Building Appropriate Kreyol Homes and Communities

HAITIAN WISDOM FOR AID BUILDINGS, DRAFT EXCERPT OF THE 2ND EDITION:

BUILDING APPROPRIATE KREYÒL HOMES AND COMMUNITIES Patti Stouter, Landscape Architect & Tropical Building Consultant March, 2012

Build Simple Inc., www.BuildSimple.com, [email protected]

COPYRIGHT 2012

This work can be used according the following Creative Commons License:

Attribution Non-commercial 3.0

You are free: to Share — to copy, distribute and transmit the work to Remix — to adapt the work

Under the following conditions: Attribution — You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author (but not in anyway that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work). Non-commercial — You may not use this work for commercial purposes

Any of the above conditions can be waived if you get permission from the copyright holder. For more information see http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0

http://www.buildsimple.com/

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0

Haitian Wisdom for Aid Buildings, Part I: Houses- 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART A: SHAPING KREYÒL PLACES- 3

1. Rebuild Beloved Landscapes- 2. Relocate Existing Communities- 3. Let Real Communities Develop- 4. Limit Communities to 7,000 People- 5. Soften the Grid- 6. Use Varied Houses- 7. Haitian Lot Sizes- 8. Cluster Houses- 9. Use Familiar Ownership Styles- 10. Identifiable Neighborhoods- 11. Degrees of Privacy- 12. Local Activity Nodes- 13. Plan for Shade- 14. Hierarchy of Open Space 15. Enable Land Ownership

PART B: SHAPING KREYÒL HOUSES- 22

Yards to Live in- Start Small- Spaces for Beds- Celebrate the Entrance- Open Up the Front Room- Degrees of Privacy- Living Courtyards- More Bedrooms for Haitians- Add Openings and Storage- Beautify

PART C: UNDERSTANDING HAITIAN PEOPLE

PART D: HISTORIC KREYÒL HOUSES

Haiti’s Weather Learn From the Past- Classic Types of Houses in Haiti- History Behind Haiti’s Houses

The Kay- The Creole House- Gingerbread and European Styles New Needs in Haitian Houses

IMAGE CREDITS

BIBLIOGRAPHY


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This study is dedicated to the courageous and giving people of Ayiti. Que Dieu te benisse.

It relies heavily on the help of many experts and amateurs who love Haiti. It began with the help and encouragement of:

Architect Christine Neptune photographs and master’s thesis

Jay D. Edwards, Anthropologist, Director of the Fred B. Kniffen Cultural Resources Lab, Dept. of Geography and Anthropology

, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA

Since the first version of Haitian Wisdom was made public many studies and comments about Haitian culture have been made

public. Those most influential in my work have included:

Christopher Robin Andrews & Seth Wachtel, Kreyòl Living Wisdom & Haiti Regeneration: Using Indigenous Environmental

Patterns, Dec 2010

Abraham Rodriguez, Haitian Renconstruction thru Education: Pattern Language Development; unpublished report for Fall

2011 Architecture course by Hajo Neis and Yeosaine Huggins at the Portland Urban Architecture Research Laboratory

Thanks is owed to Jack Wilson and other faculty of Dartmouth University and the Ingersoll-Rand company for their support of the

$300 House contest and Haitian design workshop. In these Dartmouth sessions, at my earthbag construction training sessions, and

at project development sessions with Engineering Ministries International, Haitians, Haitian émigrés, and long-term Haitian workers

have generously given their time to discuss their culture:

Dr. Arielle Ariane of the Rasin Foundation, Leogâne; Leslye Bell; Rose Bazile; Legrace Benson; the Jeune family of Grace

International, Carrefour; Dr. Paul Leger; Elizabeth Briere, Fred Mangones; the Pacius family of HCDP, Gonaives; Isabelle

Verwaay; Patrick Vilaire of Food for the Poor, Port-au-Prince; and many others

This project was begun because of Owen Geiger and Kelly Hart‘s dedication to providing culturally appropriate building aid.


PART A: SHAPING KREYÒL PLACES

The nature of the buildings and streets of the cities where we live affects our behavior, the way we feel

about ourselves, and most important, the way we get along with others.i

Building aid to Haiti can intensify cultural and economic and social destruction. Or, if

carefully done in a Kreyòl manner (according to the culture of the majority of Haitians),

it can improve all types of Haitian life. In addition to this needed broad cultural

sensitivity, environmental and economic sustainability are important goals.

This document focuses on the scale of work done by architects and landscape

architects. At the scale of specific building developments I can be most helpful in

recommending remedies to prevent irreparable cultural damage. The larger scale

economic and cultural patterns are just as important. I include the following hints

about them for government and regional planners.

Reducing environmental impacts can be important in developing countries. The

technologies that fit the environment are often better suited to tropical settings. Softer

technologies can cooperate more thoroughly with nature and may cost less. They may also respond better to the realities of fragile

or deep and expansive soils and the use of local manual labor.

Many Haitians, including town officials, are beginning to insist that NGO’s create farms and other businesses that will support their

aid projects in the future. Haiti’s tradition of living off the land must be supported. The following patterns from Christopher

Alexander’s work come to mind.ii Incentives or guidelines should encourage:

A full range of town and city sizes evenly distributed among Haiti’s villages. Economic potential must somehow be found in

cities like Petit-Goâve, Port Salut, Jacmel, Cap Haitien and Gonaîves in addition to Port-au-Prince.iii

Leaving real country areas served by nets of streets no closer than 1.6 km (1 mile) apart.

Fingers of farm and open space at least 1.6 km wide stretching into areas of new development around cities

Growth of new country towns dotted in the countryside instead of a spreading contiguous city and suburban development


1. REBUILD BELOVED LANDSCAPES

…it is to a comfortable vernacular that their residents wish to return. This implies a number of patterns which are

too often overlooked and ignored…iv

Traditional communities are combinations of buildings that have developed

slowly from the values and knowledge of the local people. We must really look

‘…at how Haitians have best lived in and crafted their environment, as well as

their dreams and aspirations to a healthier society.’v The signals and symbols of

social status or other meaning may seem subtle to outsiders, but they are

obvious and important to residents.

When rebuilding involves large groups of buildings, it is terribly easy to

‘accidentally’ destroy all sense of place and community. Prime Minister Jean-Max

Bellerive’s concern at a recent conference addressed this. "Look, I don't want my

country to look like the Dominican Republic or Indonesia or some other place.

We're searching for a genuinely Haitian way of rebuilding."vi

Left: A village street; Far left: Street vendors in Port au Prince


2. RELOCATE EXISTING COMMUNITIES

The order must be allowed to be social rather than geometric.

Allow social forces to shape new development:

Build infill on small lots within existing neighborhoods

Relocate existing residents from tent camps to nearby infill houses

Match neighborhood scale and types of circulation when large lots are available

The social fabric of relationships within the bidonville

or slum is still important. Those who do not have

many material belongings depend more on their

friends and acquaintances. If relocated some distance

away, the poor will not be able to afford to travel to

see them.

Add fingers of green, areas of improved utilities, and

leave new drainage channels undeveloped to reduce

problems from routine storms.

TENANTS FROM THE DISASTER SHELTER SITE WILL MOVE A

SHORT DISTANCE TO NEWY INFILL LAKOUS IN CITÉ DE DIEU,

$300 HOUSE PROJECT/ GHESKIOU


3. LET REAL COMMUNITIES DEVELOP

‘That very variability of the vernacular becomes one of the essential components of “place.”vii

Existing vernacular towns may seem chaotic

to designers, but are subtle and reflect their

community. When developments grow

naturally, critical adjustments are made

during the process. Often developers build

the centers of blocks first. Then the special

lots at intersections can be developed for

the more specialized commercial or mixed

use tenants attracted naturally to the

growing community.

DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR CITÉ DE DIEU INFILL,

$300 HOUSE PROJECT/ GHESKIOU

Often old neighborhoods display a brilliant use of space. They have finely tuned transitions from the private space of the porch, to

informal neighborhood gathering spaces like public water supplies, and to the more public market places. Each type of space

shelters and supports critical segments of community life. Streets that bend have interesting views. This kind of ‘variety, whimsy and

surprise’ only results from the efforts of many local artists, gradually customizing buildings and yards to the needs of individual

families.

In redevelopments give exisiting residents a chance to choose between different options. The residents may be the only ones who

understand the subtleties of exactly how their neighborhood works.


4. LIMIT COMMUNITIES TO 7,000 PEOPLE

‘The power of the [traditional]

Haitian social system was the

great interconnection of mutual

responsibility among the members

of extended families and villages,

communities- ‘Lakou’ of around

500 people. ‘viii

Strong interaction occurs at a neighborhood scale. But if

too many neighborhoods make up a city, individuals feel

have little or no influence on local decisions.

Haitians have had serious problems with too much

power gained by individual leaders. More workable

community sizes may help Haitians to develop healthy

self- government at the local scale, a first step towards

healthy regional and national government.

Since common Haitian family sizes range from 6- 10 individuals, between 500 and 1000 buildings may be the best size for any

distinct community. If smaller scale settings are more conducive to self-policing and group development by the poor, efforts should

be made to separate new ‘aid’ communities in obvious functional systems of no more than 500 houses.


5. SOFTEN THE GRID

“…Places for which no one or no group

develops territorial feelings are subject to

misuse and abuse. …such attitudes can

result from any planning venture where

decisions are made without involving the

actual participants.”ix

New residents cannot feel proud of impersonal neighborhoods of

identical buildings. One block looks like the next, and no one really

seems to belong there. If no one develops a sense of ownership,

buildings are vandalized and people feel (and are)unsafe.

REPETITIVE HOUSING BLOCKS PLANNED FOR THE CARAKOL DEVELOPMENT,

USAID

One example has been the large Haitian disaster relief camp in Corail. Although the lack of sanitation and shade are also serious

problems there, the ‘unimaginative, regimented military style layout’ is a valid part of the residents’ dissatisfaction.x

Part of the reason for residents’ dislike of large uniform developments is that they lack the healthy variety of scales and uses found

in natural communities. It takes some variety in building size and setback from the street to provide the kind of small-scale outdoor

spaces that serve as memorable settings for people to interact. Sterile projects of uniform house rows ‘…can be in direct conflict

with traditional socio-spatial customs to the extent that they can be culturally destructive or are rejected…xi

Modern society moves at a faster pace than traditional cultures. With modern techniques and infusions of cash from outside the

local economy, buildings can be quickly planned and built. For a fast-paced construction process, make special efforts to allow

variety to develop. Don’t skimp on the time to get feedback from planners who understand spaces for people. Slow down the

building pace or foster natural variety through real community involvement.

Neighborhoods that are attractive and useful don’t have to be expensive. The Carakol project shown above has been used to

demonstrate alternatives throughout this book. Many simple techniques can give life and variety to even inexpensive aid projects.


6. USE VARIED HOUSES:

“Our… surroundings reflect our personal statuses or contribute to the images of ourselves that we hope

others will accept.”xii

Add some variety to the different blocks. A simple house layout can be offered in single and duplex versions. Duplex buildings leave more usable space on small building lots, and they can give the development more future value in an improving neighborhood. When residents with larger families become able, they can buy the adjacent duplex and own a whole larger house.

If a house plan is asymmetrical, it can be built as drawn, and reversed. For a symmetrical plan of sturdy masonry, include some two story or slightly larger models.

ABOVE: MIXED DUPLEX AND SINGLE HOUSE ALTERNATIVE, CARAKOL

BELOW: DUPLEX AND SINGLE KAYS ON SMALL LOTS


ABOVE: VARIED KAYS WITH DOUBLE ENTRY, SINGLE ENTRY AND 2 STORY

RIGHT: SITE PLAN DETAIL, HCDP HOUSING, BOGNOL

Use different proportions of the different layouts in each block. Let some streets have more of one type than another. Also include some completely random mixtures.

The kay house is the standard layout in most of Haiti, with a galri’ or porch under the gable end next to the street. There are many different versions of kays. Houses can have side porches or L-shaped additions, and be one or two-storied.

Many kays are now built wider than in the past, and with an asymmetrical front. Small ‘cabinet’ rooms are added under part of the porch roof.

The Creole style of house turns its side to the street. If this style of house is also found in your area, include a few on lots that aren’t as deep. Let future tenant groups tell you what proportions of each house type to use.

Different house layouts can be used to respond to the problem of afternoon overheating on west facing galri. One small development outside of Gonaîves used two simple house versions so that in all houses the porches would not overheat from direct sun in the afternoon.


7. HAITIAN LOT SIZES

Daily activities take place in spaces that are mostly outside the framework

of the house itself. …the house often consists of several buildings xiii

Aid housing lots for transitional settlements must be large enough to allow residents to ‘live

in’ their yards. In Haitian cities and countryside people who can fence in their yards or plant

prickly hedges to define their space.

The Haitian yard is shaped by a very African lifestyle.xiv In many ways Haitian yards

resemble those of their African ancestors. The yard includes separate small dwellings,

outdoor kitchens, drying structures, silos, and

monuments for graves.

Within the lot enclosure there must be room for:

A generous front porch that abuts the road

Separate cooking shelters so each family in the

house can cook without being watched by others

Storing motorcycles, moped or bicycles alongside

the house

Working in the yard (drying grains, small craft

workshops)

A latrine far from the house (because of smell)

In addition, preferred lots will have room for:

Adding more rooms in the future

A container to grow a few vegetables or herbs

A cistern if the family can have a well

TOP: CISTERN UNDER AN ARBOR;

ABOVE: CARPENTRY WORKSHOP UNDER

AWNING;

ABOVE LEFT: ARBOR-LOO LATRINE


8. CLUSTER HOUSES

“…it has a great deal to do with reciprocal commitments

to personal security and joint efforts for the benefit of the

neighborhood as a whole. …Cluster [homes] around a

common entrance… increases the opportunity for

contact… so that there is more sense of personal

involvement and mutual concern. It also makes it easier

to recognize who ‘belongs’ [there].”xv

Haiti is an intensely relational culture. Group identities of families and

neighborhoods are often more important to people than their individual

circumstances. ‘A strong cohesive community promotes a high quality of life and

an investment in the future of a settlement. Public spaces should be connected,

inclusive, diverse and appropriate in scale [relating] to functional activities.’xvi

PHOTOS AND PLAN OF LAKOU DEVELOPMENT BY M. NEPTUNE IN THOMASSIN

Even in cities Haitians like to have a sense of lakou. These townhouses are very

popular because they overlook a private court with shared space where children

can play. A peripheral wall and gates at the entrance roads keep this small

community safe. The central triangle includes a playground and some plantings.

Each of the 22 front rooms overlooks the street. An opening at ground level

serves as a carport but is cleared out to use in the frequent neighborhood parties.

Because this suburban cluster is occupied by middle class Haitians, the courtyard is not crowded in the daytime. This group is a little

larger than the traditional lakou. For Haitians with less financial resources, smaller cluster settings may be helpful.

Haitians want their front porches to face their neighbors. They love to have shared open space in front of their most attractive

façade, facing the street. Shared areas require some supervision to be maintained well. If they are in front where everyone watches

the street, they will be valued and kept safe. The area will be worth any minor decisions and repairs it needs. Seating and shade

trees and play equipment could all be added as the neighbors agree.


There are many other ways to form a sense of lakou, without walling

a block off from its neighbors. Mini-lakous could be created on small

roads to allow residents to share a public courtyard. Locating them

on smaller roads with less traffic will make the neighborhood quieter

and safer for children.

Another way to create a lakou within a town is to add a generous

courtyard on one side of the street.

RIGHT: MINI-LAKOUS ADDED TO THE CARAKOL PROJECT

BELOW: ALTERNATING CARAKOL’S STANDARD BLOCKS WITH ROADSIDE

COURTYARDS

The Caracol development currently labels the interior open space in

each block a lakou. It may not function well as a

shared space because it is at the rear of the

houses.

There is a great difference between front and

rear yards. Rear yards are where people wash

clothes, cook, take showers, and have

workshops. These activities require some

privacy, and no one will want to be near the rear

latrines.

Private internal pathways are desired, whether

footpaths or for vehicles, for use by block

residents only.

An interior open space can be used as ‘jadens’ or

gardens. It can either be divided up or leased to families who want to keep animals or grow crops on the extra land.


9. USE FAMILIAR OWNERSHIP STYLES

Multiple family dwellings can reduce the costs per family for each lot and

for building walls. But don’t apply what works with prosperous social

groups in cold climates to thoseclimbing out of poverty in a warm climate.

Although Haiti has apartment buildings, they are not cooperatively

owned. As of January 2012 there was no legal basis for that type of

ownership. Haitian families cooperate within a lakou, possibly because of

the socially accepted order of responsibility (and command). Unrelated

neighbors will have more difficulty sharing building maintenance.

Duplex buildings have worked well for Haitians in the past. Each side has a

separate enclosed yard and maintains their own half of the building. Each

side can have full access to the yard from every room if it is desired.

Multi-story buildings are harder to share. The high costs of land make

multi-story houses desirable in cities. In other parts of the world single

workers buy cooked meals on the streets and rent a space to sleep on an

upper floor. But in Haiti it is rare that single workers will rent a room from

a family. Few people are employed, and families are more comfortable

taking in relatives and friends. Since most selling occurs on street corners,

there are also few homes above shops in Haiti now.

Haitians who do not have their own ground level yard will be hampered in

their living style. The most basic need is for access to cooking and

sanitation, but mothers have a harder time supervising children from

upper levels.

Perhaps most important is the fact that each apartment in a duplex also has three exposed walls for good ventilation. Breezes in the

afternoon and evening are necessary for comfort in the hot, humid climate of Haiti’s low lying areas.


10. IDENTIFIABLE NEIGHBORHOODS

“Establish clear boundaries and a clear identity. This is

essential… The only way that group territorial feelings

develop in very large projects is to break them down

into smaller components with different names and

clearly different characteristics…”

Different neighborhoods need to look different. Each group of several blocks should have a distinctive:

Type and location of trees (between houses, along street)

Proportions of different house types and detailing

Locations for marketing (at corners or along streets)

Types of clusters (public, semi-private, private)

Sizes and shapes of shared spaces (along street, sheltered from street)

Uses of shared space (farms, play space, workshops, meeting areas,

storage areas, parking) xvii

Place special houses or uses at end-of-street views.

Have larger houses near corners where businesses will naturally develop.

People who usually walk will do most of their shopping within a short

distance, knowing their women selling on ‘their’market street.xviii


11. DEGREES OF PRIVACY

Most expressed a strong preference for living next to the road. … So children can play in a private area, …To

have more control over the garden and cooking area, …To have a business in their home.xix

Haitians have many reasons to live near a road. For some, the road is where their children play. For others, a corner lot means they

don’t have neighbors on one side. In tight developments, distance from neighbors means less conflict.

For others, the road will bring people past their stand to buy their drinks or get a hairdo. Obviously different levels of road traffic are

needed. This can be provided by having different kinds of road.

Major and collector roads should be straight and pass through the neighborhood.

But if possible make the less important roads more varied:

Offset some road intersections so through traffic mostly goes around

Allow some roads to loop between collector roads

Place cul-de-sac housing clusters at the edge of the development

Don’t make long stretches where back yards face the street

Break some roads to make short stub roads (but connect them by footpaths)

ABOVE: STORES ALONG THE MAIN ROAD; RIGHT: QUIET PRIVATE ROADS INTO A CENTRAL

COURTYARD FOR THE CARAKOL PROJECT

Cost for infrastructure can be reduced by removing some roads where blocks of 4- 6 cul-de-sac clusters can be located back to back. Less area needed for roads also means more space for yards Cul-de-sac lakou clusters also create larger lots at corners. This can allow more

farming, or a building for special services for the community. It could be a

location for a water kiosk and public shower. Or there might be room to widen

a road for the market.


Varied smaller road types within an overall grid system; Carakol alternatives


12. LOCAL ACTIVITY NODES

market places …are the intersection points in the trade network by

which the bulk of Haiti’s marketed agricultural product and its

imports reach their consumers. … The most sought after vendor

spots are along the roads and at busy intersections. xx

People gather where there is something they need. Streets with vendors and services like

wells draw crowds. Around the well the crowds are friends and neighbors. But anyone

might be on the shopping street

Streets in Haiti are for selling. Busy corners have multiple vendors- stacks of wooden poles,

bags of vegetables, little stands where people cook over fires. Centers of towns may have a

wider market street so busy that cars can barely drive through. But many ordinary houses

on small streets also have a front room or front window facing the road for selling.

Corners at busy intersections should be widened for vendors. Small market stalls on busy streets that open directly onto the street

can greatly increase vendors’ income by providing them a way to store more inventory than they can carry.xxi

Water points in Haitian culture are a meeting place between

members of community. ... a welcoming place for people to sit while

they are waiting for their turn to fill their bucket, or just to gather and

chat with their neighbors. xxii

It is most important to evenly distribute wells around the neighborhood, to reduce the

distance to carry water. One water supply for each 5 households may not be enough. If there

are more wells per household, some could be on the street.

Haitians often want their wells clustered inside more private community spaces. Nearby

playgrounds might allow parents an easier task of watching their children. But when children

are sent to fetch water, a nearby playground might distract them from their chore.xxiii


13. PLAN FOR SHADE

The architect of the tropics must… battle against heat, strong solar radiation, high levels of air humidity and

torrential rainfall and, in addition, develop methods of building that offer users comfortable spaces without

requiring mechanical cooling systems.xxiv

In coastal Haiti, shade is very important for comfort. Since porches are living

space in Haiti’s hot climate, locate them for breeze and afternoon shade.

A large tree cools because it shades a large area and evaporates water.

Although Haiti’s mountains have serious deforestation, most towns and lakous

have trees. They may function as important meeting places, and can provide

fruit as well. Public gathering spaces, whether for fetching water, shopping,

listening to music, or waiting for a clinic, should all include trees.

ABOVE: A BENCH AT A FARM NEAR JACMEL IN THE SHADE;

RIGHT: WAITING FOR A NURSE AT PETITE RIVIÈRE ALL CAREFULLY LOCATED IN THE SHADE.

The Haitian sun is high in the middle of the day and a roof overhang can shade

the walls. Morning and afternoon sun is at a lower angle and can overheat

buildings quickly. Orient buildings east and west, so that their longest side is

shaded well from the sun. Locate more windows and doors facing east or north

than west and south.

ABOVE: HIGH NOONDAY SUN; RIGHT: LOW AFTERNOON SUN


14. HIERARCHY OF OPEN SPACES

The desire for public space has been expressed by the residents throughout the community engagement

process. ...Vibrant public spaces existed prior to the earthquake and despite years of neglect they

maintained an important psychological and social function in the fabric of society. .. many public spaces

have become IDP camps and tent cities. However, the presence and respect for public space in the form of

town squares (especially) is noticeable across Haiti.xxv

Outdoor spaces are the living rooms of the tropical world. A town

needs many different sizes and types. ’The home, the lane, spinal

street, and main thoroughfare represent a gradual hierarchical

order, a continuum of an expanding living environment.” xxvi

Haitians use and adapt street space for play, gatherings, art, and

performance spaces.

Since the earthquake many spaces that used to provide

recreation or refreshment are now filled to bursting. Although

the need for housing is great, public spaces will be welcome if

the tent cities begin to empty.


15. ENABLE LAND OWNERSHIP

The homeowner selection process … must be carried out in collaboration with the Joint Project Committee.

The identification of social groupings and where people want to live must be a central part of this process. …

The neighborhood blocks offer a variety of opportunities (including access to agricultural land, proximity to

areas of commerce and schools etc) and this must be considered as part of the selection process.xxvii

Perhaps the greatest limitation for Haitian building is the uncertainty about land

owner ship.

The enslaved ancestors of most Haitians never owned their land, but did have

rights to their houses. When the colonists were overthrown in 1804, many

former slaves left the plantation land and squatted on parcels in the hills. A

system of land ownership somewhere between that native to either France or

West Africa evolved. African land often belongs to the community leader. It can

be claimed on the basis of farming it.

ABOVE: SMALL PARCELS ALONG THE ROAD, LARGER BEHIND;

BELOW: TENTS AT GRACE INTERNATIONAL IN CARREFOUR WITH ADDED GALRIS.

Land can be bought and sold in Haiti, but there is a waiting period of years to be

certain no one else can claim it. This has been complicated by the fact that

government officials seize and redistribute land to their supporters. Today some

Haitians do not want buildings that look more expensive than those of their

neighbors, for fear of attracting negative attention.

Temporary housing is often planned for displaced people after a natural disaster.

It frequently becomes transitional and finally permanent when other solutions

never develop. This results in more people claiming land without true legal title.

Temporary housing must be laid out in ways that will be appropriate if the use becomes permanent. Follow models of land

subdivision that make sense for the culture and local area.


SHAPING KREYÒL HOUSES

YARDS TO LIVE IN

The architecture of the Caribbean is first and foremost an architecture for life out-of-doors. Daily activities take

place in spaces that are mostly outside the framework of the house itself. And even the framework is open to the

outdoors, offering protection only from the sun and rain.xxviii

IN HAITI MOST OF LIFE HAPPENS OUTSIDE, IN THE FRESH AIR AND COOLING BREEZES. A SMALL HOUSE JUST SERVES AS

STORAGE, SHELTER FROM RAIN, AND A PLACE TO SLEEP.

The space defined by the house’s shadow may be as important as any room within,

because it is the setting for adult work as well as child care.

Left: The true Haitian living room

Below: An outside service area


Parking: some residents have cars or are drivers for wealthier families in town and are responsible for their employer’s car at night.

sidewalks would not be safe enough to park on. If the house is to the side of the lot, there is space to park a car. Also people can

agree to leave some open space in their courtyard for parking. xxix

Outdoor areas must be carefully designed to house outbuildings for many functions.

REPEAT FAMILIAR SHAPES

ALLOW ENCLOSURE

yard may be associated intimateley with the house, and its land may have important ritual or kinship significance...

often particular symbolic meaning for local people, though this may be implicit and little noticed by outsiders.

Man’s freedom begins with his own fencexxx

… property wall(s) in Haiti serves many purposes… [to] keep things out: intruders, vehicular and pedestrian traffic;

…keep things in: animals, children and privacy. They frame the yard and house, decorate and formalize the

entrance.xxxi

Living hedges of thorny plants 5 feet high (1.5 m) usually define rural lakous. Village houses

may not include walls because the entire village may be considered as belonging to

the same lakou. In cities and suburbs walls have been multiplying in Haiti, because economic

and political problems increase crime in these crowded and more anonymous areas.

Solid walls are often not needed. Metal fencing or perforated

block patterns allow air to move through

barriers.

Even temporary shelters can be located in arrangements that Left: Vent block wall let their walls form enclosures. Above: Gates open to entry porch


Allow space for residents to develop formal or informal barriers around clusters.

A life style that was specifically Caribbean. …for life out-of-doors.

Providing housing involves much more than just building houses… [it involves] a whole system of spaces which a family needs.xxxii In cities most household chores are done outside, including washing and drying clothes. In the country the yard also includes space

for flowering bushes, herbs, and a few vegetables. Animals are penned and cared for. Food is dried and stored in a roofed silo that is

raised above the ground. These uses are basic and must be provided appropriate space that is large enough and comfortable enough

for work.

In both city and country cooking is kept out of the house. This wisely keeps both smoke and heat out of the interior. The majority of

Haitians use charcoal to cook, and do this on the ground. They usually locate a lean-to for cooking across the yard from the dwelling,

downwind from the house. This area may also be used for smelly tasks like slaughtering animals or singing feathers.

Haitians prefer two separate kitchens. The majority of cooking is done outside, but food storage

must be located near the dining area of the salle. In better houses a sort of kitchenette or butler’s

pantry is located inside.

Left: cooking outside on charcoal on the ground

Below: Food preparation

Even modern additions may separate the kitchen and toilet by a hall or porch from the main salle

or other rooms used in the daytime. Simple bucket-flush type toilets, which require less water

than a porcelain water closet, may also be smellier. Often a toilet or latrine is located in a

separate lean-to, perhaps joined to a simple paved and screened wash area.

Left: Modern layout with indoor and outdoor kitchens


Below left: Service building

The basement of the house or a part of the yard usually includes a cistern to store rainwater for

droughts or the frequent power outages when well pumps can’t be run.

Perhaps the most important part of the yard for many Haitians, a solid masonry tomb with a

sheltering roof may form a setting for ancestor veneration. Before stone masonry was used on

houses, it was customary for tombs.

Often the tomb looks much more sophisticated than the house. No matter what happens to the

land, the family always retains the right to return to their tombs.

Minimum Housing Needs 2 doors preferred, heat/ ventilation issues, (1 door & 2 small windows on 12- 18 sm too little ventilation) need outdoor covered areas, avoid flooding hazard water infiltration at base, need secure wallsxxxiii

Classic Types of Houses in Haiti Each home should contain one master bedroom, one dining room and one toiletxxxiv

kay signs start of marriage rectantular 22- 26'(7- 8 m) x 13- 16'(4-5 m) small porch multi use common room & bedrmxxxv

faire sa case/ make one's hut = be adult

Third,

better off want 2 kitchens incl 1 inside, cistern, in towns closed off more privacy security for middle class 3 br townhouse w maid

quarters lower class street becomes lr

hut center of caribbean garden, p.14 kitchen downwind of hut define hearth by large rocks or metal screen, decorative space in

front- flowers, (herbal flavor/ medicine) conch shells, waste, washing, fire, animals, raised porchxxxvi


La résidence paysanne inclut la maison elle-même (la kay) et l’espace qui l’entoure, où se répartissent les multiples activités

quotidiennes. Dans cette aire de vie, chaque fonction dispose d’un lieu approprié et la circulation est permanente entre les

différentes constructions.xxxvii

Haitians use raised seats for toilets or latrines. Although more smelly, latrines are most common because they are simple to build

and maintain. Some rural leaders favor arbor-loos, whose smaller holes do not pollute groundwater as quickly. The human waste

can be used as fertilizer without processing by planting a vine or tree in the filled hole when digging a replacement. Some systems

for composting human waste have been accepted in Haiti when individuals do not have to service them.

The primary response of all residents was that the homes are too small and do not respond to the Haitian

lifestyle as the covered external areas are too small and the rooms too small. …Many indicated that they did

not need the partitions and that they would remove them and re-use the wood for other purposes, such as

to build the extension. Approx 30% have the intension of extending the house right away.

…Agricultural use is primarily envisaged at four scales: the private “kitchen garden” located within each

homeowner’s private land, the shared semiprivate gardens within each block, small public land within the

ecological corridors and larger scale public agriculture to the north of the site that acts as an ecological

buffer to the Romance water channel. xxxviii

“THE PORCH IS TOO SMALL. *…+ IT IS NOT A PORCH, IT IS A DOORWAY.” IT CANNOT BE USED FOR ANYTHING

THE WAY IT HAS BEEN DESIGNED. YOU CANNOT CARRY OUT OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES PROTECTED FROM THE ELEMENTS

(SUN, RAIN) IN THE CURRENT LOT DESIGN, AND THERE IS NO SPACE FOR A TABLE OR CHAIRS. TREES WILL NOT

GROW RIGHT AWAY AND IN THE HEAT, SHADED OUTDOOR AREAS ARE BOTH PRACTICAL AND CENTRAL TO THE LOCAL WAY

of life. Latrine: As far from the house as possible – at the back of the lot. Many placed trees around their latrine to hide it and keep

it cool. ... it – concluded that it should be on the opposite side to the cooking area. Fencing: Almost all chose to fence their property

in. They left two openings: a larger on in front of their front door, facing the street, and a smaller one to the back of the lot facing

the courtyard or alley.Santo p. 222

The public/private domains vary greatly from town to city. Traditionally Haitian families were centered around a Lakou “or vi llage

common space.” The definition of Lakou is as much social space as it is physical space, this is where the community would gather,


and woman would also collectively parent and oversee children in the Lakou space.. In rural villages it is common to have a large

gardens in the backyard space, urban hosing areas in the hills near Port au Price are often very close together with adjacent walls

and outdoor space that is suitable for cooking, but not for large gardens. boyle

START SMALL PITI PITI ZWAZO FE NICH. LITTLE BY LITTLE THE BIRD BUILDS ITS NEST.

HAITIANS HOUSES USUALLY START WITH 1 OR 2 ROOMS AND GRADUALLY GROW. BECAUSE THEY ARE OFTEN SIMPLE, MODULAR LAYOUTS, EXTRA ROOMS

ARE ADDED WHEN NEIGHBORS OR RELATIVES NEED A PLACE TO STAY. ‘THE HOUSE EVOLVES NATURALLY, ACCORDING TO THE HAITIAN’S INSTINCT, NOT IN

A DETERMINISTIC MANNER.’xxxix IN THE VILLAGES OR COUNTRYSIDE ROOMS ARE ADDED ON TO THE SIDE OR REAR. IN MORE CROWDED CITIES, ROOMS ARE

OFTEN ADDED ON TOP.

EACH HOUSE IS USUALLY FREESTANDING, AND SERVES ONE COUPLE. TO MAKE ONE’S HUT (FAIRE SA CASE) IS TO BECOME GROWN UP.xl A YOUNG MAN

WHO IS SERIOUS ABOUT A GIRL BUILDS A SEPARATE HOUSE, USUALLY ON HIS FATHER’S LAND.

YOUNG CHILDREN, ELDERLY WIDOWS, SINGLE NEIGHBORS MAY ALL EVENTUALLY SHARE ROOMS, BUT A

HOUSE IS NOT USUALLY SHARED BY SEVERAL COUPLES.

THE TRADITIONAL RURAL HOUSES HAD ROOMS ABOUT 10’ WIDE, SUITED TO SMALLER AND LESS

EXPENSIVE ROOF FRAMING MATERIALS. IN CITIES WHERE LAND WAS MORE EXPENSIVE, THEY WERE

OFTEN 12- 14’ WIDE.

IF HAITIANS HAVE A SMALL WATERPROOF AND QUAKE RESISTANT BUILDING CORE, THEY CAN EXTEND

IT WITH LESS WATERPROOF ADDITIONS THAT MAY BE USEFUL MOST OF THE TIME.

ALWAYS ENLG HUT AWAY FROM STREETxli

ABOVE: SMALL HOUSE NEAR A TIDAL MARSH

SMALL DETACHED HOUSES ARE MORE DESIRABLE THAN MULTI-FAMILY STRUCTURES IN HAITI.

SPACES FOR BEDS

CELEBRATE THE ENTRANCE

BUILDINGS BECAME A BACKGROUND CANVAS FOR A COMPOSITION IN WHICH THE GARDEN IS AS PRECISELY LAID

OUT AS THE HOUSE ITSELF. BETWEEN THESE TWO DOMESTIC AREAS- EXTRA MUROS AND INTRA MUROS- THE

GALLERY IS AN ORGANIC LINK, INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR AT THE SAME TIME. IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT IT IS THE

DECORATIVE SHOWPLACE OF THE HOUSE.

LEFT: HOUSE IN LABOULE


THE FRONT PORCH IN HAITI IS THE GALERIE. THIS IS TRULY THE CENTER OF FAMILY LIFE. PEOPLE SIT AND TALK, WATCH AND GREET NEIGHBORS. THE

FRONT ROOM BEHIND IS USUALLY BUILT FIRST, AND ALWAYS FACES THE STREET OR ACCESS PATH.

EVEN IF IT IS SMALL, THE GALERIE WILL USUALLY BE SHELTERED UNDER A ROOF AND RAISED SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE GROUND. IF THERE IS NO RAISED STOOP,

THERE MAY BE AN EDGING OF STONES OR BRICKS TO SHOW WHERE THIS FAMILY SPACE BEGINS. IN A VILLAGE OR CITY IT MAY HAVE A RAILING, GRILL, OR

OPEN-WORK WALL TO PROVIDE MORE SEPARATION FROM THE STREET AND SECURITY FOR BELONGINGS.

ADDITIONAL PORCHES, VERANDAHS, AND SECOND STORY BALCONIES CAN ALSO CONNECT THE INSIDE WITH OUTSIDE AS WELL AS EXPAND THE DOMESTIC

LIVING SPACE. BUT THE GALERIE PROVIDES CLEAR SIGNALS OF RELATIONSHIPS, OWNERSHIP AND PRIVACY. IT SERVES AS AN IMPORTANT TRANSITION SPACE

TO THE INTERIOR OF THE HOUSE.xlii ‘FOR MANY, THE THRESHOLD OR THE MAIN DOORWAY MARKS THE

LIMITS BEYOND WHICH THE VISITOR MAY ENTER ONLY BY INVITATION.’xliii PEOPLE APPRECIATE

GRACIOUS BOUNDARIES.

THE GALERIE WALL IS OFTEN LAVISHLY TRIMMED AND PAINTED. IT MAY BE SIDED IN WOOD EVEN IF THE

REST OF THE HOUSE IS BUILT MORE SIMPLY. AROUND IT MAY BE DECORATIVE FLOWERS, BUSHES AND

SHELLS.

THE ONLY EXCEPTION TO THIS DESIRE FOR A GRACIOUS ENTRANCE PORCH IS IN CITIES. TWO-STORY

BUILDINGS IN CITIES OFTEN HAVE A COVERED WALKWAY IN FRONT OF THEIR DOOR INSTEAD OF A PORCH.

AS SHOWN AT RIGHT, THEY USUALLY HAVE A PORCH ON THE SECOND LEVEL THAT SERVES AS THE

GALERIE.

EVERY DWELLING NEEDS ROOM FOR A PLEASANT ENTRY PORCH THAT FACES THE ROAD OR ACCESS PATH.

OPEN UP THE FRONT ROOM

To be admitted inside a hut, speak Creole and be answered in Creole when one is a foreigner- this is a mark

of trust.xliv

In both of the most popular Haitian traditional house layouts, one or two doors from the galerie open into a more private multi-

purpose room with a table. This practical salle is where the family eats, keeps utensils and food, writes, and listens to the radio. At

night children may sleep there on mats on the floor.

In Haiti’s cities and low lying areas, old houses have high ceilings and many tall doors. Their

breezy front room is only slightly more enclosed than the galerie.


Many doors allow flexible room use and access from the yard where adults work and children play. The common double or French-

type doors stand open all day but can be adjusted to provide shade when the sun is low. They are only closed tight for storms and at

night.

LEFT: A TRADITIONAL KAY FRONT ROOM HAS 3- 5 DOORS

In cooler country locations houses often have fewer and smaller openings. Small, dark houses may be remnants of traditions

brought to Haiti by many West Africans. As in Africa, the blacks of the Antilles preferred darkness in the interiors of their cabins and

closed them hermetically. …”shut like a box.” This African custom was reinforced by the circumstances of slavery. The slave had

nothing that really belonged to him. The interior of his house was the single element of his life over which he had some control.xlv

CONNECT INSIDE AND OUT IN WAYS THAT WORK FOR HAITIANS

DEGREES OF PRIVACY

MORE BEDROOMS FOR HAITIANS

The second room of a two room house is used as a bedroom. This bedroom or

chambre will have fewer and smaller openings than the front room, more windows than

doors. There may be a raised platform that serves as a large bed.

The wall between the salle and the chambre probably does not extend to the open roof,

ending at the eaves line. It may be an openwork screen. But it defines an important

boundary. Above: A new home for a family

Bedrooms are considered very private. Haitians do not allow strangers into bedrooms. They welcome cousins, aunts, uncles, or

neighbors to stay with them. But they prefer to use separate bedrooms for the girls and boys. People of the opposite sex do not

enter someone else’s bedroom.

Families housing neighbors and relatives in need will feel strongly a need to provide enough gender-segregated bedrooms. Often

two-room houses are expanded to provide more bedrooms. Haitians have houses with more bedrooms than other cultural groups of

the same economic level in other parts of the Caribbean.

IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS WITH EXTRA PEOPLE IN FAMILIES, PLANS SHOULD ALLOW EXPANSION FOR AT LEAST 2- 3 SMALL BEDROOMS.

ADD OPENINGS AND STORAGE

Double door and window shutters may be stronger than single shutters. They use smaller lengths of wood.


RIGHT: WOOD SHUTTERS AND FRENCH DOORS

In the simplest traditional houses neither doors nor shutters lock. They have latches on the inside. Although glass is not needed for

windows, many Haitians want to close openings at night. Solid shutters work well to give a sense of

safety, and to keep storm winds and rain out. Doors and shutters always open outward so they cannot be

blown open during hurricanes.

LEFT: STORAGE ABOVE THE PORCH ROOF

The only space that can be locked in a small house is often a soute or storage area above the ceiling of the

galerie or entry porch. This warm and dry location serves well for farmers to store grain and other foods. It

is accessed by a door in the gable end, and from inside the salle, which has no ceiling.

ALLOW TARPS OR SHUTTERS TO CLOSE ALL OPENINGS. PROVIDE AT LEAST ONE ROOM WITH SECURE WINDOW GRILLES AND A LOCKABLE DOOR.

BEAUTIFY

West Indians declare their love for their homes with the delicate frills and lacework that

adorn galleries and interiors… *and have exteriors+ brightened by sharp, lively

colorsxlvi.

…the works of the poor have been elevated always by the gaiety, the fantasy and the

exuberance of the African tradition.xlvii

Traditional Haitian homes are more simple shapes than small homes in

other parts of the Caribbean. Yet, despite a scarcity of resources, they

have always been lavished with beautiful colors and patterns- Life may be

simple, but it can be vibrant and beautiful.

Above: Wood decoration

Left: Painted patterns on a home near Hinche and vent block railing


Left: Vent block windows and a bright taxi

Add some paint into the budget so Haitians can personalize their buildings


IMAGE CREDITS

Sketches on pages 9, 12, 14, 15, 16- 19, 21- 25 by Patti Stouter.

Photographs on pages 3 top & middle, 4 bottom, 6 top & bottom right, 7 top & bottom, 8, 9 middle left, 10, 13 middoe, 17 top left,

19 bottom, 26 top & middle right & bottom right by Christine T. Neptune. Plan on page 7 by Christine T. Neptune. Plan sketch on

page 5 based on site plan by Marcel Neptune. Used with permission.

Photographs on page 13 top & bottom,22 top and bottom by Jay D. Edwards. Used with permission.

Photographs from Wikimedia Commons, used by permission, retrieved at http://commons.wikimedia.org/ :

p. 3 bottom Roadside Market 1-21-2010 Fred W. Baker, III p. 4 top EQ damage overhead, US Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Sondry-Kay Kneen p. 6 bottom left Carpenter’s Workshop Remi Kaupp p. 12 Haiti EQ building damage, Clindberg p. 16 top Papslam, Alsandro, middle Lone House, Remi Kaupp p. 24 middle right, Basse Ravine, Remi Kaupp p. 25 bottom right Habitation St. Domingue, Gaston Vuillier p. 26 top right Haitians in PauP marketplace, Petty Ofcr 2nd class Candice Villarreal, USN

Photographs on pages 2, 7 middle right, 11 top, 19 top & middle left & bottom right www.saintmonicasinhaiti.com. Used with

permission.

Photograph on page 14 middle left and bottom right, 15 middle left www.earthbagbuilding.com. Used with permission.

Map detail on page 5 from the Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division, topographic coverage by KLM.

HELPING ACROSS CULTURES

The purpose of aid should be to empower people to improve their own lives and communities. Helpers from a different culture

often don’t realize how little they understand the needs. Even with the best cross-cultural information, they continually miss or

misinterpret important issues.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/

http://www.saintmonicasinhaiti.com/

http://www.earthbagbuilding.com/


Good designs for Haiti are based on how Haitian houses, neighborhoods, and towns function.

Ask Haitians for opinions often, and follow their advice. People being ‘helped’ need to take ownership in any project by making real

decisions about the land chosen, location of buildings, building shape, rooms, and construction methods. xlviii Something that the

future tenants have not planned and worked for may seem like it is free. But it is more likely to be, actually, simply without value.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

SOME WEB SITES WITH PHOTOS OF HAITIAN VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE:

http://www.alliance-haiti.com/societe/technique/architecture.htm

http://www.haitiphotos.com/my_weblog/architecture/

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://virtuelfransk.weibrecht.net/undervis/haitiweb/images/Rosahu1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://virtuelfransk.weibrecht.net/undervis/hai

tiweb/bienvenue.htm&usg=__ktWXFWSLqNsFhHSvQIwu3nQHLGI=&h=332&w=254&sz=11&hl=en&start=20&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=V9hvmIHfAcy5UM:&tbnh=119&tbnw=91&pr

ev=/images%3Fq%3D%2527maison%2Btraditionnelle%2Bhaitienne%2527%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-

us%26rlz%3D1I7GPEA_enUS290%26sa%3DN%26start%3D18%26um%3D1

http://virtuelfransk.weibrecht.net/undervis/haitiweb/images/LM_tikay_blan.jpg

http://www.visualgeography.com/categories/haiti/houses.html

WEB SITES ABOUT REBUILDING IN HAITI

http://haitirewired.wired.com

http://openarchitecturenetwork.org/taxonomy/term/470

www.earthbagstructures.com See note under earthbag below.

BOOKS AND ARTICLES ABOUT HAITIAN VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE:

http://www.alliance-haiti.com/societe/technique/architecture.htm

http://www.haitiphotos.com/my_weblog/architecture/

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://virtuelfransk.weibrecht.net/undervis/haitiweb/images/Rosahu1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://virtuelfransk.weibrecht.net/undervis/haitiweb/bienvenue.htm&usg=__ktWXFWSLqNsFhHSvQIwu3nQHLGI=&h=332&w=254&sz=11&hl=en&start=20&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=V9hvmIHfAcy5UM:&tbnh=119&tbnw=91&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%2527maison%2Btraditionnelle%2Bhaitienne%2527%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us%26rlz%3D1I7GPEA_enUS290%26sa%3DN%26start%3D18%26um%3D1




http://virtuelfransk.weibrecht.net/undervis/haitiweb/images/LM_tikay_blan.jpg

http://www.visualgeography.com/categories/haiti/houses.html

http://haitirewired.wired.com/

http://openarchitecturenetwork.org/taxonomy/term/470

http://www.earthbagstructures.com/


Berthelot, Jack and Martine Gaume, Kaz antiye jan moun ka rete =Caribbean Popular Dwelling = L’habitat populaire aux Antilles,

trans. Karen Bowie, traduction creole Robert Fontes, Jean-Pierre et Juliette Santon (Guadeloupe: Editions perspectives creole,: 1982)

Correa, Charles, “Architecture in a Warm Climate”, Mimar 5: Architecture in Development 5 (1982). Retrieved at

http://www.archnet.org/library/documents/collection.jsp?collection_id=87 3-10-2010

Edwards, Jay D. “Rebuilding Haiti- Lessons from Katrina”, unpublished powerpoint presentation, 2010

Edwards, Jay D., “Origins of Creole Architecture” Winterthur Portfolio, 29 (Summer - Autumn, 1994) 155- 189

Fisher, Anthony Hart and John Michael Vlach, The Popular Architecture of Haiti, Mimar 23: Architecture in Development 23 (1987).

Retrieved at http://www.archnet.org/library/documents/one-document.jsp?document_id=4444 3-10-2010

Mintz, Sidney W., “Houses and Yards Among Caribbean Peasantry” in Perspectives on the Caribbean: A Reader, Philip W. Scher, ed.,

(Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010)

Neptune, Christine Therese, Creating New Precedents for Residential Design in the Contemporary Haitian Society Thesis dissertation

for M. Architecture (Gainesville, FL: University of Florida, 2002)

Slesin, Suzanne, Stafford Cliff, Jack Berthelot, Martine Gaume, Daniel Rozensztroch, photo. Gilles de Chabaneix, Caribbean Style (NY:

Clarkson Potter Publishers, 1985)

Vlach, John Michael, Sources of the Shotgun House, volumes 1 and 2 (Ann Arbor, MI: University Microfilms International, 1975)

Vlach, John Michael, “The Shotgun House- An African Architectural Legacy”, in Common Places: Readings in American Vernacular

Architecture, John M. Vlach and Del Upton, eds. (Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 1986)

VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE IN GENERAL

Oliver, Paul, Dwellings: The Vernacular House Worldwide (London: Phaidon Press, 2003)

Oliver, Paul, ed. Encyclopedia of Vernacular Architecture of the World, volumes 1 and 3 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,

1997)

CLIMATE RESPONSIVE DESIGN

http://www.archnet.org/library/documents/collection.jsp?collection_id=87

http://www.archnet.org/library/documents/one-document.jsp?document_id=4444


Brown, G.Z. and Mark Dekay, Sun, Wind & Light: Architectural Design Strategies, second edition (NY: John Wiley and Sons Inc., 2001)

Lauber, Wolfgang, Tropical Architecture (Munich: Prestel, 2005)

Stouter, Patti, Shaping Buildings for the Humid Tropics: Cultures, Climates, and Materials, a 28-page ebook 2008 available at

http://earthbagbuilding.com/pdf/shapingbuildings1.pdf

INEXPENSIVE EARTHQUAKE RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION

EARTHBAG

Owen Geiger, Kelly Hart, and the author are developing multiple earthquake resistant emergency shelter plans and construction

details using earthbag. Over the past month these have been revised to work in Haiti’s culture, climate, and materials. Several are

being tested in mid-March. More information should be available at www.earthbagbuilding.com later in March.

People seeking help on specific aid projects underway may benefit from joining the private shelter blog at

www.earthbagstructures.com. For an invitation or to ask for plans, contact Owen at strawhousesATyahoo.com Kelly at

kellyhartATgreenhomebuilding.com or Patti at handshapedlandATyahoo.com

RAMMED EARTH, CEB, ADOBE, LIGHT CLAY

Minke, Gernot, Building with Earth: Design and Technology of a Sustainable Architecture(Basel: Birkhauser, 2006) A large book that

covers scientific characteristics of earth, and techniques for rammed earth, cob, adobe, cast light clay, and compressed earth blocks.

Minke, Gernot, Construction Manual for Earthquake-Resistant Houses Built of Earth (Eschborn, Germany: GATE-Building Advisory

Service and Information Network, 2001). Available at http://www2.gtz.de/dukumente/bib/04-5789.pdf . Structures of rammed

earth, or wood and CEB or tubular earthbag.

Other Materials

The World Housing Encyclopedia at http://www.world-housing.net/ has tutorials for earthquake resistant construction techniques

for reinforcing existing adobe, building new adobe with mesh, and building confined masonry and reinforced concrete frames.

There are many promising new materials as well. Earthbag has been spreading around the world because of its simplicity and its

potential to dampen the severity of quake forces. This potential is being tested by engineering students. Rubble in gabions offers

promise in some settings. Other lighter-weight materials may be quicker to build or more easily made quake resistant. Compressed

http://earthbagbuilding.com/pdf/shapingbuildings1.pdf

http://www.earthbagbuilding.com/

http://www.earthbagstructures.com/

mailto:[email protected]

http://www2.gtz.de/dukumente/bib/04-5789.pdf

http://www.world-housing.net/


plastic trash Ubuntu-blox have withstood severe shake table tests. Other low-tech and inexpensive materials may include geo-

textiles, fiber and clay mixes, or high strength plasters. The level of termite and mold damage, and the amount of precipitation also

influence material choices. For a general introduction to low-tech and inexpensive alternative materials, please see

http://buildsimple.org/learn.php.

The real questions are: ‘What do local builders intuitively feel comfortable with?’, and ‘Can they afford to make it safe for the local

level of hazard?’

NOTES:

i C. M. Deasy with Thomas E. Lasswell, Designing Places for People: A Handbook on Human Behavior for Architects, Designers, and Facility Managers, 1985 NY Whitney Library of Design p. 9 ii Christopher Alexander, A Pattern Language . The website at http://www.patternlanguage.com/ is also very helpful. iii For a more indepth analysis of this and the regional patterns mentioned next, see Abraham Rodriguez, Haitian Renconstruction thru Education: Pattern Language Development; unpublished report for Fall 2011 Architecture course by Hajo Neis and Yeosaine Huggins at the Portland Urban Architecture Research Laboratory, pp. 9- 13 iv Jay D. Edwards, Comments on ‘Haitian Wisdom for Aid Buildings’, (unpublished paper: 2010) 2 v Christopher Robin Andrews & Seth Wachtel, Kreyòl Living Wisdom & Haiti Regeneration: Using Indigenous Environmental Patterns, Dec 2010, p. 3 vi Farmer, p. 167 vii Edwards, Comments, 3 viii the Haitian League, Lakou to the rescue, at www.haitianleague.org/LakouProject/LakouUSA.ppt. Retrieved 3-1-2010 ix Deasy p. 28 x Ian davis what is the vision for sheltering and housing in Haiti Summary Observations of Reconstruction Progress following the Haiti Earthquake of January 12th 2010 xi Paul Oliver, Built To Meet Needs, p. 179- 180 xii Deasy p. 47 xiii Caribbean Style, Forward, Jan Morris Introduction, Jack Berthelot and Martine Gaume. xiv Paul Oliver, ed. Encyclopedia of Vernacular Architecture of the World, vol. 3 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997) 1714 xv Deasy p. 48- 49 xvi santo community development masterplan architecture for humanity habitat for humanity xvii Santo, p. 22 xviii boyle

http://buildsimple.org/learn.php

http://www.patternlanguage.com/

http://www.haitianleague.org/LakouProject/LakouUSA.ppt


xix Santo, p. 222 xx Santo p. 27, 82 xxi Boyle xxii Santo p. 88 xxiii Santo p. 223 xxiv Wolfgang Lauber, Tropical Architecture (Munich: Prestel, 2005) 9 xxv Santo, p. 25 xxvi Norbert Schoenauer, 6,000 Years of Housing 179- 180 xxvii Santo p. 96 xxviii Berthelot and Gaume, “Introduction” in Caribbean Style, 3 xxix Santo, p. 222 xxx Perspectives on the Caribbean: A Reader Philip W Scher, Sidney Mintz p. 14 xxxi Christine Therese Neptune, Creating New Precedents for Residential Design in the Contemporary Haitian Society Thesis dissertation for M. Architecture (Gainesville, FL: University of Florida, 2002) 22 xxxii Charles Correa, “Architecture in a Warm Climate”, Mimar 5: Architecture in Development 5 (1982) 33. Retrieved at http://www.archnet.org/library/documents/one-document.jsp?document_id=4444 3-1-2010 xxxiii transitional to what? Architecture for Humanity / Habitat for Humanity Adam Saltzman . Cara Speziale . Eric Cesal . Heidi Arnold . Schendy Kernizan xxxiv Santo, housing focus group xxxv encyclopedia of vernacular architecture of the World, Paul Oliver ed. Cambridge U press, cambridge uk, 1997 p. 74 xxxvi Berthelot and Gaume, Kaz antiye pp. 13- 14 xxxvii http://www.cidihca.com/haiti_architecture.htm Centre International de Documentation et d'Information Haïtienne, Caribéenne et Afro-canadienne (CIDIHCA) xxxviii Santo, p. 18, 20, 222 xxxix Neptune, Creating New Precedents, 22 xl Berthelot and Gaume, Kaz antiye, 77 xli Berthelot, 81 xlii Neptune, Creating New Precedent, 28 xliii Paul Oliver, Dwellings: The Vernacular House Worldwide (London: Phaidon Press, 2003) 166 xliv Berthelot and Gaume, Kaz antiye, 9 xlv Caribbean Style, Berthelot and Gaume, Introduction 2-3 xlvi Berthelot and Gaume, Kaz antiye, 2 xlvii Caribbean Style, Forward, Jan Morris Introduction, Jack Berthelot and Martine Gaume.

http://www.archnet.org/library/documents/one-document.jsp?document_id=4444

http://www.cidihca.com/haiti_architecture.htm


xlviii Oliver Built p. 216

Documents

Building Appropriate Kreyol Homes and Communities