Designed by TABB Architecture, their proposal for the Notre Dame de l’Assomption Cathedral in Port au Prince optimizes resources, producing designed solutions and teaming up for a change. Designing a New Cathedral for Port-au-Prince,not only will imply a beautiful, energy saving, affordable building, but a complete strategy plan to generate the labor force in order to sustain the local economy, teaching people construction techniques to support future needs. More images and architects' description after the break.
Haiti was shocked by a catastrophic earthquake, affecting around three million people, more than 315,000 fatalities and over 280,000 collapsed or damaged buildings. Port-au-Prince was the most devoured city by this tragedy, and within its lovely cathedral.
The Whole World, impressed and empathized by this disaster, responds with humanitarian aid, shelter, medical teams and support personnel. Haiti is a recyclable heaven, many companies nowadays work hardly to clean debree, as well as recycle wood, agglomerates and steel. We can profit by using these environmental friendly techniques to lower construction costs, clean the environment and offer good designed quality.
By proposing some of these topics we speed the construction process. Prefabricated concrete panels provide safe working modules while control and management get easier and in-site labor becomes neat and exact. Sustainability in Haiti means affordability and survivability, therefore, low-cost structures designed to resist earthquakes and hurricanes are our priority.
We need to listen to the people, their traditions, cultural heritage, their happiness… The cathedral will be designed to remember all those moments where the only thing people had was Hope. All the memories written, but at the same time, how the unification of the World, all the kindness and compassion of the Haitians and a little bit of help can overcome anything.
We are talking about friendship, helping one another, giving and receiving love. We are talking about a World Unity Symbol. We are talking about “Port-au-Prince new Cathedral”. We are talking about God!
Architect: TABB Architecture
Team: Bernardo Bieri, Daniel Carsolio, Fernanda Paniagua, Ariel Ballesteros, David Enriquez
Location: Port au Prince, Haiti
Design: 2012
