Haiti team Construction Services Manager Natalie Desrosiers has a moment to rest after the Haiti Parters Children's Academy dedication to catch us up on the past six months of construction. From composting toilets to structural steel trusses, to sitework and a huge dedication turnout, Natalie provides a visual play-by-play...with help from Haiti Partners Instagramming.
From our last construction update report, progress has been made enormously to the point where the project is at its punchlist walkthrough. An illustrated summary of the work completed in in the last 5 months can be read below:
Work on the toilet block ceased last October. No major issues were encountered other than the toilet seat covers which were put in less than a month ago.
All masonry work on the building was completed late October. Crepissage and Enduissage work on the building dragged on as they also serve as rectifiers to a few inaccuracies on a number of construction elements.
school bldg 2012.10.17
The metal trusses were finally put up after a series of contradictory directions. The whole procedure (from fabrication to installation) had its flaws and two of its weakest points were the welding job and the connection of the truss element to the plate embedded in the walls and beams.
(Many thanks to international engineering consultants Miyamoto for helping correct these errors and ensure the proper structural specifications were installed.)
making the necessary corrections
Installing trusses
Laying the battens
Drawings for the ample entrance staircase were issued about 3 weeks before the set date of the inauguration. Sketches for the overall site works were also given out.
Retaining end wall of staircase being built
Laying blocks and crepissaging all at once
Surprisingly, the works were completed in time. Minor fixes like the railing for the steps still needed a few days to be well made. Some were installed but not solidly fixed to the ground. Those concrete steps up along with the courtyard forward-facing the classroom entrance have demanded a pool of workmanship as these were last minutes add-ons. The result was impressively satisfying.
Steel grid walkway courtyard
concrete pouring - members of the community chipping in
last touches to the steps
Classroom building pre-paint
The walls, columns and beams were sanded as were the doors and windows just in time for the inaugural dedication which was held on the 24th of February, beautiful ceremony which gathered hundreds of locals and a variety of partners who collaborated in completing the first of many buildings of Children's Academy. (More about the dedication in our following update). The school building was painted lime green after votes for three color options were casted at the ceremony.
Gatherings at the inauguration
John Engle (Haiti Partners co-founder) giving his speech
We're grateful that we were part of this amazing project. Working with the heartening team of Haiti Partners, the BAR family and the local communities has been very fulfilling. Hopefully, we continue our firm collaboration throughout the entire project and tighten even more our bond on several other ones.
School - painted!
