Gerbrandt Arch Thesis PDF

growing density:
approaching housing in
the dominican republic
in conjunction with
habitat for humanity, santo domingo
densidades abiertas -
en entorno vivienda:
concepto y aplicación en la
república dominicana
con habitat para la humanidad,

santo domingo
growing density: approaching housing in the dominican republic
table of contents
list of images and diagrams v

abstract vii
introduction 1
current conditions 3
habitat para la humanidad 4
the investigation 6
methodology 8
existing site: 9
habitat nagua project 9
quality of life 13
physical comfort 15
community life 27
self-reliance 40
environmental aspects 88
iii
list of images
and diagrams
Bamboo images where noted courtesy Villegas, Marco,

Tropical Bamboo.
All other bamboo images taken by the author while in

Thailand.
As noted, all images of urban substandard housing and

Habitat buildings courtesy Habitat para la Humanidad
[hph-rd], Santo Domingo.
All rural Habitat images and study model images taken

by the author.
All Figures extracted from panel images from thesis de-

fence on May 1, 2004 and revisions for presentation to
Habitat for Humanity, Santo Domingo, May 2005.
v
abstract
Of a population of over 8 million, 80% live in substandard

conditions, making Habitat’s work in the DR just a
“drop in the bucket”. Given the high value of land and
construction materials, investigating adjustments to
housing approach and developing strategies, initial and
over time, may help to house more families and increase
availability of materials, all the while using design as
a tool to implement a “step up” in quality of life for the
disenfranchised.
The explorations fall under two general strategies that
relate to quality of life and consider initial and future
builds:
I. Numbers: Address issue of sheer number of

families living in substandard conditions and
consider value in land and densification – Given the
hard numbers of disenfranchised people, every inch of
land becomes extremely valuable and housing as many
people as possible on a given plot of land becomes
the biggest concern. In addition, the value in density
becomes evident: physical density, promoting air flow;
communal spaces distributed throughout a dense site
and possibilities for shared childcare, both encouraging
community life; and the possibility of sharing roofs to
catch rainwater, promoting independence from relying
on inconsistent government-supplied infrastructure.
view of a shanty town along a river in the Dominican Republic,

courtesy Habitat para la Humanidad, Santo Domingo ix
II. Grow & Build – Address Issue of Access to

Materials –Grow & Build explores the idea of growing
one’s own building materials - namely bamboo - in
order to encourage self-reliance, to create and enhance
social spaces, to promote community and privacy inside
and outside the home, and to personalize one’s home
and property, leading to a sense of dignity and pride in
ownership.
These two strategies were the driving force behind

investigations of improving quality of life in the following
categories: Physical Comfort and Health, Community
Life, Self-Reliance, and Environmental aspects relating
to the health of the homeowners and the well-being of
Thai bamboo used for concrete slab reinforcement by Habitat for
Humanity in Lampang, Thailand
the environment.
A series of possibilities were explored to help
work alongside Habitat for Humanity to achieve their
goal of housing the poorest in the semi-urban areas of
the Dominican Republic, at no extra expense, but with
added benefits. The strategies are based on an existing
site [Nagua] and can be applied to future sites.
xi
introduction
current conditions
habitat para la humanidad
the investigation
methodology
existing site: habitat nagua project
photos of Dominican coun-

tryside and vegetation
current conditions
The geographic beauty of the Dominican Republic

masks the poverty of its citizens. Approximately 80%
of a population of over 8 million lives in substandard
conditions. Rising costs for services like water and
electricity which are both regularly disrupted and
unreliable intensifies the situation. Inflation rates make
even staples like rice and beans expensive. As a result,
it is not uncommon for families to build their own shelter
with collected scraps and fragments of used building
materials, including such materials as rotted wood
and rusted, corrugated tin sheets. Families store and
photo of substandard accumulate scraps and add building components to their
housing courtesy hph-rd
homes as needed.
3
more Dominican veg-
etation and scenery
habitat para la humanidad
Habitat for Humanity in the Dominican Republic is

active in replacing substandard housing with decent, safe
shelter. Families apply for Habitat loans and participate
in the building process, alongside volunteers and skilled
labourers.
The Habitat chapter in Santo Domingo is limited by
their ability to acquire both land and construction materials.
In fact, land is the single hardest thing for them to obtain.
Habitat can build only on donated land or land owned by
families; however, donated land is hard to come by and
Habitat must work hard in lobbying influential economic photos of substandard housing courtesy hph-rd
groups. In addition, very few families applying for Habitat

loans actually own the land they live on. With the majority
of the population living in substandard conditions, it forces
Habitat’s impact in the capital and in the DR to be only a
“drop in the bucket”.
The few families who own land typically live in
rural areas. Being that the agriculture industry has been
in decline, these families move to the city to find new work
and a new life and thereby lose their rights to the land they
once owned. Habitat approves loans for families who come
directly from rural areas, but address the poorest families
4
first, those who have come from rural areas where they
have owned land, but have now settled in shantytowns
photos of Habitat construction courtesy hph-rd
on the outskirts of cities.
Families rely heavily on Habitat to provide the
land, in turn forcing Habitat to depend on donated land
as the main form of land acquisition. Habitat actively
lobbies affluent groups and individuals for donated land.
Approximately 75% of Habitat’s work is in the
semi-urban areas of the provinces, the type of former
agricultural land that is most typically donated. Land in
the outskirts of major cities and within the capital is less
often donated.
Habitat’s focus on donated land shapes the
thesis investigation to focus on dwellings in semi-urban
areas.
Construction materials are also hard to obtain.
The materials need to be hurricane- and earthquake-
proof, but concrete, cinderblock, re-bar, and plywood
formwork are expensive. Dominican families that
have lived through natural disasters refuse to live in
any material less solid than concrete and cinderblock.
Concrete and cinderblock are also a the sign that a
family has ‘moved up’ the economic ladder. Other big
cost generators in any Habitat project are materials such
as PVC for water lines, a septic system, bathroom and
5
kitchen fixtures, wooden doors and window louvres.
In addition, the high inflation rate forces Habitat to
constantly narrow down their budget. In one year where
a rural village in Co-
they may have planned for 50 homes on one site, only lombia, situated on
precarious hilltop: photo
40 homes may be built, mostly due to the rising cost of courtesy Villegas, Marco,
cement. Tropical Bamboo
the investigation
Given the high value of land and construction

materials, the investigation concerned adjustments
to housing approach and strategies, initial and over
time, which could help to house more families and
increase availability of materials. In so doing, a series of
possibilities were explored, looking at how design could
numbers access to
be used as a tool to provide a “step up” in quality of life, materials
physically, socially, personally, and environmentally. quality of life
The intent was to work alongside Habitat for Humanity
to achieve their goal of housing the poorest in the semi- physical comfort
urban areas of the Dominican Republic - at no extra
expense and with added benefits. community life
The investigation and explorations fall under self-reliance

two general strategies that relate to Quality of Life.
Both deal with initial and future builds. One strategy environmental
concerns the issue of Numbers: housing as many
figure 1_diagram of thesis investigation strategies and explorations
6
people as possible on a given plot of land. Further to this

strategy is an investigation into the value of density. The
other strategy looks at providing Access to Materials:
growing one’s own construction materials. The following
paragraphs describe the strategies in more detail:
I. Numbers: Address issue of sheer number of families

living in substandard conditions and consider value in
land and densification: Given the sheer number of
families living in substandard conditions, every inch of
land becomes extremely valuable and housing as many
people as possible on a given plot of land becomes the
biggest concern. The value in density becomes evident:
density at the physical level to promote increased air
barrio bajo puente
- neighbourhood under flow; density at the social level: communal spaces
the bridge; photo cour-
tesy hph-rd
distributed throughout a dense site, offering possibilities
for shared childcare and encouraging community life;
and density on a personal level: the possibility of sharing
roofs to catch rainwater, promoting independence from
relying on government-supplied infrastructure.
II. Grow & Build: Address access to materials issue:

Grow & Build explores the idea of growing one’s
own building materials - namely bamboo - in order to
encourage self-reliance, create and enhance social
7
spaces, promote community and privacy inside and outside
the home, and personalize one’s home and property,
providing a sense of dignity and pride in ownership.
photos of Nagua site before and during construc-
tion, courtesy hph-rd
These strategies were the driving force behind
investigations of improving quality of life in the following
categories: Physical Comfort, Community Life, and Self-
Reliance, and Environmental aspects relating to the health
of the homeowners and the well-being of the environment.
methodology
The methodology of the investigation was to study an
example of an existing Habitat project and to explore
how fine and careful adjustments could be made in terms
of these strategies, such that added benefit could be
achieved. The investigations of the specific site would then
lead to a series of possibilities that could serve as general
approaches of site, building typology, infrastructure, and
materials, to be applied to future projects.
8
existing site:
habitat nagua project
photos of Nagua site during construction, courtesy
hph-rd The chosen site is a recently completed project
in the province of Nagua, located on the northern coast of
the country. The project includes 44 single-family, single-
storey units, with a large communal and green space at
the northeast corner of the site [figure 3]. Habitat allots
a minimum of 150 sqm of land to each family [figure 4],
with 50 sqm for the home, and in the future just enough
space to add on a veranda in the front yard and an extra
bedroom for a teenager or grandmother in the backyard.
The homes are constructed entirely of cinderblock, with
a structural slab at grade [for soil and flooding purposes]
and a concrete roof slab, specifically requested by the
families to store belongings during floods [see figures 5
and 6].
Many of the people living in the Nagua project
are originally from shantytowns. They are families of
no larger than five members, the heads of households
holding such jobs/positions as teacher, police officer,
lawyer, construction worker or farmer. It is usually the
case that both parents work. The site is somewhat
isolated - about a 30-minute motorbike ride from the
figure 2 _ plan of current single-family, single-storey

Habitat home on Nagua site, courtesty hph-rd
9
figure 3 _ existing site plan of Nagua, courtesy hph-rd
10
figure 4 _ lot partitions and areas, courtesy hph-rd
11
figure 5 _ elevations of Habitat home in Nagua,
courtesy hph-rd
project - most parents commute to the nearest city to
work.
With school consisting of three sessions
a day, parents rely on extended family such as a
grandmother to watch over their children until they
return from work. Families may also entrust their
children to the care of neighbours. This model of
childcare is also common in the rural villages from
which the majority of families come. Although the
families in the Nagua project come from different
places and may not previously have known each
other, Dominicans are very open, friendly, and
hospitable, acquainting themselves quickly, thus
making childcare sharing feasible. photos courtesy hph-rd
Dominicans love to socialize on the
veranda, where they can relax while watching their
children and greeting passers-by. Other domestic
activities may include washing and hanging laundry,
collecting and accumulating construction materials
for future builds, cooking over an open fire or with
small stoves fuelled by propane tanks, purchasing
water from the government itinerant trucks, filling up
buckets of tap water for flushing toilets and for other
uses, repairing the family motorbike in the backyard.
Aspirations of self-reliance and stepping up the
economic ladder are always present.
12 figure 6 _ cross sections and longitudinal sections of single-storey,

single-family Habitat home in Nagua, courtesy hph-rd
quality of life
physical comfort
community life
self-reliance
environmental aspects
quality of life
physical comfort
natural ventilation
photos of substandard housing courtesy hph-rd
A fresh breeze in a humid climate can provide both

a comfortable and healthy living environment. The
northeast trade winds blow consistently year-round
and are considered the prevailing breeze in the
DR. Taking advantage of these winds and orienting
buildings accordingly could provide for a better comfort
level. Given that natural ventilation is governed by
building orientation, the investigation explored how the
positioning of buildings could improve overall comfort
level through providing a breeze, while at the same time
typical cooking lean-to at
the back of a home maximize the use of land and the number of people
housed.
Orienting buildings such that the longer side
is parallel to the prevailing breeze, with wind-catchers
at windows along the lanes could provide for natural
ventilation in a dense project. The lanes could be kept
free from obstacles and be used for circulation and
access.
Initially, I investigated various options such as
orienting the long side of buildings perpendicular to the
northeast trade winds. Given the general rule of thumb
15
figure 7 _encourage natural ventilation by means of
breeze lanes parallel to northeast trade winds, working
with architectural elements such as wind-catchers
that building height mulitiplied by a factor of six equals the

minimum distance between homes in order to achieve
sufficient ventilation, the total number of homes with this
orientation including a road through the middle of the site
could be only 75% of what Habitat currently provides at
the site [figure 8]. Without a road [figure 9], the same
configuration yields only 7% more homes than what Habitat
16
figure 8 _ single-storey, long side of building perpen-

dicular to prevailing breeze, with road in middle, 75% figure 10 _ two-storey, four-family model, long side of building perpendicular
of what habitat provides to prevailing breeze, 54% more than what Habitat currently provides
figure 9 _ single-storey, long side of building perpen- figure 11 _ single-storey, long side of building
dicular to prevailing breeze, 7% more than Habitat parallel to prevailing breeze, 168% more than what
currently provides; minimum distance between Habitat currently provides already provides. In addition, the space between the homes
homes 32.4m
could not be used for storage or plantings, given that any
obstacles would seriously diminish the amount of fresh air
entering the home. Considering the same perpendicular
orientation, but with a different building typology - a two-
storey, four-family unit [figure 10] - although the number
of people housed is increased by 54%, again the space
17
figure 12 _ two-storey,
four-family model, long
side of building parallel
to prevailing breeze, 72%
more than what Habitat
currently provides, but air
not drawn out of all flats
veranda of a substandard home, courtesy hph-rd looking down a lane way

onto shanty town dwellings
would need to be kept clear of obstacles and plantings below, courtesy hph-rd
which would diminish the amount of fresh air entering

the home. In addition, the idea of necessitating vast,
open spaces seemed counter to the premise of housing
as many people as possible and considering the value in
every square inch of land. Keeping spaces uncluttered
and free of obstacles also opposes the cultural tendency
18
school situated close to road, as road is central to Dominican life and

culture - in fact, building one’s home next to the road is more desireable
than having beautiful views ; courtesy hph-rd
figure 13 -_ single-storey, 45 degree angle to

prevailing breeze, 47% of what habitat currently
provides; requires vast amounts of open space of accumulating and storing building materials over time.
The perpendicular building orientation also does not take
into account what might happen if the land to the north
and east of the site were developed in the future, perhaps
blocking off the breeze altogether [figure 10; alson, more
in the section on self-reliance, bamboo gardens and future
ventilation, p. 75, figure 72].
photo courtesy hph-rd
Instead of trying to work with the conventional
19
idea of open space to facilitate ventilation, I focussed on
creating lanes between homes, making the value in density
clear: the more homes, the more lanes, the more air to
more homes [figures 7 and 11]. Thus, the very proximity
of the buildings and density on site generate the condition
for obtaining sufficient ventilation. With lanes running
parallel to the trade winds, wind-catchers would act as
building elements to draw the air in and ventilation flaps
in the interior partition wall would ensure cross-ventilation
in the home. The wind-catchers and ventilation flaps
could be made of bamboo screens, allowing for creative
interpretation and individualizing of homes, as well as
minimising cost [more in section on Self-Reliance, Grow &
Build].
With this approach, at two storeys 168% of the
homes that Habitat provides would be allowable on site,
without considering a road and property allotments at this
stage [see figure 11]. I also explored how a four-family
typology with the same parallel orientation might work on
the site [figure 12]. An increase of 72% more homes could
be provided, but the air drawn in via the wind-catchers
could not be drawn out of all the units, the lower northeast
unit having no means by which to circulate and draw out
air, except into the adjacent unit. I proceeded then, with
the two-storey, two-family typology, given that air could be
drawn in and out at both levels.
figure 14 _ ground level, stair on public side

20
building typology shifts and trade-offs

In order to improve ventilation within the home,
I investigated shifts in building typology from the Habitat
model. The two-storey, two-family home allows for
more people to be housed on one plot of land than the
existing single-family, single-storey Habitat model, while
at the same time accommodates ventilation. Increasing
the height by even one more storey - to three storeys
- decreases air intake and privacy considerably, as stair
access passes windows and blocks wind-catchers for
more than two storeys [see figure 18].
Habitat’s homes are built with a structural
slab above grade [figure 6] for soil and drainage
purposes, leaving an enclosed air gap beneath the slab.
However, the cooling of the ground slab seemed a great
advantage for cooling the home. Therefore, I looked at
replacing the interior and exterior load-bearing masonry
walls with perimeter and interior concrete columns [see
plan in figure 16]. In the case of the interior columns,
families could create their own infill bamboo partition
wall between the columns [increases building width by
600mm, figures 14 and 15 in plan and figures 20 and 21
in section], which would provide opportunity for cross-
ventilation within the home. In the case of the perimeter
columns with cinderblock as infill above the floor slab,
figure 15 _ upper level, stair on public side

21
figure 16 _ replacing interior and exterior load- figure 17_ compromised ventilation in plan with
bearing masonry walls with perimeter and inte- entry road at north edge of site
rior concrete columns to increase ventilation
22
traditional houses in
Lampang, Thailand
figure 18_ three-storey typology in elevation, com- figure 19 _elevation showing compromised
promises ventilation and private space ventilation and private space when road located
at north edge of site
view of Thomspon House ironwork and colour on view of Thomspon House

in Bangkok, Thailand a Dominican ‘colmado’ in Bangkok, Thailand
[corner store] near
Pasobajito, DR
23
view between build-
ings in Bangkok,
Thailand
figure 20 _ typological shifts in section
the space between columns below the slab would be freed

up for free-flowing air to cool the slab and the home. The
space below the slab could also incorporate a cool storage
for food [accessible only from indoors at the kitchen] and
fencing below the perimeter walls to hinder small animals
from crawling below the ground slab.
Replacing the flat concrete roof [figure 6] with a
pitched roof [figures 20 and 21] would eliminate the night-
24
time irradiating of heat that is collected in the roof’s

concrete mass during the day. The pitched roof would
consistently allow hot, humid air to rise up and out of the
figure 21_ hip roof to
augment ventilation during building and therefore help with general air flow within
dry season and to increase
strength against hurricanes
the building at the upper level. A pitched roof also allows
during wet season for better rainwater collection [more in the Section on
self-reliance: ownership].
image of bambo
roof overhang; Bamboo may be constructed in combination
courtesy Villegas,
with concrete at the poured sections of block [for seismic
Marco, Tropical
Bamboo reasons], tying the roof to the structure. In many tropical,
humid climates the hipped roof [see figure 21] withstands
hurricanes and tropical storms much better than a
standard pitch roof. However, any pitched bamboo roof
can be securely fastened to the structure to withstand
hurricane force winds by means of hurricane straps, as
well as by bamboo struts connecting the floor slab to the
roof structure.
While the upper flat would benefit from the air
movement that the pitched roof provides, the ceiling of
the ground level flat could be raised by an extra 0.5m to
view between buildings in encourage air flow, with screened openings at the top of
Bangkok, Thailand
walls underneath the roof slab to allow hot air to exit and
to keep rats from entering the home.
Cross-ventilation within the home can be
figure 22 _ sketch detail of further encouraged through removeable flaps located in
bamboo wind-catcher and the bamboo wall [also figures 20 and 21], which would
section detail with dengue
mosquito screen act like valves to facilitate air flow from one side of the
25
bamboo overhangs by architect Simone Velez,
Colombia, courtesy Villegas, Marco, Tropical
building to the other. Although the bamboo wall would Bamboo
not provide as much acoustic privacy as the cinderblock

wall, acoustic panels could be made of bamboo-cement
composite materials and placed within the wall to reduce
sound transmission. A loft may also be incorporated
above the bedroom and be connected to the structure of
the bambo wall, in order to maintain acoustic privacy to the
parents’ bedroom [see section on self-reliance: dignity].
As part of the natural ventilation system, the wind-
catchers at the window openings could be integrated with
dengue mosquito screens, to be used at dawn and dusk
to protect homeowners from the dengue mosquito [figure
22]. The wind-catchers, made completely of bamboo with
metal wire pins connecting them to the window openings,
could be propped open during the rest of the day to allow
for fresh air flow.
26 effects of light through bamboo screens;

image courtesy Villegas, Marco, Tropical Bamboo
effects of light through bamboo screen/clerestory
community life
main access to site
In order to accommodate emergency vehicles
and future garbage disposal, I looked at variations of
road location. The road on the Nagua site runs through
the middle of the site and connects with an existing
view of Thompson House
with roof overhang sup-
road to the west side of the site [figure 3]. The road
ports, Bangkok, Thailand is 6m wide, with 0.5m ditches and 1m sidewalks on
both sides. I explored shrinking the road to 3m [figure
24], so that 50% less surfacing would be required, and
view of Thompson
House with roof incorporated bulges for passing and turn-arounds for
overhang supports,
Bangkok, Thailand on-coming, passing traffic. However, regardless of
road size, positioning the road in the middle diminished
the possibility of spaces for community life between
buildings. Therefore, I investigated the consequences
of locating the 3m wide road at the far south and north
edges of the site. At the south edge [figure 25] the least
amount of road surface is required to sufficiently access
all the lanes. The road at the north edge [figures 26]
requires more paving to access the east edge of the site,
although in this case still less paving is required than the
current Nagua model. Placing the road at the north edge
allows for increased opportunity for ventilation in the
future, should the land to the north and east of the site
figure 23 _ perspective rendering: approaching 27

the site
be developed in the future [See section in Self-Reliance:
Grow & Build, Bamboo Gardens for detailed information].
However, being that the location of the road is crucial
view of poverty housing on Dominican hillside, with
in determining the most efficient circulation throughout poorest homes furthest from road and highest up hill
the site and dictates the most appropriate entry to the
home, the road on the north edge became problematic. It
creates an awkward entry to the homes, given the logic of
breezeways running parallel to the northeast tradewinds
and stairs obstructing the wind-catchers and decreasing
privacy for the families [see figure 28; also figure 17,
section on physical comfort]. Therefore, situating the road
gathering of women
along the south edge of the site was not only efficient in and children in poor
saving space, but was also the most reasonable choice Dominican village
given the issue of access to the homes, privacy and

ventilation.
circulation and communal spaces

Habitat allots a minimum 150 sqm of property to each family
[figure 4]. Working with 150 sqm per family [figure 29] for
two-storey buildings for two families positioned according
to the logic of positioning homes parallel to the northeast
trade winds, I discovered that some properties overlap and
others have gaps between them at various points on the
site. Not all families would have 150 sqm to start with -
some properties would have to decrease and others would
28
Dominican schoolboy in
uniform
need to increase in order to accommodate a clear path
of circulation through the middle of the site, making the
communal areas and the entire site accessible.
Having established the logic of building
orientation based on natural ventilation, and working
from the northwest corner of the site on the premise
of a minimum average of 150 sqm per family, a
comprehensible path of circulation of a minimum of
2.0m in width could be established throughout the
site by shaving off and adding to properties where
necessary, making the site permeable [figure 30].
gathering of women Community buildings would be located at the northwest
and children in poor
Dominican village and southeast corners of the site, on smaller properties:
a self-help building centre near entry and medical clinic
for the community at the end of the road, respectively.
The community space provided by Habitat at
Nagua is a large space on the northeast corner of the
site - a green space and a space alloted for community
buildings, together comprising approximately 2138sqm.
Given the site is about a thirty-minute motorbike ride
away from the nearest city, communal areas are
essential. However, it seemed that there could be
more community life in communal spaces if they were
distributed throughout the site, providing for more
opportunities to acquaint oneself with neighbours at an
29
figure 24_ one-way road through middle of site, 3m figure 26 _ one-way road at north edge of site,
wide with passing section doesn’t access lanes on east edge
figure 25 _ one-way road at south edge of site, access figure 27 One-way road at north and east
all lanes edges, requires more paving to access lanes on
individual as well as a community level. Three such spaces east edge
- at the “front door”, “back door” and in the heart of the site
[figure 30] - in conjunction with the previously established
circulation scheme meandering through the middle of the
site help to provide opportunities for interaction amongst
homeowners, as well as a comprehensible method of way-
finding through the site [figure 31]. Bamboo could be grown
30
figure 28_road at north edge limits ventilation and figure 30 _ permeable circulation through the site; front
private space door, back door, and central communal spaces
figure 29 _ Resultant circulation & communal figure 31 _ public lanes set off from communal spaces
space working with150 sqm of property each [by a private lane], yet connected to communal spac-
es by the central circulation spine in these smaller communal spaces and building projects
worked on collectively. While Habitat homeowners are
collecting building materials as well as growing and
seasoning bamboo, they may agree as neighbours to
temporarily blur boundary lines between their homes to
allow for temporary transitional housing for friends and
family on their way to owning a Habitat home. The space
31
view down a lane in a shanty town along the river;
image courtesy hph-rd
figure 32 _ perspective rendering: entering a semi-

public lane
could also be used for parents to watch over their children
as they play, for families to assemble for larger events and
festivities, for self-help learning groups to assemble and
teach each other about building with bamboo, or simply
for growing more bamboo [with care taken such that the
bamboo does not grow over into the lanes].
32
figure 34 _ no home bounded on both sides by

a public lane
figure 33 _ perspective rendering: Entering a com- figure 35 _ private lanes

munal space and communal spaces
public/private lanes
I set the condition that the public-private edges of the

homes [as defined by the public and private sides of each
current Habitat home in Nagua, as seen in figure 2, as well
as in figures 14 and 15] would determine whether lanes
are public, private or semi-public/private. The hierarchy
33
figure 36 _ private-private lanes figure 38 _ private-public lanes
figure 37 _ public-public lanes
of lanes is as follows: private-private, public-public, and

private-public [figures 36-38]. Certain lanes from the main
road leading to the communal spaces would be the main
public lanes, 3.5m in width. All other lanes would be 2.5m
wide and be considered either private or semi-private,
and not as frequented by motorbikes. In the case for
the homes closest to the communal spaces [four homes,
eight families in total], I set the condition that no home be
34
possibilities for curved
bamboo fences and
childcare; image cour-
tesy Villegas, Marco,
Tropical Bamboo
bounded on both sides by two public lanes [figures 34

and 35], in order to provide an equal level of privacy for
every family living on the site. The hierarchy was that
public-public lanes would be set off from communal
spaces [by one private lane on either side of and running
into the communal spaces as in figure 31], yet still have
access to the communal spaces by means of the central
circulation spine.
shared childcare
progressive study
models, exploring One of the distinct advantages of living in a
possibilities for
shared childcare
dense project is that of shared childcare. Split bamboo,
grown and seasoned on the family property, could be
children playing in poor
Dominican village
used to create adjustable, flexible fences to be set up
as temporary guards for childcare. The fences could
be expanded and extended over time to create shared
playing areas, and could also be attached to neighbours’
fences, creating a hedge of space where parents could
watch over their children while hanging up laundry
in the yard. Families could utilise private-public and
private-private lanes for setting up adjustible fences for
child-minding and thereby keep the public-public lanes
free for alternate routes of passage and circulation
throughout the site [figure 39]. In these temporary
35
figure 39 _ shared childcare with adjustable fences
across private-private and private-public lanes progressive study models exploring shared spaces
figure 40 _ shared childcare bamboo fencing for teak tree garden in

across central circulation rural Thailand
cases, lanes would need to be diverted, and alternate paths spine blocks off site circula-
tion altogether
to communal spaces considered. Private-public lanes are
most conducive for creating such childcare sharing spaces
because of the integrated veranda space as a convenient
area where parents could at the same time socialize with
other parents and watch their children. Therefore, these
veranda spaces for watching children could be incorporated
36
bamboo fencing in
Sanpatong,Thailand
into a temporary shared space. Over time, private-private

lanes would become less and less conducive to childcare
sharing, as families make additions to their homes in the
future and the lanes become more enclosed. There are
only a few places on the site where the ideal condition for
child-minding occurs [as highlighted in figure 39]. Families
without this option can be encouraged to join the families
37
that do have the option, thus increasing interaction between
families and encouraging shared childcare throughout the
site .
Shared childcare would not be possible for
families with properties facing each other across the
central circulation spine because the fences, although
temporary, would block off circulation altogether [figure 40].
However, the families could still use the communal spaces
for general child-minding while sitting on the veranda or
alternatively, could pair up with other families who do have
homes across private-public lanes.
veranda and lane
Veranda and road form a space for life and social

activity in Dominican culture. At the Nagua site, Habitat
provides space near the road for homeowners who in the
future want to add on a veranda. The homes next to the
main road have verandas that benefit from overlooking the
main road as well as the lane [see figure 3].
Although having a veranda space in proximity to
the main road is not possible for all families in the scheme
I’ve developed thus far, densifying the site through orienting
ventilation lanes parallel to the northeast trade winds and
filtering them throughout the site, transforms the lanes into
figure 41 _ perspective rendering:close-up of veranda and stair leading

38
to upper level flat, a place where families may interact
places onto which verandas face. Therefore, wherever

Dominican verandas cour-
tesy hph-rd possible I situated the veranda spaces facing the public
lanes as well as near communal spaces.
The veranda becomes the main meeting
point of the two families sharing a building, where the
highlights of the day occur when neighbours meet each
other in passing in the lane or ascending the stair [figure
41]. Thus the value in promoting community life through
density once again becomes clear. In the initial build and
continuing into future builds, families owning the upper
level flat would cross paths with families owning the
ground level flat at the edge of the veranda at ground,
on their way up the stair into their flat. At first they may
greet each other in passing, but as they become more
familiar with each other, they may stop in for coffee and
gradually form friendships. In future years, the family
owning the upper flat would expand on the front yard
by building adjacent to and around the veranda space
belonging to the lower flat, to create its own patio/
veranda on the upper level and/or at ground level in
future years [see section on self-reliance: ownership].
Since the veranda space at ground level leads
to entry of the homes at both levels - one to the home at
ground level and the other up the stair to the home at the
veranda and trainers’ upper level - it becomes a pivotal point of interaction and
sleeping quarters at
Elephant Conservation
Centre, Lampang, Thailand
39
a place for the beginning of forming friendships between
families.
self-reliance rainwater cistern systems are constructed by

homeowners throughout the world, such as this one
near Chiang Mai, Thailand
rain water cistern system
One of Habitat’s major infrastructure and health
concerns is for families to receive adequate daily supply of
safe, clean water. Although the electricity service to homes
[government-supplied] is equally unreliable and expensive
as the water supplied to homes, electricty service is not as
major an infrastructure concern and is considered a luxury.
Therefore, it seemed reasonable to focus my investigation
on ways of obtaining clean water for drinking and other
uses as a primary infrastructure concern.
The current system for water delivery is costly
for Habitat to implement. A significant amount of PVC is
required in order to service homes in the semi-urban sites
such as Nagua. In the DR, water conduit lies next to major
roads and is therefore subject to damage and frequent
disruption in service. At best, families will have two hours
of tap water a day, forcing them to fill up buckets for a later
date, whether for a shower, flushing toilets, or washing up.
To add to the frustration, the government is now beginning
to implement a metering system for piped water, forcing the
current water delivery uses PVC alongside road; shown here in rural area
near town of Pasobajito, Dominican Republic
40
people to pay for a service they practically never get.

Drinking water is purchased from government
trucks every two to three days, or from local vendors.
close-up of bamboo gutter seen from below
On average, a household will purchase five gallons of
water at a time for drinking and cooking, which they
will use over two to three days. The average water
consumption per household works out to about 9.375
litres of drinking water per day. Drinking water prices
also rise with inflation.
Given the large amount of rainfall in the country
- with as much as 175mm falling in a month during
the peak of the six-month wet season [May-October],
a rainwater catchment system is a viable solution. I
investigated possibilities for the three components:
more examples of rain-
water cisterns and their catchment, delivery, and storage.
system of collection Catchment and Delivery
The system works best with a pitched roof as a
catchment that can be securely tied to the cinderblock
walls with hurricane straps or with a kinked pitched
roof to endure the hurricane lift force [as already seen
in figures 20 and 21]. Bamboo members can also be
embedded in the concrete-filled cinderblock for more
stability. Bamboo cross-bracing members may tie the
bamboo roof to the upper flat floor slab for extra support.
41
figure 42 _ rainwater catchment system [RWCS] ownership
Split bamboo canes could be used for gutters and pipes,

using gravity to direct water to the storage containers.
Storage
Working with yearly average rainfall data from Santo
Domingo, based on a six-month wet season and an
42
figure 43 _ simple ideas for creating curved edges

with a bottle for the bottom of the cistern, and a lid
for a cistern, using a bucket as a mould, courtesy estimated consumption of 61.5 litres of water a day per
S.B. Watt, Ferrocement Water Tanks and Their
Construction household for drinking and other uses [52.125 litres for
other uses, which is over and above what is normally
purchased], a rough method can be used to estimate the
storage capacity and size of a rainwater cistern [figure
45]. Based on cumulative rainfall data, cumulative water
use per household, and a total roof area per family of
25sqm [each family collecting water from half a roof],
each cistern would need to be of approximately 10 cubic
metres storage capacity - 3m high and 2m in diameter.
The cisterns can be constructed of ferrocement with
simple wire reinforcement [see figures 43 and 44] and
can be constructed on site at reasonable cost with the
help of volunteers and under the supervision. Cylindrical
containers at ground are the best option, chosen over
any in-ground or roof-top storage containers, given the
high seismic activity in the region.
Each cistern would catch water for every
half-roof [25 sqm], implying that each family could take
ownership of its water supply - the assumption being that
personal ownership makes maintenance more feasible
and allows one to take pride in provision of clean water
for the family.
Separation of Water Use and Retrieval
Water flowing into the tank would initially
figure 44 _ rainwater cistern construction possibili-
ties, courtesy S.B. Watt, Ferrocement Water Tanks
and Their Construction
43
figure 45 _ rough method for calculating rainwater cistern storage capability bamboo as water conduit in Colombia, courtesy
based on estimated use and rainfall averages Marco Villegas, Tropical Bamboo
collect in a bowl directly under the lid [figure 46], also

formed of ferrocement, where it could be stored at a
warmer temperature under the roof of the cistern, and be
scooped out for use in showers and washing. The bowl
under the cistern lid would always contain warmer water
for use, provided it rains according to prediction and no
44
drastic global climate changes affect the area. The

warmer water would allow the family to save propane [to
heat up the water for showers and other uses]. Water
figure 46_ separation of water use within cistern
flowing over this bowl would be stored cooler near the
bottom of the cistern to be retrieved via a hand pump
and be used for drinking. All the water in the tank
could be safely treated, and all such necessary training
could be included in Habitat’s training manual for new
homeowners.
ownership
In order to establish minimum sizes of
properties, I investigated how families at the ground
and upper levels would negotiate space, both initially
and over time. The sizes would be set by considering
maximum ownership over time, for cases like when a
grandmother moves in or when children get married
and live on their parents’ property, as is common in rural
figure 47_ more rainwater cistern construction
possibilities, courtesy S.B. Watt, Ferrocement villages from which many Habitat homeowners have
Water Tanks and Their Construction originally come.
The positioning of buildings on site was based
on fitting the smallest building [140 sqm at ground level]
in the northwest corner and allowance for a 2.75m
setback from the sidewalk and main road throughout
the site [figures 51 and 52]. I began in the northwest
45
figure 48_ add-on spaces determined by cistern location
in relation to veranda and service space
corner of the site, and discovered that the property was
considerably smaller than 150 sqm, but it was just large
enough for a community building, such as a self-help
centre. Also, a medical clinic for the community could be
located in the southeast corner, more intimate and where
the size of property is also considerably less than 150sqm.
Initially, each family would own 54 sqm of house area, plus
46
figure 49_ property shapes and cistern placement in figure 50_ add-on spaces in section
relation to veranda and service spaces
at least 54 sqm of property. Over time both families could
build onto their property, increasing area by building on the
upper levels. The largest home would eventually be 160
sqm [an upper level suite when maximized]. This logic
of ownership allowed for 118% of the homes that Habitat
currently provides on the Nagua site.
47
figure 51_ property and building ownership at ground level
The stair for each home is positioned considering

what the two families in the building own, how they would
approach the site, and issues of privacy. Therefore, the stair
was located as close as possible to the main road or to the
central circulation spine so that the families living upstairs
could have easy access to their homes without disturbing
the families below or inhibiting ventilation [figures 14 and
48
figure 52_ property and building ownership at upper

level
15]. The stair is located on the public side of the building,
next to the veranda. Given the open, public space of the
stair, it seemed reasonable that the families living upstairs
own the property and cistern in front of the home - thus, the
“front yard” [figures 48 and 49] is defined as the yard closest
to the main road and the property immediately north of the
central circulation spine, allowing for easy access and
49
cooking facility at back of home in rural DR
maximum privacy for both families. The family owning the

upper flat would, with the exception of the veranda, own the
southwest portion of the property. Their cistern would be
placed on the public side of the building wherever possible,
except where property shape governs. The family at the
ground level would own the “backyard” [the northeast
portion of the property, figures 48 and 49] and their cistern
would also be placed wherever possible on the public side
of the building. In later years they could build a service
area onto the kitchen at back. The family owning the upper
level could build on the front yard in future years, as well
as another bedroom for a teenager. The family owning the
drying laundry at traditional Thai home in Lam-
ground level could add on only in the backyard. Once the pang, Thailand
family at ground level adds on to the back, the family at the
upper level benefits: not only do they build on the front at
both levels, but they also have the advantage of adding on
at the back at the upper storey, but only up to the location
of the water cistern, located 5m on centre from the initial
building. Although the family at the upper level would not
be able to build onto the backyard in future years unless the
family below has already built, they do have the advantage
of adding on to their homes in the frontyard at both levels
without having to wait for the neighbours below to build and
will eventually own more square footage than the family at
ground level.
50
grow & build
The grow & build strategy [figures 53-69, and 71]

a red variety of bamboo,
from the jungle near
facilitates the culture’s tendency to build over time. It
Chiang Rai, Thailand makes it more feasible for families to build their homes,
by growing the building materials in the garden and
building with them over time. Habitat has not seriously
considered bamboo as a building material because for
many families it has the connotation of poor housing
in shantytowns. In addition, as mentioned earlier,
concrete is the symbol of ‘moving up’ and most poor
families aspire to owning a concrete home. However,
more bamboo fencing bamboo does grow in the DR and is used extensively in
the furniture industry. It is cheap, grows fast, is therefore
rapidly renewable, is biodegradable and incredibly
strong and durable.
If creative uses that improve quality of life could
be made evident through innovative use of bamboo in
construction, with manifold benefits arising, the design
may begin to alter perceptions of the material.
In addition, bamboo components in conjunction
with other building components could be used to build
homes and future add-ons to the home such as a
veranda, a service space connected to the kitchen, a
bedroom for grandmother or for more children on the
way or for teenagers, a suite complete with a cooking
51
space and a bathroom space for a newly wed daughter and
son-in-law. Thus, as the bamboo grows, density “grows”,
as seen in the figures illustrating density through time on
splitting bamboo with a machete; bamboo to be
the following pages [53-69, and 71]. used for reinforcing a concrete floor slab of a Habi-
Each two-storey unit would have initial bamboo tat home in Thailand.
components as part of the building or of the process of

building, such as roof and slab formwork, pitched roof,
stairs, interior partition walls and acoustic panels for privacy,
wind-catchers, pipes and gutters, and an enclosure for the
prized motorbike built into the structure of the exterior entry
stair leading to the upper level.
there are numerous bamboo species in tropical
In future builds, bamboo could be used for a wide climates, each with their specific advantages and
uses; shown here a larger variety
variety of construction: more formwork, more storage
spaces, more stairs, more bamboo walls, veranda structure
such as columns and roof covers, as well as railings,
adjustable add-on fences, lofts for more acoustic privacy
and storage above the parents’ bedroom in the upper flat,
gates for cistern courtyards, repairs to walls and stairs,
more wind-catchers, chicken coops, lids for cool food
storage within the home, and replacements for stairs and
walls, pipes and gutters. Families might even develop the
use of bamboo into their own unique local industry, using it
to make household items such as baskets and dishes.
Grow & Build also connects with the culture’s
tendency to accumulate building materials for future use.
Therefore, where to store seasoning bamboo and collected
52
close-up of a solid bamboo fence
the amazing diameter of bamboo
building materials on one’s property and within the home

also became a design issue to be explored. Storing
motorbikes, bamboo undergoing seasoning, and collected
building materials initially and over time could be made
inexpensive, easy, and creative when one grows one’s
own building materials. The following is a brief list of some
possibilites for storing motorbikes and bamboo undergoing
bamboo striped like a tiger
seasoning, both initially and over time:
[See page 73]

53
figure 53_ grow & build, initial build
54
figure 54_ grow & build, 5 years later
55
figure 55_ grow & build, 10 years later
56
figure 56_ grow & build, maximised
57
weaving bamboo bamboo dock
eating bamboo shoots bamboo bamboo to dry laundry

formwork
58
bamboo guardrail solid bamboo fence
bamboo chicken basket light bamboo fence
59
bound bamboo strips transported for bamboo used for hanging
concrete floor construction laundry
view of rural
home and family
motorbike, near
Pasobajito, DR
60
bamboo scaffolding bamboo concrete

floor reinforcing
bamboo scaffolding bamboo outdoor flooring
61
bamboo outdoor bamboo for aesthetic
workspace purposes
62
bamboo for laundry bamboo lattice work
bamboo cladding bamboo cattle pen
63
Ground Level
Initial Build and 5 Years Later
figure 58_grow & build,

figure 57_ grow & build, inital build, ground level
5 years later, ground level
bamboo chicken coop bamboo fencing techniques bamboo fencing for other
farm animals
64
Ground Level
10 Years Later and Maximised
figure 59_grow & build, 10 years later, ground level figure 60_ grow & build, maximised, ground level
progressive study models exploring shared

space, rainwater cistern placement, and bam-
boo elements on properties
65
Upper Level
Initial Build and 5 Years Later
figure 61_grow & build, inital build, upper level figure 62_grow & build, 5
years later, upper level
66
Upper Level
10 years Later and Maximised
figure 63_ grow & build, 10 years later, upper figure 64_grow & build, maximised, upper level
level
67
figure 65_grow & build, inital build in section
68
figure 66_grow & build, 5 years later in section
69
figure 67_grow & build, 10 years later in section
70
figure 68_grow & build, maximised in section
71
figure 69_grow & build, 5 years later, with motorbike storage under
exterior entry stair
72
seasoning bamboo
Storage spaces for motorbike -

[Initially]
Upper Flat: Enclosure under exterior stair, built of
figure 70_ grow
& build, storage bamboo and ferrocement composite material, locked up
spaces over time
by means of rebar clip set in concrete column
Lower Flat: In home, public side, as is typical.
[Later]
Upper Flat: In living room at front; in cistern courtyard.
Lower Flat: In service space at back; in cistern
courtyard.
Storage spaces for seasoning bamboo [must be
stored vertical] and other found building materials:
[Initially]
Upper Flat: Under stair
Lower Flat: In bamboo wall
[Later]
Upper Flat: In loft; in room at front; in cistern courtyard
Lower Flat: In service spaces; in cistern courtyard
[Much later]
In storage wall above and below stairs [figure 70].
Laundry could be hung from trellises attached
to cisterns, from gutters and pipes, from patio rails on
upper levels, from roof to roof on patios, on laundry
racks that are removeable from bamboo walls that could
be brought in and out of the home.
popular means of drying laundry
during dry season
73
figure 71_grow & build, maximised in elevation
Initial amounts of bamboo would be grown on the

site prior to construction, especially during the wet season,
when no construction is possible. A smaller site may also
be designated by Habitat for bamboo growing to be used
in initial builds. Later on, bamboo can be grown in family
gardens.
74
bamboo being used to free

debris from clogging and
flooding stream in bamboo
bamboo gardens
grove, Lampang, Thailand I positioned bamboo gardens along the road, in
such a way as not to block the ventilation lanes and to
provide a level of privacy [figure 72]. Each garden would
be shared between two families, so that overseeing
becomes simplified and yet some level of ownership is
achieved. If families shared larger communal gardens,
they may not be as responsible about maintenance and
may not benefit from dignity that comes from ownership
as families do who share smaller garden plots between
two families.
bamboo gardens and future ventilation

To ensure that families at the north and east
figure 72_thinking about
ventilation in future years, edges of the property maintain ventilation, I explored
by pushing back bamboo
garden
what might happen if, after several years of the project
being built, the land to the north and east of the site
[owned by an individual or group other than Habitat],
were developed and several buildings were built,
suddenly blocking the ventilation lanes and negating
the purpose of the scheme. Assuming a 2.75m distance
from the property line of the site, I considered providing
more bamboo garden space for families owning property
nearest the north and east edges of the site in the initial
build, such that if necessary, in the future the gardens
bamboo grove, courtesy
Villegas, Marcos, Tropical
Bamboo
75
could be shifted down, leaving a “ventilation road” oblique
to the prevailing breeze. In such a case, the gardens on
the north and east edges of the site would initially be slightly
larger than the other gardens on the site, in the case that
they may need to be slightly reduced in size should the
ventilation lanes be blocked off by development some time
in the future. Families would be notified of this possibility
before entering into their Habitat loan agreement. Once
the gardens are reduced in size, the site would then still
have some form of ventilation and all gardens would be
the same size. Such an approach might not provide as
much ventilation as the the ventilation lanes, but still some
breeze will reach the homes [perhaps only 50% less than
than the initial build that had no obstruction]. In any case,
during wet season,
more natural ventilation would be available than what is laundry collects indoors,
strewn over chairs and
currently provided in the Habitat Nagua project. partitions; courtesy hph-rd
76
dignity
A family may feel a sense of dignity from
inside a substandard home: drying laundry
strewn throughout home and lack of organiza- personalizing its home by replacing the interior, load-
tion, courtesy hph-rd bearing cinderblock wall with a bamboo partition wall,
created for and catered to their unique needs and taste.
Currently, in shantytowns and impoverished
areas, laundry is hung to dry on barbed wire fences
or on lines strung between homes and outhouses on
dry days or is strewn on plastic chairs, left to dry within
the home when it rains. There is limited space within
and outside the home, and so things required for daily
tasks accumulate, and whether for stored for building
or personal use and display, things begin to look like
a mess, even though they may be deemed precious.
Drying clothing strewn everywhere only adds to the
accumulation. Belongings need a place to be stored, or
a special place to be displayed, whether temporarily or
permanently.
The bamboo partition wall could be a special
place within the home for collecting, storing, displaying,
and performing daily tasks [figure 73], in addition to
providing a visual and acoustic barrier, and a brighter
aesthetic within the home, constrasting the heavy, dark
feel of concrete and cinderblock. Thus, the bamboo wall
77
figure 73_rendering of bamboo wall as interior partition bamboo in seciton, as part of wall in restaurant
in King’s Mother’s Gardens, near Chiang Rai,
can in many ways help to improve quality of life. Some Thailand
possible ideas of use could include temporary storage
such as for foodstuffs, dishes, cutlery, pots and pans,
cleaning materials and supplies, clothing and towels [on
the bedroom side of the wall]; permanent storage such
as seasoning bamboo, propane tanks and large water
containers; personal use items such as seats, tables
bamboo prelilminary study model of
connections bamboo wall and moveable
components
78
clever use of bamboo culm to support a system of

drying laundry
and desks, chopping boards for the kitchen, removeable
and collapsable racks for laundry for inside and outside
use; and display of cherished items such as framed
photographs and drawings, souvenirs, and a small
television set or stereo.
The wall could be easily constructed by curve-
cutting the bamboo with a machete just above the culm,
bamboo for the garden bamboo for indoors bamboo - cement com-
posite materials
79
bamboo ferrocement composite materials
bamboo basket for gar-

bagte
bamboo stair
bamboo light shades bamboo weaving
resting the bamboo on concrete pins and tilting them up to

fit under the bamboo formwork [at ground level] or under
the beam structure above [at the upper level], [figure
72]. The vertical members can be diagonally- and cross-
braced and horizontal members could then be tied on to
the structure, either as permanent, fixed and moveable,
or completely removable components. The same storage
bamboo basket for gar- bamboo stair bamboo fence
bagte - bottom supports
80
bamboo-woven walls in lodging,

Lampang, Thailand
idea of the bamboo infill partition wall could be used to
store seasoning bamboo in exterior, under-cover storage
areas and under the stairs [see figure 70].
The bamboo wall would replace a solid,
acoustically private wall. In order to restore some level
of acoustic privacy to the home, acoustic panels could be
made of bamboo and concrete composite materials, and
variations on bamboo
ferrocement composite
material
81
bamboo cladding foldable bamboo laundry rack, courtesy Villegas,
possibilities courtesy Marcos, Tropical Bamboo
be part of the bamboo wall, providing some level of privacy. Villegas, Marcos,
Tropical Bamboo
The panels may not provide the same level of privacy as
a masonry wall, but would provide a reasonable level
- and the benefits of having a bamboo partition wall are so
numerous, that they outweigh the loss of acoustic privacy
provided by the cinderblock wall. A loft space may also be
incorporated above the parents’ bedroom, to help improve
82
bamboo furniture and accessories, DR and Thai-

land
acoustic privacy [figure 74]. The loft space could be used
for storage or for another bedroom for the children. Based
on what each family needs, each wall and combination
with a loft space would be unique. Families could paint
unique components to the bamboo wall and even transfer
some of the ideas created for the wall to uses of bamboo
in their yards, creating other unique inventions and uses of
83
bamboo roof and
supports
fiigure 74_ perspective rendering: climbing into the

loft
bamboo based on need and aesthetics.
To aid with future builds, families could pool
skills and provide self-help training for each other. The
bamboo ferrocement
community self-help centre at the northwest corner of the composite home
site would help facilitate the future construction of additions in Colombia, cour-
tesy Villegas, Marco,
to homes, contributing to feelings of self-worth and dignity. Tropical Bamboo
inside a substandard
home in the DR,
courtesy hph-rd
84
more bamboo roof supports, Lampang, Thailand
85
fiigure 75_ elevation of
site from road at south
edge of site
colourful, rural, substand-

ard homes near Pasoba-
jito, DR
86
more colourful, rural, colourful, shanty town

substandard homes near home courtesy hph-rd
Pasobajito, DR
87
environmental aspects
composting toilets
bathroom facilities common to substandard hous-
ing in the DR, courtesy hph-rd
The current method of waste removal at the
Nagua site is the septic tank. Habitat has considered
using drain fields, but opted out, probably due to the
vast amount of open space required. At the Nagua site,
pumping out of the septic tanks is required from time to
time. Families depend on an unreliable supply of piped
water to flush toilets, filling up buckets whenever the water
is available. So using the toilet at times becomes a health
and odour problem. PVC for septic tanks and toilet fixtures
is expensive, as is the bringing in of trucks to pump out
the sludge. The septic system is also not environmentally
acceptable. Therefore, the site requires an inexpensive,
reliable and environmentally responsible system of
sewage removal that would require little maintenance
and would be easily accessible. The appropriate option
seemed to be a composting toilet, which does not
pollute the soil and create unhygienic living conditions. figure 76_section showing location of
A simple, affordable version of a composting composting toilet and vent pipe
toilet is possible to build at very little cost [figure 77]. It

does not produce flies, mosquitoes, or odour and instead
can support the growth of attractive flowers, vegetable or
figure 77_simple, two-chamber composting toilet; only maintenance
required is straw and ash image courtesy Intermediate Technology
Development Group
88
figure 78_bamboo gardens, leaching pits, gar-

bage collection locations
plantain, and conserves water, leaving more available for
showers and cleaning. It can also be used for buildings
of two or more storeys [figure 76]. Access for compost
removal can be near the edge of the lanes [from the
private edges of buildings] or within the homes, as the
case would be for the upper storey]. Best of all, owners
could use the compost to encourage bamboo growth. The
89
process of composting is very simple and training could
be included in the already established Habitat homeowner
training curriculum. It would be required for the families to
learn the basic steps required for proper composting, such
as adding the appropriate amount of ash to the toilet and
learning the right time for removal
.
grey water
In the Nagua project, grey water tanks are

connected to septic tanks. It seemed that since grey
water sewage receives its treatment from soil bacteria, the
leaching pit would be a more viable and environmentally
responsible solution for treating grey water on site.
The leaching pit is recommended in places where there is
no pressurized water supply and the daily volume of grey
water waste is small - the condition for ‘small’ being that the
daily design grey water flow to the system does not exceed
1000L/day. This volume exceeds the amount of water that
a Dominican family currently uses.
The tank sizing for a leaching pit was based on a
total daily design flow of 125L of grey water per fixture. To
minimize the amount of PVC required, one tank could serve
two families. For clay soils [figure 80], as is common in the
DR, the pit could be lined with a layer of sand all around,
figure 79_grey water leaching pit using masonry and rock walls; courtesy
“A Practical Guide to Class 2 Sewage System (Leaching Pit)”
90
substandard home near Pasobajito, DR
which will filter the suspended solids and treat the grey
water to provide a higher quality effluent that will be
more easily absorbed by the clay soil. The pit can then
be lined with a layer of gravel, before the perforated tank
is inserted. Gravel, crushed rock, and sand are cheap in
the DR. A tank may be inserted into a pit lined with sand
and crushed rock, or a pit may be made of porous rock
materials [figure 79] and be structurally stable enough to
withstand seismic activity and leach effluent without the
need of a tank.
Given an estimated use of 125L per fixture,
and six fixtures [two families per building], the daily flow
would be 0.75 cubic metres. With the requirement that
the excavation for the pit not exceed 1.25m in depth, the
figure 80_grey water leaching pit for clay soils; cour-
tesy ‘A Practical Guide to Class 2 Sewage System required area would be only 0.6 sqm. The pit could be
(Leaching Pit)
carefully located near the edge of the property line, in
the vicinity of the bamboo gardens [figure 78], yet not
hindered by the roots of the bamboo. The area over the
pit should be slightly crowned for drainage, with grass
planted on top.
garbage removal
Habitat leaves it to the families to organize
garbage removal. However, designating areas and
enclosed containers where families could place their
91
garbage for pick-up would reduce the chances for dogs
getting into it, as well as diminish the occurrence of rats
and maggots.
images substandard housing courtesy hph-rd
It seemed that garbage containers would best be
located on community property, nearest the lanes, for easy
pick-up, leaving the area around the bamboo gardens as a
good choice. Each garbage area could serve four families
and be located directly next to the lanes, on the east side of
the bamboo garden, so as not to be the first thing one sees
when approaching the site.
The containers themselves could be constructed of
bamboo-ferrocement composite materials with lids that
could be sealed and easily removed.
92
The explorations in this report represent just

the beginnings of investigations that seek to define
a transcending architecture -- an architecture that is
images substandard housing courtesy hph-rd
available to everyone and that through its implementation
improves quality of life while attempting to address
critical social issues such as the sheer numbers of
disenfranchised people in the world, the issues of
density that ensue, and access to building materials.
In linking with a local organisation, it represents my first
steps to understanding the conditions of substandard
housing. I believe that the benefits of pooling ideas and
perspectives at an international level will not only help
us to better relate to the state in which the vast majority
of our world lives, but also will better equip us to provide
innovative working solutions, thus making our work
together much more effective.
93

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growing density:

con habitat para la humanidad,

list of images and diagrams v

Bamboo images where noted courtesy Villegas, Marco,

All other bamboo images taken by the author while in

As noted, all images of urban substandard housing and

All rural Habitat images and study model images taken

All Figures extracted from panel images from thesis de-

Of a population of over 8 million, 80% live in substandard

I. Numbers: Address issue of sheer number of

view of a shanty town along a river in the Dominican Republic,

II. Grow & Build – Address Issue of Access to

These two strategies were the driving force behind

photos of Dominican coun-

The geographic beauty of the Dominican Republic

Habitat for Humanity in the Dominican Republic is

groups. In addition, very few families applying for Habitat

Given the high value of land and construction

The investigation and explorations fall under self-reliance

ﬁgure 1_diagram of thesis investigation strategies and explorations

people as possible on a given plot of land. Further to this

I. Numbers: Address issue of sheer number of families

II. Grow & Build: Address access to materials issue:

ﬁgure 2 _ plan of current single-family, single-storey

ﬁgure 4 _ lot partitions and areas, courtesy hph-rd

12 ﬁgure 6 _ cross sections and longitudinal sections of single-storey,

A fresh breeze in a humid climate can provide both

that building height mulitiplied by a factor of six equals the

ﬁgure 8 _ single-storey, long side of building perpen-

veranda of a substandard home, courtesy hph-rd looking down a lane way

which would diminish the amount of fresh air entering

school situated close to road, as road is central to Dominican life and

ﬁgure 13 -_ single-storey, 45 degree angle to

ﬁgure 14 _ ground level, stair on public side

building typology shifts and trade-offs

ﬁgure 15 _ upper level, stair on public side

view of Thomspon House ironwork and colour on view of Thomspon House

ﬁgure 20 _ typological shifts in section

the space between columns below the slab would be freed

time irradiating of heat that is collected in the roof’s

not provide as much acoustic privacy as the cinderblock

26 effects of light through bamboo screens;

effects of light through bamboo screen/clerestory

ﬁgure 23 _ perspective rendering: approaching 27

given the issue of access to the homes, privacy and

circulation and communal spaces

ﬁgure 32 _ perspective rendering: entering a semi-

ﬁgure 34 _ no home bounded on both sides by

ﬁgure 33 _ perspective rendering: Entering a com- ﬁgure 35 _ private lanes

I set the condition that the public-private edges of the

ﬁgure 37 _ public-public lanes

of lanes is as follows: private-private, public-public, and

bounded on both sides by two public lanes [ﬁgures 34

ﬁgure 40 _ shared childcare bamboo fencing for teak tree garden in

into a temporary shared space. Over time, private-private

veranda and lane

Veranda and road form a space for life and social

ﬁgure 41 _ perspective rendering:close-up of veranda and stair leading

places onto which verandas face. Therefore, wherever

self-reliance rainwater cistern systems are constructed by

people to pay for a service they practically never get.

Split bamboo canes could be used for gutters and pipes,