Advanced Design Studio II creatively challenged me more than any other design class. Unlike the theoretical projects I had been accustomed to ADSII was an actual project with real repercussions. The semester project was to reuse a primary school in post-earthquake Haiti. The interests for the project were simple, yet fundamental: to provide the students a safe and comfortable learning environment. Specifically, the students of PEF deserve a school which they can go to daily with appropriate facilities and a proper learning environment.

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 Basic needs must be met; safe environment, clean water, reliable electricity, functional bathrooms, and an adequate kitchen must be put at the top of priorities. Perhaps the most perplexing aspect of this project is that as designers, we must learn how to prioritize needs and wants, in such a demanding program. Thus, the modification and accommodation of the current building, material selection, passive cooling, and cost sensibility while respecting sustainability, were the biggest challenge. The program’s requirements had to be seriously considered, and we had set a list of hierarchal needs. These included, but were not limited to; classrooms, library, food preparation, toilet facilities, assembly, administrative offices, mechanical space, medical space, and storage space.

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I became genuinely inspired by the perseverance and determination of Haitians as my research progressed and developed. The average household income is approximately $750 a year, and the yearly cost of primary school attendance is $400 a year. Thus, for a family with more than one child it becomes virtually impossible to send your children to school. In many instances the parents have to determine which child has the best opportunity to succeed in their studies. Therefore, these kids are told very often they are the future of Haiti. I dubbed the design “Project Atlas”: a heavy burden on tiny shoulders.