H_KMO
Private Residence + Office
Fermante, Haiti
The private residence is a retreat pavilion and guesthouse set in the remote mountain area of central Haiti. The primary initial objective was to investigate the replacement of the proposed structures roof cladding and exterior wall systems with carbon-free and carbon-neutral materials capable of generating or storing natural energy-related resources. Analysis of the regional and climatic impacts on the previously proposed concepts from another designer revealed that the design improperly responded to the characteristics in this location, warranting a redesign of the siting, and eventually of the overall house. The previous design firm proposed a singular monolithic structure that obstructed views from the neighboring properties and poorly distributed light to the interior. By analyzing regional materials (manufactured, mined, and harvested), I set forth a series of determinable solutions for possible carbon-free material acquisitions and energy-related resources that are currently available in Haiti. My analysis determined that any other necessary resources could be obtained regionally from neighboring islands, and defined which resources would have to be purchased and delivered to the island in order to provide self-sustaining energy systems.