DYE MON, GEN MON Caretaking and Taking Care; Rooting Craft, Culture and Health to Building, Landscape, and Learning Architectural Thesis by Juliet Bibla Advisor Professor Jon Coddington | 2020
Location Map
Thesis Statement This Thesis seeks to explore how Architecture and Landscape provide not only the basic needs to a community, but root into the land and user with care through craft, spirituality, reflections of culture, and connections to the Earth, in turn creating a holistic approach to caretaking and taking care.
This thesis is located in Beloc, Haiti, a small village between Port-Au-Prince, the capitol, and Jacmel, the main arts city. This village radiates around a main central church of St. Etiennes, reconstructed following the 2010 earthquake. Though Haiti is known for having various problems throughout the years, the issues this thesis attempts to focus on includes the limited resources such as no access to electricity, water, or trash collection. An extreme lack of accessibility to forested land, diminishing itself to a mere 2% in 2020 from 60% in 1923. And the extreme lack of health care, especially in the mountains. Looking at a 50 mile catchment zone of Beloc, only 1 clinic sits within it, located in Jacmel, which is over 20 miles away.
Population Medical Care Graphic
Population Catchment Map
Clinic Catchment Map
HUTONG CHILDRENS CENTER
2012-2014 ZAO
Zanmi Lasante Cange, Haiti Various Haitian Architects Image from Google Earth As the first major hospital populated in the northern end of Haiti, Zanmi Lasantes organic growth creates an interesting pattern and site plan along the curved road it sits against. Much like the curve in Beloc, and the idea of future growth throughout the site organic growth.
BEIJING, CHINA 2012-2014 ZAO
Hutong Childrens Center Beijing, China ZAO Images from Arch Daily A central courtyard which buildings are radiating around lead to furthering This quiet school among the busy Dashilar area was once occuthe site plan of the clinic SITE PLAN pied by over a dozen families. In the past five decades each family This quiet school among the busy Dashilar area was once occubuilt a small add-on kitched in the courtyard. These were created school asthewell with urban scrap and aand majority have beenspaces, removed over past as pied by over a dozen families. In the past five decades each family built a small add-on kitched in the courtyard. These were created years of renovation, but the spirit and massing of them still exist urban scrap and a majority have been removed over the past within the space. the human scale of build- with years of renovation, but the spirit and massing of them still exist within the space. ings, all a single level, allow-Redesign, renovate and re-use informal add-on ing forthethe roof tostructures become instead of elimintating them -Redesign, renovate and re-use the informal add-on structures -Show the historical layer and critical embodiment of Beijing’s instead of elimintating them contemporary civil lifeainlayer Hutong in the connection -Show the historical layer and critical embodiment of Beijing’s -Childrens library built of pluwood inserted underneath the contemporary civil life in Hutong between buildings and path. pitched roof of an existing building -Childrens library built of pluwood inserted underneath the -Mini art space formed under the central big ash tree -A strengthened bond between communities thorugh use of materials and experience in the space.
INTERIOR RO
CORRIDO
Kasungu Maternity Waiting Village Kasungu, Malawi Mass Design Image underlay from Mass Design This project helped to inspire and form the roof and structural columns that exist in the clinic and school spaces. The opportunity for central spaces to be created between the buildings speaks to the connection in the plan. SMALL COURTYARD SMALL COURTYARD
pitched roof of an existing building -Mini art space formed under the central big ash tree -A strengthened bond between communities thorugh use of materials and experience in the space.
CORRIDOR CONNECTIONS
SITE PLAN OVERLAY
SITE PLA
Bamboo Images Various Sources Images from Arch Daily Various bamboo studies helped to inspire and inform the bamboo columns existing in the site. These images helped to inspire the connection between the earth and roof / sky above.
Existing Site Images by Author & Site Map Location
The community of Beloc is filled with small communities branching from the main road, creating an architectural typology focused on providing shelter with limited resources. The main construction materials include stone, concrete, wood and corrugated metal. A large issue highlighted after the 2010 earth quake was the ‘pancaking’ of concrete roofs above a majority of all houses, leading to a many deaths and the fear of this type of construction in the country. There is also examples of bamboo around the area, but it is limited to decorative embellishments.
Existing Site Topography
Site Forces
Architecture is in the Service of... Creating a cycle of caring, both for the building and for the occupants. Caring for the environment, caring for the culture, and caring for the future of the form.
Narrative Sketch - Tree Roots
Narrative Sketch - Papa Loko
Narrative Sketch - Conch Curves
Jalousie Slums in PĂŠtionville Photographer: Yann-Arthus Bertrand
Sur la route de Carrefour des Peres by PhilomĂŠ Obin
Narrative Sketch - Mountain Path Layout
Papa Loko Symbol
Narrative Sketch - Color Study
By looking at various sources of art through my own personal fine art study, a playful approach to the design was able to be created, including how the space could be experienced. These design decisions were inspirations from voodoo art, such as the organic flow of the Papa Loko symbol, which is the guardian of sanctuaries, personified in plants. The radiating expansion of the sectional qualities of the conch, a large design feature in Haitian culture and art. The color studies of the Jalouise Slums and forms / intentions of the path in the Sur La Route de Carrefour Des Peres.
with the same dancing of hand sewn flags, floating above my Moments where the trees pull apart reveal buildings, my gaze opening in my direction.
Greeted by various people as I enter the site, I make my way to an open air structure. A light roof floats above me, while heavy columns stand by the backs of people resting, waiting to be signed in. Continuing along the path, trees sway in the wind, leaves floating down on either side. Surrounded by trees, I find myself in a hidden forè, an oasis in a region of dirt and stone. Their brightSketch canopies sway inV theLight wind, met Diagramattic - Heavy with the same dancing of hand sewn flags, floating above my head on strings connected between trees. Terms: Moments where the trees pull apart reveal buildings, my gaze centering to a large building on the path, Light opening in my direction. Heavy
The emergency clinic is filled with people, beds lin outside. Families sit on the benches surrounding t is staring at the tree in the center. A moment of the building under playful shadows, looking out The sun peeks through the east, bringing light to the path.
Proposed Site Plan - Fall Crit
Diagramattic Sketch - Path to Place
Form site forces diagram
Central Tree Node
Terms: Light Heavy
Continuing along this path, small pods of buildin
her is facing the center, family and friends sitting in the pocket of space near her, resting the ground. Nurses come through the space, checking on the patients and retreating back to check papers and review the next steps for each patient. I sit on the bench that interloc wall behind me, resting my head against the smooth hand pressed stones, a cooling touc my head.
Diagrammatic Sketch - Rotating Bed
icro-Yuan’er / ZAO/standardarchitecture. Retrieved from https://www.archdaily.com/775172/ ardarchitecture.
Proposed Site Plan - Fall Crit
The first few designs started to reach grand proportions with little focus on scale and accessibility for the user. Through continued and pointed focus, derived on the idea of two interlocking and separating paths focused on science versus spirituality, the design is furthered. By using diagrammatic words including path to place, heavy v. light, central node, and gathering, the design kept pushing forward, still zoomed out at a master plan level.
Diagrammatic Sketch - Section Studies ROOF DESIGNS
PROS OF DESIGN: -The focus of the tree as the central node
Proposed Site Plan - Winter Crit
The layout started to become more playful in the winter term, using the opposing forces of Science & Medicine with Spiritual & Discovery. The clinic spaces along the spiritual path started to snake and mold with the path, and the school created a larger stance on the main southern bend of the site.
Diagrammatic Study - Building Layout
Proposed Site Path Forces
Proposed Site Cut
The cut and fill for the original site design proposed far to much cut in comparison to the needed fill and amount of block construction throughout the site design. It was decided that if this building is to promote sustainable design, then the project should not destroy the land that the site exists on without reason and cause.
Diagrammatic Study - Interior Clinic Spaces
Proposed Site Plan - Winter Crit
Wind Study - Clinic Section - Winter Crit
Exploded Clinic Axonmetric - Winter Crit
Site Expansive View - Winter Crit
Experiential View - Winter Crit
Experiential View - Winter Crit
At the end of winter term, the decision to focus on a smaller portion of the site plan and develop it was decided. The roof structure began to take form through massing, allowing for the opportunity of spaces to become more playful and light. The clinic section was further defined through the wind study, and block construction with necessary cut and fill was adjusted throughout the term.
Experiential View - Winter Crit
Clinic Entry looking towards the main tree gathering circle
Tight Formed Bamboo Branch Column System
Expansive Bamboo Branch Column System
Plastic Block | Plastic Bottle Wall | Site Block Construction
The materials of the site integrate the idea of recycling and reuse. The site walls are reinforced with plastic bottle walls, while the floors in the necessary spaces are plastic molded blocks. All exterior buildings are formed with site blocks hand formed using the existing site cut to create the needed block amount. Calculating the approximate site cut with needed building materials allows for the minimal cut to create maximum means. The Bamboo is grown and dried on site for the columns and roof.
Step 1 - Mapou Tree
The main design came to fruition with the focus of a Mapou Tree - the center of Haitian Voodoo.
Step 2 - Central Node Fracture
Radiating from this node like roots to a tree, the landscape starts to fracture and break, creating spaces of rest poking through the ground in the form of site walls and benches. The Clinic and Medical School buildings are housed within and around this tree. With these building in mind, as well as allowing a flexible schedule of construction, the roofing system is formed through a woven bamboo grid. The columns root into the earth, reaching out above like branches on a tree, housing a bamboo structure above, reiterating the idea of heavy versus light, interlocking, and gathering.
Step 3 - Site Wall
Step 4 - Buildings Formed
Step 6 - Branches Reaching
Step 5 - Columns Located
Step 7 - Roof Formed
Overall Site Map
From the main road, there are two paths, one which connects to the existing village, and one which allows service vehicles to drive up to the site. The main foot path not following our standards of grade, but instead bouncing between 8 % to 12% at moments, is still relatively flat in comparison to the existing topographical nature of these mountainous paths. The integration of productive bamboo terrace farming, and the cut of the site in necessary areas, allows for a direct correlation to the built forms, using only what has been taken from the land to make the spaces. Lower Level Plan
Programmed Axonometric
This design is intended to be mirrored along a future path, like veins along the mountain, embedding the idea of care taking and taking care. The lower level plan of the site focuses on the service elements, including secondary lab spaces, cisterns for water collection and redistribution, storage and auxiliary spaces. Secondary to the main entry, the corners of the site connect the roof back down to the ground, allowing a connection of heaven and sky to the earth these buildings rest on. The dancing roof, mimicking the mountains that it rests in, allows for moments of shade, both in the interior spaces and exterior spaces of the central gathering yard.
Site Corner Entry
Clinic Hall
Main Site Entry
Interior Classroom
The main site level houses the medical school, which uses playful orientation while keeping the buildings in a relatively similar size and structure by using 8x16 block spacing. The educational block that is housed on the lower portion of the site plan allows for large doors to swing open using wheels and interlock into the ground / roof above, creating expansion in both layout and function throughout the classrooms. At the southwest end of the site, a caretakers unit is provided, allowing the site to be maintained at all times, with office spaces, a kitchen, and composting bathrooms all dancing around one another.
Clinic Plan
Midway between the school and the service level is the Women’s Clinic, focused on providing a peaceful space for care. Varying building sizes and bed layouts allow for both extended and shortterm stays. The extended stay buildings create the opportunity for beds to turn around, allowing the user to be either interactive with the rest of those in the space, or turn their bed for privacy. Natural light and ventilation is created by the floating roof structure exists. The cut of the site is reused in the blocks of the buildings, allowing the buildings to embed into the landscape for security and cool air. The spaces radiate warm light through block construction and the bamboo roof above. Meanwhile between the clinic, the hall using a fractured path in the roof to bring more light and air, while creating interesting shadows.
Clinic Hall
Sustainable Design Section
DYE MON, GEN MON “Humble little huts that decorate the country side where our companions live made only of clay and straw invite us to take shelter under their shade, to enjoy the natural cool, and relieve us from extreme heat.� Madieme Thercidor