École Nationale Jacob Martin Henriquez Nonprofit / Operation USA Design Firm / Gensler
An on-going series of case studies that feature projects by ASID members participating in The 1% who are making pro bono service an integral part of design practice.
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DIALOGUE NONPROFIT / DESIGN FIRM
© PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE MAY 2014
An on-going series of case studies to make pro bono service an integral part of design practice
Project École Nationale Jacob Martin Henriquez Location Jacmel, Haiti Date 2010-2011 Nonprofit Operation USA Nonprofit liaison Susan Fassig Design firm Gensler Interior design Charrisse Johnston, ASID; Nila Leiserowitz, FASID Architecture Audrey Handelman; Evangelique Zhao; James Kelly; Konstanze Valdez; Nathan Kim; Nupur Sinha; Valentin Lieu; Wendi Gilbert Graphic design Anne Alexander Administrative Brianna Seabron Area School buildings: 40,375 sq. ft. Site: 1.5 acres Value of pro bono services $96,000 (est.) Project collaborators Honeywell Hometown Solutions, Honeywell Corporation; Miyamoto International More info www.gensler.com www.opusa.org www.honeywell.com www.miyamotointernational.com
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The École Nationale Jacob Martin Henriquez primary school project came to us through one of our coworkers who had been in contact with a friend at Operation USA, an international disaster relief and development agency that initiates rapid crisis response in places of direct need. This came about soon after the catastrophic magnitude 7 earthquake in Haiti in early 2010. The school project and the less central location of Jacmel gave us a real and impactful opportunity to help people who may have been overlooked in the wake of other suffering going on in larger cities. It provided a memorable learning experience for the Gensler team as well.
The École Nationale Jacob Martin Henriquez primary school in the Haitian city of Jacmel is a building we are all attached to and love. To this day, everybody involved cares deeply about the school and its community. Our presence in Jacmel remains strong. The school is a part of our family now.
Charrisse Johnston, ASID, Assoc. AIA, Project Manager / Interior Designer, Gensler Valentin Lieu, AIA, Senior Associate, Architect, Gensler
The design process began with representatives from Gensler’s Los Angeles office and Operation USA traveling down to
Susan Fassig, Director of Programs, Operation USA
Operation USA helps communities alleviate the effects of disasters, disease and endemic poverty by providing privately-funded relief, reconstruction, and development aid throughout the world. Our disaster response and relief efforts typically consist of two phases. During the first phase, we generally ship or airlift medical and shelter supplies to partnering agencies on the ground. The second phase is the rebuilding phase. Directly following the earthquake in Haiti, in January of 2010, Operation USA worked in direct
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An on-going series of case studies to make pro bono service an integral part of design practice
Jacmel to experience the city as well as our specific project site. We got to meet with key individuals from the community, school, and construction team who showed us the extent of the damage to the existing building. It was important for us to understand the local practice, building materials, and means of building efficiency. We recognized we needed to adapt to understand how to complete a project particular to Jacmel. The people living in Jacmel, especially the kids, were traumatized; that trauma was a factor during the design process. In contrast to our typically extensive development phase, there was a real sense of urgency here. The groundbreaking took place within nine months of the earthquake. Students began attending the school just eighteen months after the project started. The design process differed from our normal work in other ways as well. We dealt with problems such as availability of material and feasibility of transportation, which needed immediate resolution. Due to the structural needs of the site, the majority of the funds went into the shell of the buildings, in addition to the electrical and plumbing. We needed to come up with a creative solution for the mechanical systems—there was no money for ductwork or mechanical ventilation—so we relied on very fundamental principles of passive systems for the layout of the site. We chose to align the buildings north to south along the neighboring coastline in order to achieve cross-ventilation. The fresh coastal air is brought into the classroom spaces through large roof overhangs and slot openings below the roof. The school also doubles as a community center. To accommodate the dual intended uses of the school, we had to talk a lot about multipurpose spaces, traffic and circulation, how people entered into the space, and security. In order to meet our firmwide goals of social responsibility, we worked collaboratively to devise the best design strategies.
partnership with the Honeywell Corporation, which generously provided the funding for the construction of the school. Additionally, Honeywell’s help enabled us to bring much needed supplies and personnel to Jacmel. During the next phase, we coordinated with Gensler on the architecture and design of the school project. The epicenter of the earthquake was about half way between Portau-Prince and Jacmel. Though the epicenter was many miles from Jacmel, the devastation was severe. A colleague of mine was the primary contact with Gensler and had some preliminary conversations with Wendi Gilbert, one of the lead architects. We generally try to incorporate pro bono design in all of our building projects in the hopes of keeping as much money as possible available for the realization of each project. We were excited we could engage with Gensler because of their strong reputation; they were very dedicated and had a stellar team with whom we could all easily coordinate.
“In contrast to our typically extensive development phase, there was a real sense of urgency here.” — Valentin Lieu, AIA
The Gensler team began by travelling to Haiti in order to learn and confer with the community. It impressed me immensely that they were so willing to get on an airplane and go to Jacmel under less than perfect conditions. They were incredibly generous with their time. It was clear how willing they were to understand what the local needs were, what the school meant to the community, and how the community envisioned the school being used. They integrated the feedback they received with thought and concern, and incorporated it into the design. Throughout the process, the Gensler team was fully engaged.
The Gensler team covered a huge array of expertise. The team held varying specialties from interior design to architectural expertise in education, retail, mixed-use, contract,
The school is on a bluff, overlooking the Bay of Jacmel. It now serves 700 first through seventh grade students. What Gensler did was amazing; they matched the aesthetics of the school to the local beauty of the surrounding site. Today, the people of Jacmel take true pride in the campus and its unique features. Gensler designed the school in a way that allows it to also be used as a community center; the cafeteria is used for meetings and events, the athletic field is used when school is not in session, and there are sustainable community
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“Today, the people of Jacmel take true pride in the campus and its unique features.” — Susan Fassig
An on-going series of case studies to make pro bono service an integral part of design practice
gardens for fruits and vegetables. To design a smart, lasting building for the community, the Gensler team listened closely and worked absolutely skillfully. The project’s aim was to create a wonderful place for kids who otherwise have so little. The earthquake destroyed the area so extensively that it was difficult to access a lot of the necessary building materials. The local government was still finding its footing, which made integrating the buildings into the local infrastructure challenging. But an incredibly hard-working and willing community ensured the project’s success.
civic and institutional, and even aviation. They, in turn, worked with marketing and administration leaders. At Gensler, we really pride ourselves on not being put into professional silos. However, this project took that mentality to another level; there was a need for the design to come from a truly interdisciplinary effort. We all got feedback from each other on every aspect of the design. This project gave us a chance to see how all elements of design are interconnected. As an interior designer, one might be used to focusing on subtle, fine details, but, for this project, everyone had to constantly keep in mind the big-picture goal of building the school using only the available resources of Jacmel. We all literally sat together, came up with ideas, broke up into groups, worked, and then shared it. The process was intense. But it was so gratifying, and each team member gained further dexterity. During our visit to Jacmel, we were lucky enough to get a chance to tour the city. We took a lot of photographs of the various recurring colors and patterns that we saw on
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building facades or on the street paving. In the design process, we tried to incorporate what we saw into the school’s character. For example, we overlaid the building facades with locally inspired color patterns. By using different colors to identify specific spaces, we created an overall joyful and colorful custom project. Everyone really enjoyed how the composition worked out. The school itself was built by community members rather than outside laborers. More than 500 construction workers were employed, including 200 masons and thirty-five engineers trained in U.S. building standards and protocols. The construction of the school was a truly community effort in which the people of Jacmel were heavily involved. The entire process was an incredible learning experience. Our visit to Jacmel was also personally very touching. Coming into contact with the community we were building for gave the project a great significance. Back in the office, working on the project was not only fantastic for our
Locally standard construction methods left buildings structurally unsound, which presented another problem. Gensler brought in the structural engineering firm Miyamoto International. Miyamoto was able to design and build structures that could withstand significant earthquakes in the future. Not only were the structural issues of our project addressed, but, following the school’s completion, Miyamoto became an active advocate for new Haitian building codes at the governmental level. In Jacmel, the construction community has learned a lot from the project and now has a better understanding of what it means to build a seismically robust building. The collaborative partnership and expertise of both Gensler and Miyamoto allowed us to build a safe and structurally secure school. We were very lucky throughout the design and construction process itself. The city of Jacmel is home to a vibrant and proactive community. The mayor at the time, Edwin Zenny, is a young maverick. We spent a lot of time in consultation with him and other local city offiials. This project was something he really believed in and sincerely wanted to complete for his city. His support and enthusiasm were crucial, considering everything that occurred during the periods of design and construction: a cholera outbreak, a contested national election, and Hurricane Isaac. Each event impacted the employees, but we were able, thanks to their dedication, to get the school built. It was a uniquely challenging but incredibly rewarding process.
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An on-going series of case studies to make pro bono service an integral part of design practice
“As an interior designer, one might be used to focusing on subtle, fine details, but, for this project, everyone had to constantly keep in mind the big-picture goal of building the school using only the available resources of Jacmel.” — Charrisse Johnston, ASID, Assoc. AIA
team, but it really galvanized our entire firm. We became friends with people in the office that we otherwise rarely saw. We were also able to share the project with Gensler’s leadership. Publicizing École Nationale Jacob Martin Henriquez through our internal company blog and in our annual report prompted countless responses and inquiries into the process. The overwhelming support we received demonstrated our core values as a firm. Everyone who encountered this project and its story came away with a better understanding of the value of design to public service.
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THE 1% PROGRAM The 1% program is a first-of-its-kind effort to encourage pro bono service within the architecture and design professions. It connects nonprofits with architecture and design firms willing to give of their time. Learn More PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE Public Architecture is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in San Francisco. It engages architecture firms, nonprofits, and manufacturers to commit to design for the public good through its nationally recognized 1% program. Learn More THE SOCIETY OF INTERIOR DESIGNERS ASID is committed to advancing the profession and communicating the impact of interior design to enhance the human experience. Public Architecture supports the Society’s efforts to build awareness and opportunities for members to practice social responsibility and create positive impact through design. For more information, visit www.asid.org. IN PARTNERSHIP The 1% and the American Society of Interior Designers and its Foundation salute the Society’s members on staff at design firms who contribute over $9M in services annually to the most vulnerable communities through The 1% program.
All photography © Operation USA