While the world’s population becomes increasingly urbanised, the vast majority of Papua New Guineans remain living in rural settlements, where access to basic services and infrastructure is a constant challenge. Just one third of the rural population of PNG has access to improved drinking water and only 41% have improved sanitation facilities. (1)
CONTENTS IDENTIFICATION Introduction
1
Local Building Techniques
2
Materials
3
DESIGN & CONSULTATION Design Process
4
Consultation
5
Testing Ideas
6
Design Options
7
Final Design
9
Masterplanning
11
CONSTRUCTION Process
13
Timeline
14
Completion
15
Project Teams
20
References
20
IDENTIFICATION Sago Studio 2011 involved four community development projects in the villages of Laukanu and Kelkel on Papua New Guinea’s Huon Gulf. Masterplanning: identifying and mapping geographical features of the villages and helping to plan for future development. Water: supplying the village of Laukanu with clean drinking water and realising the potential for water collection. Washing: providing adequate washing facilities and separation of drinking water from washing water. Waste: construction of new latrines with hand washing facilities and education on the significance of adequate sanitation in the communities.
Sago Network promotes the role that architects, designers and building professionals have in community projects throughout the developing world and challenges the idea that the value of architecture lies solely in modern society. By working closely with community members, a team of design professionals can exchange ideas and knowledge, and contribute towards an improved quality of life for the communities and a healthy and sustainable future.
Rapid design-build: constructing new shower (above) repairing the bridge (below)
Sago Studio consisted of three stages: Identification: an introductory period which included two rapid design projects, a cultural day and tours through the villages of Laukanu and Kelkel. Sago Network members were introduced to the local cultures, languages and customs. Working with the local people and building relationships was an important first step in the projects. Design & Consultation: the four project teams of Sago Network worked closely with Local Network members to identify the specific needs of the communities, produce a brief that could be achieved during the five weeks and create the best possible designs to suit each brief. A series of community meetings were held to explain and discuss the design options. Construction: a 21 day construction period, working with Local Network members, as well as other men and women from the villages. By allowing and encouraging the local people to become involved in construction of each project, Sago Network was helping to build for a sustainable future where development could continue with confidence after the conclusion of the studio.
Mens’ sea toilet: the existing form of sanitation in Laukanu
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LOCAL BUILDING TECHNIQUES It is important to understand the local building materials and techniques to identify the opportunities and constraints of the projects. Many of the materials for the waste project had to be sourced locally.
Traditional House, Kelkel Morata roofing (sago leaves) and flattened sago stem for the walls. All houses in Kelkel were raised
Traditional House, Laukanu Morata roofing (sago leaves) and betel nut palm walls. No milled timber used. Raised in case of flooding. Many houses had a hauswin (small open area at the front, similar to a porch)
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DIWAI (BUSH TIMBER) Framing
MATERIALS
SAGO LEAVES Morata roofing
SAGO STEM (STRIPPED) Sago blinds (wall cladding)
GRAVEL Aggregate Landscaping
SAND Concrete & mortar mix
STONES Backfilling pits Landscaping
WALL CLADDING TYPES Betel nut palm: can last up to 10 years; material easily sourced in village; fast construction Sago blinds (stripped sago stem, woven): lasts 3-4 years or up to 6 if painted/protected; takes approximately one hour per square metre; popular for its aesthetic quality Sago stem (smashed & flattened): lasts for as long as sago weaving; faster and easier than weaving because material is not stripped; less aesthetic appeal
Examples of sago blind patterns
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DESIGN & CONSULTATION DESIGN PROCESS
Communication is an essential part of the design process. It is important that ideas and opinions are being conveyed clearly between designers and clients. During Sago Studio 2011, the local students (from Unitech, Lae) were relied on to translate these ideas and make sure both parties were being understood. Two Communications students, Vesna Tomala and Stephanie Awinup, were responsible for managing this exchange between students and community members. The diagram above shows the main lines of communication for the waste project.
Involving the Local Network in the design process allowed them to contribute to the designs and explain the concepts clearly to the rest of the community
1:1 scale floor plans helped the community members understand the designs
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CONSULTATION
During the design process a series of community meetings were held, firstly to discuss the existing problems, conditions and needs for each project. As designs were developed, further meetings were held to explain each concept and obtain the opinions and further ideas from the communities.
Local network member Nalau explaining the masterplan
Members of the Local Network teams, who had been involved in the design discussions with each Sago Network project team, were encouraged to lead the meetings. This limited any communication difficulties between the two parties and gave the communities an increased sense of ownership of the projects. During the consultation period for the waste project, three varying options were presented to the community groups. Variations in the designs included layout, roof types, hand washing methods, pit linings and materials. An alternative design, a composting latrine which did not require a pit, was also presented to the community as a solution to avoiding contaminating ground water. See pages 10-11 for design options
Community meeting for the waste project
Local Network member Tali explaining designs to the local women
Designs presented by the washing team
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TESTING IDEAS Various methods and materials for water collection, hand washing and roofing were tested with different types of local materials during the design period. Although the six latrines constructed during Sago Studio 2011 used mostly bought materials for these parts of the designs, the methods tested could provide the villages with a cheaper alternative as they continue to construct more latrines throughout the villages in the future.
HAND WASHING
WATER COLLECTION
Collect water in bamboo tubes
Tip tube to release water (option 1)
Kick bottom of tube to release water (option 2)
Bamboo gutter
Wash hands with soap
Bamboo downpipe
Repeat step 2 to rinse hands
ROOFING Nailed bamboo
Tied bamboo
Insect-proof mesh
Water collection
6 *Drawings on this page by Domenic Ciccio & Matt Girvan
ventilation pipe
water collection (old canoe)
morata roofing
sago blinds
water collection (split 44 gallon drum)
44 gallon drums (pit lining)
SECTION A:A
tied bush timber (pit lining)
SECTION B:B
concrete floor slab
gravel
water collection (old canoe)
FALL
concrete floor slab
OPTIONS
FALL ventilation pipe
gravel
FALL
ventilation pipe
FLOOR PLAN
FLOOR PLAN
OPTION 1
OPTION 2
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ventilation pipe
water tank
corrugated iron roofing
ventilation pipe
FALL
morata roofing
sago blinds
FALL
water tank
gravel
concrete floor slab
FLOOR PLAN
SECTION C:C
OPTION 3 The main concern of building pit latrines in the villages was the possible contamination of ground water, which they also used for drinking and washing. Pit toilets had to be constructed away from the shore and uphill, where the water table was deep enough to avoid contamination. The composting toilet is an alternative that could be constructed closer to the shoreline (and nearer to most houses). Building a set of two adjacent toilets, one toilet at a time could be used while the waste from the other was being heated and dried by the sun over a period of approximately six months. The waste could then be removed and used as compost, and the toilet reused.
corrugated iron lid facing hot sun liquid waste (filtered and drained into ground) solid waste
ALTERNATIVE OPTION
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FINAL DESIGN As a result of our research and community meetings, three sites were selected (one in Kelkel, two in Laukanu) with each site to have two pit latrines constructed. Each of the three design options were to be employed (one for each site). This would provide the villages with a variety of prototypes for future construction of pit latrines, where they could choose which of the three was most suitable. The design process continued into the construction period, as further issues would be presented and require action. Each design continued to evolve until the end of construction. The following drawings represent the final design for the Alembe latrines.
SITE PLAN
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ventilation pipe corrugated iron roof morata roofing concrete water tank stone retaining wall concrete sink
sago blinds
concrete water tank ENTRY
FALL
concrete sink stone retaining wall
ventilation pipe channel (filled with gravel) for water drainage
concrete floor slab
splayed top of pit lined with small stones and concrete
ENTRY
SECTION D:D
FALL
gravel metal drums (pit lining)
FLOOR PLAN
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MASTERPLANNING
*Drawings on this page by Sago Network masterplanning team Photos by Domenic Ciccio
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One of the key focuses of Sago Studio 2011 was the sustainable future of Laukanu and Kelkel. The masterplans created for the two villages highlight the geographic opportunities and constraints for each community and help to plan for further development. No such planning had ever taken place in either of the villages.
*Drawings on this page by Sago Network masterplanning team Above photo (left) by Graeme McIntyre
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CONSTRUCTION PROCESS
Explaining the construction of the latrines through simple drawings and diagrams will help the communities to continue building latrines throughout the villages in the future. A booklet was left in Laukanu and Kelkel to clearly explain the construction, maintenance, costs and important contacts for each project so that they can continue to be operated and managed without foreign aid.
*Above drawing by Domenic Ciccio Process drawings by Domenic Ciccio, Joanne Taylor & Matt Girvan
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TIMELINE
PRE CONSTRUCTION
DAY 1 Digging first pit
DAY 2 Finish digging first pit Create pit lining with metal drums
DAY 4 Pour first concrete slab First pit ready for slab
DAY 6 Begin retaining wall Pour concrete for water tank & basin Begin digging second pit
DAY 7 Remove first slab from mould First slab in place, framework begins Pour second slab. Finish digging second pit
DAY 9 Framework and retaining wall continue Prepare second pit for slab
DAY 10 Remove second slab from mould Put slab in place, begin framework
DAY 11 Finish retaining wall Remove water tank formwork, put in place Frame & roof construction
DAY 12 Finish frame & roof construction Begin landscaping
The Alembe latrines took 13 days to build at a cost of approximately 680Kina (AU$325) DAY 13 Complete sago blind walls Finish landscaping Clean site
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COMPLETION
Alembe latrines 12th January 2012
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Two pit latrines were constructed in Kelkel village by Sago Network during the studio, with another slab poured for a third latrine on a second site in the village. Prior to Sago Studio 2011, there were no community toilets in Kelkel. Most of the village used the jungle or beach. Hand washing was not common. *Photo by Domenic Ciccio
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The people living in Aimodo, the northern section of Laukanu village, had previously been using the jungle or sea toilets for sanitation. Most did not wash their hands.
Opening of the Aimodo latrines Thursday 12th January 2012
Aimodo now has two pit latrines with a water tank and hand washing facilities.
*Above photos by Graeme McIntyre
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The Wanzawang washing station in Laukanu consisted of separated mens’ and womens’ shower blocks with potable water pumped from a nearby well, improved laundry facilities, new gardens and the separation of drinking, washing and laundry water.
DAY 1
DAY 14
DAY 5
DAY 18
DAY 7
DAY 19
DAY 10
DAY 21
The project, which was the largest of the four, took 21 days to complete. All students in Sago Network contributed in the construction of the washing project.
During Sago Studio 2011, Sago Network worked with the Laukanu community in delivering the design and construction of two new shower blocks, upgraded laundry facilities, installation of two new water pumps and revitalisation of two wells, improved use of streams and separation of water based on its use, new handwashing facilities for the school, maintenance of a school water tank, masterplanning for the village and construction of four pit latrines. The people of Kelkel village aided in the construction of two new pit latrines with handwashing facilities, gardens and masterplanning for the village. The involvement of both villages in the design and construction will allow the communities to properly use and maintain each of the projects into the future. More pit latrines are planned in both Laukanu and Kelkel.
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PROJECT TEAMS
REFERENCES
MASTERPLANNING Rosemary Korawali (coordinator) Lekei Kilala Penua Hila-Cook Sandra Mendonca Stephanie Awinup
(1) CIA WORLD FACTBOOK www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook
WATER Brendan Worsely (coordinator) Jak Gannon Hava Yawane Kimberly Didei WASHING Lachlan Delaney (coordinator) Aleks Kotaran Emma de Francesco Joanne Taylor Michael Woodward Peter Mende
DEFINITIONS Improved sources of drinking water: piped water into dwelling; piped water into yard/plot; public tap; tubewell or borehole; protected dug well; protected spring; rainwater Unimproved sources of drinking water: unprotected spring; unprotected dug well; cart with small tank or drum; tanker truck; surface water. Improved sanitation: flush toilet; piped sewer system; septic tank; flush to pit latrine; ventilated improved pit latrine; pit latrine with slab; composting toilet. Unimproved sanitation: flush/pour to elsewhere; pit latrine without slab; bucket; hanging toilet; bush or field facilities. www.wssinfo.org/definitions-methods/watsan-categories
All drawings and photographs by Matt Girvan unless stated otherwise. WASTE Juliet Landler (coordinator) Domenic Ciccio (Kelkel project manager) Nickson Haveo (Kelkel project manager) Graeme McIntyre (Aimodo project manager) Matt Girvan (Alembe project manager) Vesna Tomala (communications manager)
MATT GIRVAN: ROLES IN THE STUDIO Design & consultation as part of the waste team Project manager: Alembe latrines Project assistant: Kelkel latrines & Aimodo latrines Assistance in construction of the washing project Contributions to kit-of-parts handbook
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