mm minimum two-way solid reinforced concrete slab.
First Floor The lateral cladding will be supported by vertical timber trusses attached to the sides of the concrete walls.
Walls and columns will have a minimum width of 300mm to facilitate the installation of the reinforcement.
Ground FloorThe foundation will be stripped with a ground beam to prevent differential settlements.
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Typical Floor Structure Scheme: Concrete slab reinforced with steel mesh
Typical Beam and Balustrade Detail: Rebar
Foundation Structure Scheme: Reinforced concrete
Typical Column Detail: Rebar
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Section e-e : Showing retaining wall, classroom building, and play area.
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Natural ventilationConstant air circulation is fundamental for comfortable classroom environments, and to enable the children to concentrate in a safe, pleasant and inspiring environment. So, the building optimises natural ventilation in all the classrooms, corridors and certain outdoor shady spaces using cross-flow natural ventilation. This wind-induced ventilation strategy uses pressures generated on the building by the wind to push air through spaces. Classroom air enters on one side of the building, and leaves on the opposite side. Large façade openings are calculated to allow for good classroom ventilation for thermal comfort at relatively low wind velocities. Brise soleils and venetian shuttering add additional thermal protections from direct sunlight, rain and strong wind, and minimise solar gains in the teaching spaces whilst allowing in lots of natural day light.
Acoustic InsulationAcoustic insulation is an important factor in passive design for Caribbean climates, as cool airflow often means noise pollution from the city and neighbouring classrooms. Therefore, where buildings overlap, there are doors and glass blocks instead of window openings, and the top floor roof is insulated to dampen the noisy rain.
Passive Design
Holistic
efficient
Passive Design
Disaster-resilient
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Shading SystemsRoof overhangs, brise soleils, and the green wall protect buildings from heat, glare and rain, while allowing optimum light fill the classrooms.
Glass BlockLocated at walls where the buildings overlap, to still allow in light but minimise noise pollution between spaces. To this end, doors are located where the buildings overlap, instead of windows, to keep the noise levels down and maximise light from the exterior walls.
Louvred ShuttersCommonly used locally, the louvres are placed over the maximum structural window openings to allow for the highest levels of light, ventilation, and security. The shutters are controlled manually to open and close, and fitted with fly screens to prevent insects from entering the classroom. The outlets can be opened at night to cool the structure for the following day.
Green WallGreen walls with local creeping planting on the east and west facing facades will be employed to cool the building and improve thermal comfort. They will also improve air quality, reduce smells, help control rain water, filter light, enable cross-ventilation, and reduce glare through east and west windows. Moveover, green walls will maximise the children’s connection with nature, a feature that we found to be of utmost importance to all the children we worked with.
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Green walls will maximise the children’s connection with nature, a feature that we found to be of utmost importance to all the children we worked with.
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Service Design
Water & SantitationClean drinking water and toilet water is essential to protect the health of all site users - particularly in the wake of a cholera pandemic. Given the site’s lack of connection to a safe public water supply, the buildings are designed to harvest their own rainwater.
The new buildings will add 111m² of roof water collection area, and each block will include a 15m³ tank for rainwater collection. This tank volume is calculated to be the optimum size (see our 2012 WATSAN report) given rainfall and water demand.
The increased ability to capture and store rain water will reduce dependence on expensive, imported water, and provide an enhanced water source for the site’s new reverse osmosis water purification plant.
Tanks for Rainwater Collection
Holistic
efficient
Passive Design
Disaster-resilient
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The rain water collections surfaces for Phase 1 are highlighted in yellow.
Rainwater Collection Diagram
This rain water schematic diagram above shows how the proposed rain water collection scheme integrates with the schools’ existing water infrastructure. A new single rainwater storage tank will collect rainwater from both Phase 1 blocks and serve as a break tank to the school’s existing primary water storage tank (26m²), which provides water to the entire school site. By connecting to the existing system, all of the school’s water draw-off points can benefit from the extra water supply. The soon-to-be installed reverse osmosis plant will also benefit from the additional water source and provide clean and safe drinking water to the school.
Proposed Phase 1, North Block Roof
North Block
‘L’ Bulding
South Block
Reverse Osmosis
Isolating Valve
Existing WCs
Existing WCs
New rain
water storage
tank
New 1m3
storage tank to serve new toilet block
Existing Primary
Water tank (26m3)
New WC
Proposed Phase 1, South Block Roof
Existing ‘L’ Building Roof
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Site Power Infrastructure Given the unreliability of the national grid, the school is designed to be as energy independent as possible. The classrooms are designed to use only natural daylight for lighting by providing a minimum window area of 25% of the classroom floor plan. Solar power will be added to reduce the cost burden of unreliable national grid power. It will power security lighting, evening lighting and computing. The new solar energy system will connect to the mains power supply to direct excess power into storage batteries.
Generator
Solar Panels
Holistic
efficient
Passive Design
49
Proposed use of Power Supply
• 6 admin computers
• 2 admin printers
• 1 photocopier
• 1 fax machine
• 2 telephones
• 1 reverse osmosis machine
• 14 security night lights (ideally solar lanterns)
Additional usage includes:
• Lighting for 2 admin units (2 rooms)
• Lighting for remaining 10 classroom units
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Section A-A: Showing play area, classroom and administration building, and a uNICeF hanger.
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Design for education
Child-FriendlyCreativity, imagination and play are integral to a student’s learning experience, and there are numerous ways in which children play. Bearing in mind this, the outcomes of our design workshops with children, and our observations of the way students used the existing outdoors spaces, we have designed the buildings and open spaces to inspire play, comfort, and creativity, and to cater for the different interests and personalities of those coming to school.
We allocated areas for shaded seating, playing and reading, areas for outdoor free play and sports, areas for learning with and about nature and areas for games, outdoor teaching and theatre.
In Touch With NatureIn an area with little greenery and open space, it is important for good drainage, shade and wellbeing to maximise greenery, in accordance with our principles of ecological sustainability. Moreover, our design and planning workshops revealed the overwhelming importance of nature to Centre Rosalie students - both for aesthetic reasons and because it could produce food.
Holistic
efficient
Passive Design
Inspiring
Inclusive
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Therefore, all spaces are designed to incorporate indigenous plants and vegetation where possible - the details of which will be agreed with and finalised by the sisters, staff, and students at the implementation stage. This inclusive process increases a sense of ownership and pride in the local community.
The green wall also increases the children’s connection to nature while reducing the tall impression of the building by getting narrower with each storey.
Disaster Resilience educationIn earthquake-prone areas, it is vital that children learn about disaster risk reduction in school. It is also vital that schools have open areas for emergency escape and congregation in the case of future earthquakes.
Finally, the whole building is designed to educate in disaster-resilient construction by including sculptures of building sections on site.
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First Floor Plan
Second Floor Plan
Ground Floor Plan
N
N
N
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Proposed toilet block and outdoor theatre / sports ground
Roof Plan
N
N
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Main playground areapermeable surface to
allow for play equipment, shaded spots for seating,
Mere Louise/ Vehicle entrance
Avenue Poupelard
Outdoor spaces designed to theparticular needs of age group with
permeable ground surfacing
Rearentrance
Internal road
Existingtrees
Mainentrance
Junior High Basketballcourt markings (reduced
by 10%)
Existingtrees Green wall/trees provide
shade and soften landscape
Link to phase 1
Dugout for play, assembly,community and sports ground
Stepped seatingpermeable yet
comfortable to sit on
Downwardslope
Steppedgarden
Allotment &courtyard
Courtyard
Ampitheatre,outdoor learning
Citris/fragrented plantsform natural barriers
to toilets
Burning pits
Internal road partially closed to vehicles and used as playspace - emergency access only
Ramps to/from Phase 1
Pedestrian pathways - permeable
Play space
Key:
Existing plants retained and pruned
Garden
Seating
Courtyard
Deliveries and Parking
Vehicular emergency routes
Existing trees to be retained
New trees
Outdoor communal spaces
Plants/foliage
Allotment
Shaded seatingwith plants
Existingrefreshment
kiosk
MedicalCentre
Citris/fragrented plantsform natural barriers
to toilets
Hard permeable surface
57
Main playground areapermeable surface to
allow for play equipment, shaded spots for seating,
Mere Louise/ Vehicle entrance
Avenue Poupelard
Outdoor spaces designed to theparticular needs of age group with
permeable ground surfacing
Rearentrance
Internal road
Existingtrees
Mainentrance
Junior High Basketballcourt markings (reduced
by 10%)
Existingtrees Green wall/trees provide
shade and soften landscape
Link to phase 1
Dugout for play, assembly,community and sports ground
Stepped seatingpermeable yet
comfortable to sit on
Downwardslope
Steppedgarden
Allotment &courtyard
Courtyard
Ampitheatre,outdoor learning
Citris/fragrented plantsform natural barriers
to toilets
Burning pits
Internal road partially closed to vehicles and used as playspace - emergency access only
Ramps to/from Phase 1
Pedestrian pathways - permeable
Play space
Key:
Existing plants retained and pruned
Garden
Seating
Courtyard
Deliveries and Parking
Vehicular emergency routes
Existing trees to be retained
New trees
Outdoor communal spaces
Plants/foliage
Allotment
Shaded seatingwith plants
Existingrefreshment
kiosk
MedicalCentre
Citris/fragrented plantsform natural barriers
to toilets
Hard permeable surface
Main playground areapermeable surface to
allow for play equipment, shaded spots for seating,
Mere Louise/ Vehicle entrance
Avenue Poupelard
Outdoor spaces designed to theparticular needs of age group with
permeable ground surfacing
Rearentrance
Internal road
Existingtrees
Mainentrance
Junior High Basketballcourt markings (reduced
by 10%)
Existingtrees Green wall/trees provide
shade and soften landscape
Link to phase 1
Dugout for play, assembly,community and sports ground
Stepped seatingpermeable yet
comfortable to sit on
Downwardslope
Steppedgarden
Allotment &courtyard
Courtyard
Ampitheatre,outdoor learning
Citris/fragrented plantsform natural barriers
to toilets
Burning pits
Internal road partially closed to vehicles and used as playspace - emergency access only
Ramps to/from Phase 1
Pedestrian pathways - permeable
Play space
Key:
Existing plants retained and pruned
Garden
Seating
Courtyard
Deliveries and Parking
Vehicular emergency routes
Existing trees to be retained
New trees
Outdoor communal spaces
Plants/foliage
Allotment
Shaded seatingwith plants
Existingrefreshment
kiosk
MedicalCentre
Citris/fragrented plantsform natural barriers
to toilets
Hard permeable surface
Landscaping Strategy The landscape strategy shows the variety of open spaces included in the masterplan. These include a large playground, multifunctional dugout, courtyards, retention of natural landscapes, creation of smaller gardens, allotment/orchards and the potential for outdoor classrooms. We have allowed for vehicular access while trying to retain as many child-friendly spaces as possible.
58 4Phasing Strategy
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Modular and Replicable Port-au-Prince is densely-populated, in need of tens of thousands of additional school places, and lacking the skills to build the low cost, high-density buildings it needs. For this reason, we chose to meet the needs of the sisters in a way that addresses the wider needs of the city: simple to construct, and easy to replicate.
Flexible and Diverse SpacesThe more flexible the site layout, the more activities it can accommodate and the better it adapts to changing needs. For this reason, all classrooms have flexible walls, and the module is designed to enable floor-to-ceiling openings instead of regular windows on the ground floor. Similarly, our landscaping strategy offers open space for sports and assembly, and a variety of shaded seating areas, diverse ‘nature spaces’, and a multi-use amphitheatre.
Integrated CirculationIn keeping with the principle of holistic design, buildings are placed and landscapes designed with an understanding of how the site is used. This ensures easy access to essential
Phasing Principles
4Given the large number of students and the limitations of the site, we have produced a phased plan for permanent reconstruction. It allows students to stay in school while permanent facilities are being built, and it helps to deliver essential facilities as quickly as possible. It also means that Phase 1 can commence while we continue to secure funding for future phases.
facilities from all parts of the site, and safe passages for vehicles and pedestrians.
Integration with Nature Our buildings and masterplan are designed to work with nature, by harvesting rain and solar energy, and requiring little to no external resources. Moreover, because the site is an important green space for the community, we will maximally preserve the trees on site, and include as many garden relaxation and learning spaces as possible in the overall landscaping strategy.
AccessibleWe will build a ramp to connect the Phase 1 platform with the rest of the site, and provide a wheelchair-accessible bathroom. Accessibility is even more important in hilly Haiti than in other parts of the world due to the large number of people who were left disabled after the 2010 earthquake. For this reason, and to meet the needs of the maximum number of people, all essential services should be wheelchair accessible.
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5 classrooms& sta�room
5 classrooms& prayer room
Temporary assembly, courtyardgames & communal area
New toilet buildingenclosing existing WCs
Internal road
Main entranceKindergarten
entranceAvenue Poupelard
Existing Mere Louise classroomand in�rmary units retained
Relocatedburning pits
Existing toiletblock upgraded
Rear entrance
Courtyard
Ramp to Phase 1
New toiletblock
Existing largeplayground retained
Existing trees
Existing sloped land
Reverse osmosis &generator shed
Stepped garden
Internal road partially closed to vehicles and used as playspace - emergency access only
Administaton &Sta� toilet
Ramped access
Ampitheatre,outdoor learning
Citris trees/plantsnatural barriers
from toilets
Existingclassroom& Storage
units
Roof space used temporarily to
collect rainwater
Existingkitchen
Allotment &courtyard
Watertank
Watertank
Watertank
Deliveries &parking
Buriedwater tank
Existing toiletsupgraded as
necessary
Two unitsretained
temporarily
Existing trees and maintain landscaped plot
N
1:300
New buildings / upgrading
Key:
Existing buildings retained
New built services
Existing built services
Pedestrian routes
Vehicular routes
Vehicular emergency routes
Play spaces
Outdoor communcal spaces
Outdoor landscaped spaces
Burning pits / recycling
Trees
61
5 classrooms& sta�room
5 classrooms& prayer room
Temporary assembly, courtyardgames & communal area
New toilet buildingenclosing existing WCs
Internal road
Main entranceKindergarten
entranceAvenue Poupelard
Existing Mere Louise classroomand in�rmary units retained
Relocatedburning pits
Existing toiletblock upgraded
Rear entrance
Courtyard
Ramp to Phase 1
New toiletblock
Existing largeplayground retained
Existing trees
Existing sloped land
Reverse osmosis &generator shed
Stepped garden
Internal road partially closed to vehicles and used as playspace - emergency access only
Administaton &Sta� toilet
Ramped access
Ampitheatre,outdoor learning
Citris trees/plantsnatural barriers
from toilets
Existingclassroom& Storage
units
Roof space used temporarily to
collect rainwater
Existingkitchen
Allotment &courtyard
Watertank
Watertank
Watertank
Deliveries &parking
Buriedwater tank
Existing toiletsupgraded as
necessary
Two unitsretained
temporarily
Existing trees and maintain landscaped plot
N
1:300
New buildings / upgrading
Key:
Existing buildings retained
New built services
Existing built services
Pedestrian routes
Vehicular routes
Vehicular emergency routes
Play spaces
Outdoor communcal spaces
Outdoor landscaped spaces
Burning pits / recycling
Trees
Draft Phase 1 Massing Diagram
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Phase 1 caters for the school’s most immediate needs, providing 10 - 12 additional classrooms, toilets and staff facilities (2 classroom units). This reflects the sisters’ priority of getting students out of temporary accommodation and increasing admission numbers as soon as possible. It occurs in 3 stages; Phase 1a, b and c.
Phase One
Phase 1 - A: We construct our first 2 classroom modules on the only space currently available for classroom reconstruction.
* US$ 992,000
Phase 1 - B:
We will move administration and all UNICEF classes into their new building, demolish the 7 UNICEF hangers, and demolish the administration block, which we deem to be unsafe.
* US$ 50,000
Phase 1 - C: We will construct the toilet block and the outdoor multi-use amphitheatre.
* US$ 180,000
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Phase 2:
Construction of 2 further blocks comprising a canteen and kitchen, classrooms, and associated landscaping.
* US$ 790,000
Phase 3: Construction of final 2 blocks and associated landscaping.
* US$ 925,000
Future Phases of Construction
To address the community’s needs, we propose 2 further phases of work. In Phase 2, we will construct 2 additional modules where the UNICEF hangers were, one half-sized due to site restrictions, and one standard-sized. This will create the kitchen, food store and canteen, in addition to more classrooms. Once Phase 2 is complete, we can empty the remaining non-seismic building, and construct Phase 3.
In the Final Phase, we will construct the last 2 modules, which house all additional educational spaces - the library, computer lab, science lab, and kindergarten. The finished complex will be maximally energy- and water-independent, passive, accommodate 1,250 students, and be a model for cost-effective, disaster-resilient and sustainable reconstruction for urban Haiti.
* Prices quoted are conservative estimates based on Bruce Shaw Quantity Surveyor calculations in September 2012.
5Costing & Funding
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This presentation is the result of many months of planning, communicating, documenting designing, and the voluntary effort of over 100 people worldwide. It outlines Phase 1 of a unique project to:
The Bottom Line
Facilitate School ReconstructionSustainably rebuild and expand a Haitian school complex for over 1,250 girls
Train Construction WorkersBuild local planning and construction capacity
DocumentDocument the process in video
enable ReplicationShare the lessons learned with the local and international development community.5 We now need the funds to begin the technical design process with the local community and planning authorities, and to see this project implemented as soon as possible!
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Overall Project Cost Projection
Bruce Shaw Quantity Surveyors have conservatively estimated the cost of Phase 1a based on 2012 prices, rigorous site safety and local skills training. In addition to the contractor, materials and training costs listed below, we are allowing an additional 10% for professional technical design and project management. This brings the total Phase 1a estimated cost to $1,091,200 USD.
Walls – $137,000 uSD
Roof – $105,000 uSD
Inc. structure, hurricane strapping, fixtures, and surface materials
Cost Break-Down
Total Phase 1 – $1,091,200 uSD
Building materials & labour, technical design, training and construction supervision
Demolition Site Alterations $25,000 uSD
Landscaping $79,000 uSD
Labour – $93,000 uSD
5% Contingency – $44,000 uSD
Phase 1 Buildings – $751,000 uSD
Price include contractor, labour, machinery, safety equipment and classroom built-in furniture
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Shading devices – $53,250 uSD
$8000 uSD for 1 of 4 Green Walls
Staircases & Landings – $58,000 uSD
Windows, Wall Partitions & Doors – $53,000 uSD
Structure – $103,000 uSD*
Foundation – $101,000 uSD*
6Acknowledgements
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We would like to thank all Thinking Development members, past and present, the Sisters of St Joseph of Cluny in Port-au-Prince and Dublin, the staff and students at Mère Louise and Rosalie Javouhey primary schools, the Patronage de l’Ange Gardien evening School, and all the organisations, experts, friends and family, who have advised, cautioned, and supported our ambitious goal of building something local, lasting, and holistic from nothing. Among those who have contributed work and advice are:6
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The Team
The Board of Directors Linda O’Halloran: Project Director Hayley Gryc: Design Team Mentor Anna Mason Simon Obee Rachel Heatherly
Core Design Team Sadiqa Jabbar: Architecture Diego Padilla Philipps: Structural Engineering Havanna Radford: Structural Engineering Andrew Skubala: Mechanical Engineering Plato Jack Cran: Geotechnical Engineering
videography Gynna Millan
Supporting Design Team Josue Robles Caraballo: Architecture & Renders Francesco Anselmo: Daylighting Study Francesco Pasta: Section Renders
Book Production Team Book Design & Layout: SVIDesign Initial book layout: Bethany Waters Conten Editors: Linda O’Halloran & Sadiqa Jabbar
Cluny Sisters Sr. Marie Yannick Saieh: Director, Mère Louise Primary Sr. Marie Bernadette Vercela: Director, Rosalie Javouhey Primary Sr. Pascale George, Director, Evening School & Weekend Activity Sr. Christiane Gervais, Leader of the Cluny Sisters in Haiti Sr. Meave Guinan, Cluny, Dublin Sr. Rowena Galvin, Cluny, Dublin
Thinking Development Funding, Communications & Translation Helena Cicmil Marie Ndenga Hagbe Kay Pallaris Bertrand Steinmetz Fanny Sperry
Past Team MembersFunding, Legal, Communications & Translation Petteri Alppi Camilo Arrieta Cardona Céline Combelles Adrián Campomanes Krista Canellakis Alicia Cho Rosie Cotterill Isaac Ghinai Marisol Garcia Elena dal Giappone Elizabeth Hall Sania Haq Zoé Henriques Carole Josserand Sarah Malone Parvathi Nair Morenike Ojeleke Harshil Parekh Dane Patterson Timesh Pillay & all the Conscience Collective Lars Bergemann Nadia Rahman Katharina Wecker Arrieta
Thinking Development Design Laura Colloridi José di Girolamo Alvaro Farias Velasco Mahya Fatemi Federico Gori Iman Hassan Igor Malgrati
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Carlos Manns Ricardo Marten Caceres Maximiliano Montes Serna Marcel Noeding Maria Pantas Ana Ramos Tareq Razouk Ruben Wood
Past Board Members Dr. Cassidy Johnson, UCL DPU
Aspire evaluation Alexis Devonish Christopher Alford Francesca Morgante
Additional thanks to: All the #ThinkingGirls Crowdfunding Campaign Backers Derek Butler, Goal Marina Chang, Food Junctions Dr. Kate Crawford, Independent Robin Cross, Article 25 Gloria Daniel, Big Tomato Company Jo da Silva, Arup ID Garry de la Pomerai, UNISDR Darren Gill, AFH Haiti Everyone at UCL Advances Chris Jamieson, Melior Enterprises Ghada Ibrahim, SVI Design Aidan Killen, Digicel Carine Langlade, Secours Catholique (Caritas France) Prof. Andrew Leak, UCL Haitian Literature & Politics Ann Lee, CHF Sasiharan Luxmanan, The Haven Partnership Lisa McIntyre, Bruce Shaw James Merry, Squint Opera Lozana Mehandzhiyska, SVI Design Des O’Brion, Bruce Shaw Aidan Tuite, Bruce Shaw Tom Schacher, SDC
Rajarshi Sahai, GKH Jennifer Pate, Your Frontier Sergio Palleroni, Basic Initiative Prof. Regan Potangaroa, Red Cross Julie Razongles, Secours Catholique (Caritas France) Maggie Stephenson, UN Habitat Lisa Smyth, Islamic Relief Noll Tufani, Build Change Becci Taylor, Arup Nick Taylor, Squint Opera Samantha Stratton Short, Arup Anthony Peters, Arup Architects de l’Urgence, Canada James Pepper, UCL Advances Mentor Jolyon White, UCL Advances Mentor Sasha Vidakovic, SVI Design Osvaldo Vasquez, Progressio Prof. Peter Sammonds, UCL IRDR Dr. Rosanna Smith, UCL IRDR Andrea Rigon, Cafod & UCL Ziggy Lubkowski, ARUP Hikaru Kitai & the team at IF-Untitled Architects UCL Development Lazare Joseph Accou & team at DGS (School construction regulators), Haiti Pable Sanz, DEFI Haiti Sarah O’Toole, Soul of Haiti Damien Meaney, Soul of Haiti Naoko Imoto, UNICEF, Haiti Ben & Sibylle Hedde, Fidesco Nadine Adamski, Sabre Faidra Matziaraki, Basic Initiative Alberto Preato, Basic Initiative Seth Moody, Basic Initiative Staff and students of Haberdashers Monmouth School for Girls Staff and students of Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny, Killiney Staff and Students of Mount Sackville Primary and Secondary Schools Olivier Cossé, Fidesco
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This book was supported and published by the university College London Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction.