Urban Living Room

Abstract

The project Urban Living Room (ULR) unfolded through multifaceted research on the condition of pre- and post-earthquake construction, environmental hardships, and socio-economic development throughout Haiti. It became clear that the project’s focus needed to challenge the status quo by promoting decentralized development, restoring the ecosystem, and supporting economic growth of local communities. These complex challenges were met by the following design aims: THE MATERIAL: • Employing Guadua bamboo as a sustainable alternative for seismic resistant reconstruction. Currently, it is grown in the vicinity of the proposed building site for restoration purposes and as a local material source. • Showcasing the high level of versatility available in bamboo based products and the generation of numerous new markets per respective product (bamboo cable, composite products, woven panels), in addition to utilizing natural culms with intentionally enhanced curvature (during growth) for structural purposes. THE SITE: • Choosing Jacmel (one of the most vibrant cities in the south) as a location for investment instead of Port-au-Prince thus decentralizing development initiatives. Promoting the city’s rich natural and architectural heritage and supporting its identity as Haiti’s cultural and artistic capital. Strategically placing the ULR at the main entry point into Jacmel effectively creating a City Portal with a high traffic profile for local tourism, merchants, artisans, and local bamboo building tradesmen to gain exposure and nationwide influence. • Integrating the existing site conditions (prevailing wind directions, elevation changes, solar orientation, intense heat and rain) the design strategically responds to the context and climate of the location through diverse degrees of protection; thorough its massing, diversity in space heights, undulating roof, “double” façade, and shading elements. THE LIVING ROOM: • Designing a highly accessible public “Living Room”, redefines conventional built typologies with a porous hybrid program and built structure which supports cultural flows providing flexible spaces for Jacmel’s identity and strengths to be displayed (art, films, music, festivals). • The Haitian lifestyle -“Life taking place on the streets”- can freely flow through informal and improvised encounters between Jacmelians, Haitian, or foreign visitors helping to strengthen the local economy.