19/11/2025
Hidden in the tropical vegetation of southern Haiti, the project is a shared centre for the rural community of Bercy-Cavaillon and the office of the local farmers’ association APTEKKA. As the only community facility in this remote area, it provides a space for training, cultural events and collective gatherings.
Funded by , the centre is one of three built in Haiti’s Southern Peninsula, a region heavily affected by climatic and socio-economic instability. Food insecurity remains chronic, making the work of organisations like APTEKKA crucial for supporting smallholder farmers and strengthening community resilience.
Developed through extensive community engagement, the two-storey building includes a multipurpose hall, an office and a cafeteria on the ground floor, with storage and a dormitory above. Inspired by the vernacular Haitian galata, design integrates cross-ventilation, ridge openings and a continuous veranda to enhance comfort using vernacular and bioclimatic principles.
The hybrid construction combines a dismantlable steel structure with local materials such as river stones and earth plaster, ensuring durability, seismic resistance and easy local replication. Construction faced severe challenges—heavy rains, flooding, repeated hurricanes, gang blockades and material shortages—overcome thanks to community determination and traditional konbit practice.
More than 100 trees and plants, including endemic and endangered species, now restore the site’s ecological diversity.
Client:
Architects: .studio
Engineers:
Contractor:
Soft Landscape:
Beneficiary: APTEKKA
