CPDI AFRICA BLOG

The Resilience Haitian resort and culture center reflect the resilience of the Haitian people and the culture of Haiti. The main architectural features that were analyzed to design the project was the lakou, or courtyard, the galri, or porche, and the jaden, or garden. These characteristics are very important when analyzing Haitian architecture. Furthermore, resilience and jaden mostly influenced the project. Kherby wanted to represent the resiliency because that’s what the Haitian people are known for. Play video below to watch the full design Presentation The thought of freedom from slavery was first proclaimed by Haitians in 1804. The jaden was an important factor in the design because, the Haitian population have hope for a better future and usually send their kids to school in other places. He wanted to take the idea of 'planting & growing' and compare to 'learning & practice'. Another element kherby wanted to portray in this structure is the use of detrime...

Hello everyone, My name is Kherby Jean and I am a 4th year architecture major at Tuskegee University. Born in Haiti, my parents always told me to be humble and work hard. My parents brought me to the US in 2010 for one reason, a better life. I am pursuing architecture because I am passionate about helping and would like to create affordable housing for people in my home country, Haiti. Through faith, knowledge and community, I believe that this is possible. In addition to architecture, I am a partner at a clothing company called Blakhveny where we represent culture and social change. Overall, my goal is to help people, have an impact on the future generation, and inspire change.  Learning about African architecture and Haitian architecture was truly an exhilarating process, I learned so much about my history and culture. As stated above, I was born in Haiti, but I had never connected my Haitian identity to my African identity until CPDI Africa. Seeing and learning so much a...

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Ti-Kay Resort is a tropical ambiance located in Labadee, Haiti on the bank of the northern coast. Ti-Kay Resort is designed with an array of openings for sunlight, surrounding vegetation, and wooden materials throughout, creating a sustainable experience for the guests. The Lobby space is used to educate guests on the concept of the resort. Additionally, there is a gift shop, bookstore, and a restaurant/bar on the ground level catering to the guests and residents. On the second floor, we have conferences and guest rooms with balconies facing the ocean. The master bedroom and gallery space are on the last floor with beautiful views and art all around.  Play video below to watch the design Quick Animation. Conceptual Statement: Neg Mawon by Albert Mangonès Neg Mawon stands strong and unafraid, as he blows the conch shell to alert the slaves that the enemies are approaching. The focus point was the connection of his mouth to the conch shell and the sound that it creates. The secondary...

The name Haiti came from the word Ay-ti which means, land of mountains, derived from the Taino people who originally inhabited the island. During the reign of the Taino people, Hispaniola had Five Kingdoms. They lived peacefully and traded gold and ways of living with the Africans. After Christopher Columbus crashed on Hispaniola in 1492, 90 percent of the population died. In 1501, Africans were brought to the island as slaves from the West Coast of Africa. Spain and France battled for the reign of the island.  As a result, France ruled Haiti while Spain ruled the Dominican Republic. In January 1804,  Haiti declared a free colony. The nation of Haiti is amongst the oldest colonies in the Western Hemisphere yet claims a highly homogenous ethnic population. The population has grown steadily from 431,140 at independence in 1804 to the estimate of 6.9 million to 7.2 million in 2000. With 90 percent of the population is of African descent from Congo, Benin, and Nigeria.

I am a Haiti native, born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. I migrated from Haiti to Dominican Republic, Dominica, St. Thomas, and finally Miami, Florida. I started my architectural education at Miami-Dade College, and currently, I am the President of the American Institute of Architecture student chapter at Tuskegee University. My goal for every platform I occupied is to serve, motivate, and teach creatives to better themselves skillfully and academically.  My passion for architecture develops as I understood the influence a building has on a community. Through Afro-centric architecture, I learned how to design sustainable spaces for my Haitian community. Afrocentric Architecture is very detailed and has specific elements that speak to individual ethnic groups. My involvement with CPDI Africa was focused on Haitian architecture by designing a cultural resort that incorporates signature Haitian architectural elements. Within the Ti-Kay Resort, I include the high-double doors, cross raili...

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....