El Salvador development

El Salvador development

A redesign of a standard development plan for low income housing for a client working in El Salvador. The client required a more sustainable approach to the project without sacrificing the number of units on the lot. A high level of research was required to understand the culture El Salvador and what would be acceptable to the target market.

The client for this project had an engineered plan for the site which had few positive features. The central “green space was a government requirement for new development. The road grid passed every building lot. No natural features of the site were acknowledged.

Research determined that there was a potential for encouraging a local small scale economy. This led to looking at ways to configure the buildings to encourage that possibility. The concept was to create spaces where many potential activities could occur.

Alternative configurations were studied to provide a variety of spaces on the site. It was important to keep lot line as the potential was for individuals to buy a lot or an extended family to purchase a group of lots.

The final design for sustainability included the same number of units but had extra open space that was distributed throughout the development. Biological wetland treatment systems treated the graywater. Composting toilets were incorporated to reduce the possibility of groundwater contamination. Spaces for community buildings and a small shopping center were also added. While each lot has a vehicle access, a one way system makes walking a more viable option for short journeys. A small local industrial area was identified.

Construction materials were selected for local availability and acceptability. The walls are constructed with rammed blocks which use a manual hydraulic ramming process. The manufacture of these blocks from local earth could become a local small industry.

The building plan was kept simple to allow for owner building. The main structural walls are the exterior walls allowing the owner to position interior walls to meet their own needs. The open porch can be used for sleeping or can be enclosed to create another room at a later date.

The materials reflect acceptable local materials and the building form echoes indigenous buildings. The color indicates the kind of vibrant paints that are used on local buildings. In a hot humid climate cross ventilation is achieved by opening shutters that also provide night time security. High and low small vents also allow cross ventilation when the
large windows are open.

This perspective shows the two building cluster forms and the kind of open spaces within and around these clusters.

Perma-Park Project

Perma-Park Project

The owner of this site is considering the option of offering the lot to the neighborhood for purchase as permanent open space to provide both access to the National Forest and as a community asset. This project is intended to be vehicle to help integrate a broad range of sometimes incompatible requirements into a coherent sustainable plan for a piece of land in the Prescott bioregion. Students incorporated the principles of permaculture, taught throughout the semester to illustrate a sustainable approach to this design challenge.

The site was extensively studied for water, solar and subtle energy flows, vegetation, views, and fire.

Views of the site showed macro drainage fire breaks and fire source.

Topo models of the larger area where the park was located showed clearly the fire path and potential danger from forest fire.

The proposals were presented to the client. Anastasia

Public Water Fountain-El Salvador

Public Water Fountain
El Salvador

A design for a public source of drinking water for an affordable development in El Salvador provided some definition of infrastructure to the project done in the fall of 2002. This project brought the reality of conditions in low- income areas of developing countries and improved the delivery capabilities for basic services. The fountain is intended for domestic water collection, public laundry facility and a community gathering space.

This design emphasized the spiritual nature of water and incorporated flow forms as part of the delivery system. Made from locally available materials the sculptural form of this design make it a powerful public monument. Laura.

This form explored the flow of a wall and seating that expressed the movement of water. Cathy Mullan.

The Emotional Cube

The Emotional Cube

In this exercise is an exploration in three-dimensional design. Students were each given a volume six feet on a side and were asked to create a space that would evoke an emotion in a person experiencing the space. The intent is to explore different ways that space can be manipulated in three dimensions and what effect it can have on an occupant. Focused external views were encouraged if they enhanced the occupant’s experience of the space.

Design drawing for a meditative space. Rebecca Stahlnecher.

Looking up in a space the open roof and spiral form brought a sense of space to a small footprint. Carrie Ashendal.