The Port Resolution Project is the design and construction of low impact visitor accommodation for a village community at Port Resolution on the island of Tanna, Vanuatu. The ultimate aim of the accommodation is to provide the community of Port Resolution an opportunity to generate income for their children's secondary school education. Whilst primary schooling in Vanuatu is free, secondary school
ing requires fees which are often beyond the means of most families, limiting the opportunity for a child to complete secondary and, therefore, any further education. These financial limitations perpetuate Vanuatu’s dependence on foreign aid. In contrast to their financial limitations, the Port Resolution community is blessed with natural resources such as food and timber in an exquisite tropical island setting of palm trees, white beaches, coral reefs and hot springs. Not far from Port Resolution is Vanuatu’s only active volcano, Mt Yasur. These unique wonders attract many visitors annually, most of whom return on the same day to other accommodation and facilities elsewhere on the island. Although a number of villagers in the Port Resolution area have attempted to attract tourists to stay overnight or longer, they have largely been unsuccessful because of lack of design, planning and business skills, including marketing. In order to generate income, the Paramount Chiefs and the communities on Tanna Island proposed the development of accommodation for visitors wishing to stay for longer periods of time, and for larger groups requiring conference facilities. In early 2012 the School of Art Architecture and Design at the University of South Australia was invited to assist the community at Port Resolution by providing architectural and engineering expertise for the visitor accommodation. Since then, there have been two University trips to Port Resolution: the first in 2012 to survey the land and develop a design proposal, whist the second, last year, was to set out the locations for the bungalows, main building and services in preparation for construction which is hoped to begin this year. Multiple visits to Tanna Island have developed further insights to student research. One example includes a redesign of the site plan based on a better understanding of variable weather conditions on Tanna Island. Vanuatu has a long tradition of framed and thatched buildings. More recently, reinforced concrete and block-work have been installed for floors and walls. These resources and skills have been incorporated and augmented into the structural design and detailing of the building frames to achieve earthquake and cyclone resistance, and by specifying concrete floors and benches and rendered block-work walls to facilitate regular cleaning to achieve a high level of hygiene. The resulting design is one that seeks to augment the traditional building methods with imported architectural understanding at the scales of the master plan, the building and the detail. The design strategy was focussed on achieving a built outcome which is both environmentally and culturally sustainable . This will be done by utilising local materials and local builders. In addition, by minimising the reliance on imported equipment and technologies it is anticipated to be more economical. The project overall is intended to be an exemplar for other communities seeking financial independence through local community enterprise.
