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INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT HAITIAN ARCHITECTURE

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Traditional Haitian architecture is inspired by Taino, Yoruba, and Europen architecture from the Bohios to the shotgun.



 

A major contribution to the life of shared community spaces is made by the Galri (porch) arguably the actual “living room” of Haitian buildings. The interior of the house usually consists of two rooms and is used as a place to rest and to store possessions. The kitchen and bathroom are sometimes separated from the rest of the house. In Kreyol, the shared yard or courtyard is called Lakou. Traditionally this includes the sharing of material items, chores, food, space, and childcare. The Jaden (Garden) is essential for all Haitian houses. The Jaden produces fruits and vegetables for the household. Colors and ornaments are used repeatedly throughout traditional Haitian homes.


Most traditional Haitian architecture is a single-story, two-room rectangular house. The porches bring private life into an in-between space: semi-outside, semi-inside. The outside of a house is painted in an array of pastel colors and hand-carved trimming. In the Gingerbread style homes, some of the aesthetics are tall double doors and windows, steep roofs, cornices, extensive balconies. The double-pitched roofs, and stack ventilation, as well as the high windows and openings for cross ventilation. There are also big porches and verandas that offer shade and protection from tropical weather. Lace motif, repetitive patterns, and a wooden baluster. The architectural ornaments were used on all kinds of buildings: homes, places of worship, government buildings.



The Gingerbread style house is also found in communities in the United States such as the Little Haiti Cultural Center in Miami, Florida.


Ti-kay Pay translates little Hay House made of dried up Palms leaves, Bamboo, Straw. The frame of the house is made with hay, bamboo, or wood surrounding the site. Adobe is used to cover the frames. The majority of Gingerbread houses are made of wood and some are mixture stonework. Corrugated metal roofs are used to prevent water from damaging the structure. The process to build take little to no machinery. It’s a hands-on process that can take the community to build.



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  1. Anonymous10 November 2023 at 15:46

    Hi Roodza WHat a fantastic job! Prof. Vazquez

    ReplyDelete

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