Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
I also had the pleasure of taking a class with Mariam Kamara, a Nigerien
architect and urban designer. The class, Designing the 21st Century City in West
Africa, studied the role of imperialism in the urban and economic development
of West Africa, specifically Niger. The studio component of the course
culminated with a design project around economic informality country’s capital
of Niamey.
Finally in the class for which this magazine was created for, The Caribbean:
Cultures, Politics, Histories and Literature, I was lucky enough to be taught by
Patrick Sylvain and learn alongside other students of Caribbean heritage.
For the final project for this class I’ve decided to put together a small magazine
which seeks to capture the beauty, individuality, and history of architecture in
the Caribbean, linking the ideas and concepts to those discussed this semester
in the seminar.
Table of Contents
6 10
Introduction Imperialism
Why Architecture Imperalism in Space
4
13 20 25
Haiti Jamaica What’s Next
Gingerbread Houses The Jamaican Veranda Current Work
Haiti’s distinct and unique The Jamaican Veranda has What is the future of
gingerbread houses. French shifted from a colonial space architecture in the Caribbean?
‘inspired’ yet completely into a culturally and socially How is architecture being used
Haitian. Reconciling this significant space in Jamaica. to repair social challenges?
relationship.
5
Introduction
6
Hotel Sevilla, Havana Cuba ; Alka Patel 2003
7
Guadeloupe, Pointe à Pitre; La cathédrale Saint Pierre Saint Paul
Board house on Bay Street corner, Bridgetown, Saint Michael, Barbados; Nelson, Louis 2004
8
The image on the left of the board house in Bar-
bados is an example of Bajan vernacular architec-
The Caribbean remains distinct from Sub Saharan
ture. Corrugated metal roofs are frequently seen
Africa. Much of structural design in Sub Saha-
in vernacular architecture as they often represent
ran Africa represents the imposition of Western
the most available, structurally sound, and sus-
forms on African Soil with interspersed vernacu-
tainable roofing material.
lar architecture. On the other hand, the spaces
in the Caribbean represent an amalgamation of
countless ideas and influences, a sort of architec-
Discussions of vernacular architecture have
tural creolitie reflecting largely reflective of the
only just begun in the design community. Many
rich history of the Caribbean.
contemporary architects are only now realizing
the feasibility and sustainable design of vernacu-
lar structures. 21st century architects are using
Despite the significant influence of colonization,
vernacular techniques to develop sustainable
the architecture of the Caribbean represents a
solutions for the future.
creolitie of design, with western forms and ideals
melded with non western principals to create
architecture which is distinctly Caribbean.
What’s often left out of these discussions of
vernacular architecture are vernacular forms in
‘black countries.’ The Caribbean and Sub Saharan
Africa are rich with vernacular architecture which
has developed distinctly in response to the ef-
fects of colonization.
9
La Maison
Tropicale
French “Superiority” Gone Wrong
A 5 million dollar house that can fit into two shipping La Maison Tropicale is largely representative of neo im-
containers. The Maison Tropicale was designed by Jean perialist ideologies of design principles. Prouve and the
Prouve in 1940 to respond to what the french viewed as french government hoped to bring about social trans-
a lack of acceptable housing in the French Colonies of formation in their designs based on the universalist no-
West Africa, primarily in Niger and the Congo. tion that cultural differences could simply be overcome
by technological advancements.
10
Malian filmmaker, Manthia Diawara, produced a docu- The Maison Tropicale failed in these West African cities.
mentary about the Maison Tropicale in 2008, the docu- It has now become the emblem prefabrication, despite
mentary shows the locations of the houses and explores its complete and utter failure. This is not the sole case
the relationship between the local community and these of the French imposing structures in West Africa, as this
imposed spaces. trend is evident in the French imposed design of many
cities.
11
Floor Plans and Elevations of Prouve’s Maison Tropicale
12
Photos of the Maison Tropicale in Niamey (Top) and in Brazzaville (Bottom)
13
14
Haiti’s
Gingerbread
Houses
Legacy of Haitian Architecture
15
During the mid 1860s, Haiti’s capital, with French ones. The ceilings are
Port au Prince underwent exponential intentionally built high for ventilation.
economic growth which lead to the Likewise the four sides of the pyramidal
formation of a very wealthy class of hipped roofs can withstand hurricane
traders, merchants and professionals. winds and helped these buildings and
Wealthy neighborhoods developed their residents to survive during the
within and around the city, as the new 2010 earthquake.
upper class sought to free themselves
from the rapidly densifying city center. These houses represent the Creolite of
Two neighborhoods Bois Verna and the island, French techniques combined
Turgeau became the home to many of with vernacular architecture unique to
these new bourgeoisie. the island, adorned with African vodou
symbols.
At the same time, a number of Haitian
architects left the island to study Gingerbread houses have become part
architecture in Paris. Georges Baussan, of the culture in Port Au Prince. William
Leon Matheu, and Eugene Maximilien Daniels/ Panos captured the relationship
were three Haitian architects whom between the owners of these houses
when upon their return to the island and the houses themselves. They have
began disseminating their own become spaces of Haitian culture,
interpretation of European styles life, and resilience even at the face of
throughout the country. disaster.
16
Paul Max Dure reading a newspaper in his Gingerbread house, once occupied by a former Haitian
President; WIlliam Daniels 2010
17
Gingerbread Homes; WIlliam Daniels 2010
18
A pair of dancers practice in Gauthier’s home, where she runs her studio; WIlliam Daniels 2010
19
The Jamaican Veranda
A STUDY OF THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF AN ARCHITECTURAL FEATURE
20
“Though the
Veranda was
introduced as a
foreign structure,
it has become a
key component of
jamaican
society.”
21
22
TheFuture
WHERE ARCHITECTURE IN THE CARIBBEAN IS HEADING
23
ECOLE DEL’ESPOIR
24
“The new Aeronautical and Aerospace Insti-
tute of Puerto Rico spearheads a nascent com-
Aerospace
rently with a new Lufthansa Technik Aircraft
Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO)
Hangar at what was formerly Ramey Air Force
25
Introduction
Maison Tropical
Failed Architecture. “La Maison Tropicale: From Failure in Niamey to Masterpiece in NYC.” Failed Architecture, faile-
darchitecture.com/la-maison-tropicale-from-failure-in-niamey-to-masterpiece-in-new-york/#comments.
Gingerbread Houses
Jamaican Veranda
Hudson, Brian J. “THE CARIBBEAN VERANDA: A STUDY OF ITS FUNCTION AS REVEALED IN JAMAICAN LITERATURE.”
Journal of Architectural and Planning Research, vol. 23, no. 2, 2006, pp. 147–159. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/sta-
ble/43030766.