REPORT #24

PROJECT: CIM
PROJECT NUMBER: 10020
DATE: 2013-06-04
WEATHER: Sunny

SUMMARY:

Construction is moving along steadily. In the last week, several more walls and columns have been poured, and block laying is ongoing. Three of the four transverse walls already have the CMU topped off and are just waiting for the next round of concrete pouring to be complete up to the ring beam.

Additionally, Kate (AFH) and Taïna (YCF) met with school administrators to discuss the construction schedule and site issues related to the second phase construction.

Finally, no engineers were available for site visits this week (June 3rd to 7th). Architecture for Humanity will send photos to Degenkolb for construction approvals on elements that will be poured during the week.

ATTENDEES:

Sven Kalim (Architecture for Humanity) (AFH)
Julien Jackson (AFH)
Taïna Mayard (YCF Group, S.A.) (YCF)
Lirode Deplat (YCF)
Kate Evarts (AFH)

CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS:

-Poured concrete @ grid lines A and B, between grid lines 8 and 9
-Poured concrete @ grid lines 10
-Laying block @ grid lines A and B, between grid lines 8 and 9
-Installing formwork @ grid line 4
-Adjusting formwork @ grid line B, between grid lines 2 and 3
-Kate (AFH) and Taïna (YCF) had a meeting with Sr. Philomène and M. Bernard to discuss the construction schedule and site issues related to phase 2; A representative of the school should be invited to the weekly site meeting

CONSTRUCTION NOTES:

-BROKEN BLOCKS: YCF to pour concrete wall at either grid line 1 or grid line 10 prior to pouring shear walls, to verify concrete quality in the case where the transverse piece of concrete at the end of the block have not been chipped out. The result will determine how to continue with the rest of the block wall construction.
-YCF grinding the concrete to even out the surface at the intermediate chainage and where the concrete leaked out around the blocks; Acceptable by Abe (DK); YCF must take care not to remove too much concrete
-Block joint atop the intermediate chainage at grid line 7 was observed to be made larger (~3cm thick) than the typical block joint; In the future, YCF to add a little more mortar to each joint over the height of the wall, rather than having one large joint at the bottom.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

-AFH to provide YCF with ground floor electrical layout; prior to installation, AFH to decide about interior finishes (paint, shelving, furniture)
-Electrician must provide overall electrical plan for building

(photos below)

(above) view of the construction from the adjacent property

(above) the grinder...

   
(left) a tedious process...;(right) surface evened out along a column

REPORT #23

PROJECT: CIM
PROJECT NUMBER: 10020
DATE: 2013-05-28
WEATHER: Sunny

SUMMARY:

Several walls were poured during the last week, and have been removed from the formwork. The quality of the concrete is significantly better since the introduction of masonite on all the formwork.

There have been some issues with blocks breaking along the block-concrete interface, and it was decided by AFH, YCF, and DK that the floating transverse wall in the blocks will no longer be removed. Instead, the blocks will remain intact, and greater care will need to be taken by YCF, during a concrete pour, to make sure concrete reaches all areas in the formwork.

YCF is currently laying block on grid line 1, and concurrently setting up formwork in other areas for the next several concrete pours.

ATTENDEES:

Sven Kalim (Architecture for Humanity) (AFH)
Julien Jackson (AFH)
Taïna Mayard YCF Group, S.A. (YCF)
Lirode Deplat (YCF)
Lizzie Blaisdell (Degenkolb) (DK)
Guy Henry Mazile (electrician)

CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS:

-Poured concrete for walls @ grid lines 1, 4, and 7
-Laying block @ grid line 1
-Installing formwork @ grid line B, between grid lines 2 and 3
-Installing formwork @ grid line B, between grid lines 8 and 9
-Installing formwork @ grid line 10

CONSTRUCTION NOTES:

-BROKEN BLOCKS: Areas where floating blocks broke do not need additional rebar. The cause of the broken blocks is from the installation of the formwork for shear walls and columns – too much force on the floating face of the block from the shoring causes the block to snap. For the next wall pour (above the intermediate chainage), floating blocks will not have their side chipped out. Previously, YCF was instructed to chip the blocks out as per the details provided by DK. However, with proper vibrating and oversight during pouring, YCF hopes to achieve at least the same quality results as with the chipped-out block from the most recent pours. The result will determine how to continue with the rest of the block wall construction.
-YCF must draw lines on the formwork to indicate nail placement

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

-Electrician will need to extend the conduit upward at (3) locations on the first floor. In two locations, the electrician will need to drill through the intermediate chainage (grid line 4 and 7). In one location (grid line 10), the electrician will continue the conduit prior to the intermediate chainage being poured
-YCF and AFH to confirm how the ground floor electrical will be laid out
-Electrician must provide overall electrical plan for building
-AFH will not be working Thursday, May 30, 2013 because of a Haitian holiday

(photo below)

REPORT #22

PROJECT: CIM
PROJECT NUMBER: 10020
DATE: 2013-05-21
WEATHER: Sunny

SUMMARY:

Construction progress has been made primarily with the installation of formwork for several of the walls on the first floor. Masonite was purchased, and was added as an inner lining to all the formwork. There have been some issues with floating blocks breaking at the interface between the wall and concrete. This issue will need to be addressed before moving forward.

ATTENDEES:

Sven Kalim (Architecture for Humanity) (AFH)
Julien Jackson (AFH)
Taïna Mayard YCF Group, S.A. (YCF)
Lirode Deplat (YCF)
Lizzie Blaisdell (Degenkolb) (DK)

CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS:

-Crepissaging of cantilevers is complete
-Formwork @ grid line 1 installed; need to add 2x4 below formwork on both sides of wall
-Formwork @ grid line 4 installed; need to add formwork to top of chainage
-Formwork @ grid line 7 being installed; adding masonite
-Ground floor rooms cleaned up and cleared out
-Shoring removed under first floor slab that has not been recently poured; still shored @ grid line 3.5 and 4.5

CONSTRUCTION NOTES:

-Several of the floating blocks broke off in the area where a test pour was done (@ grid line 10); concrete shall be poured to infill those areas where there used to be floating blocks; this is a choice made by Sven (AFH) to reveal aesthetic flaws in the construction; verify with DK if additional rebar is required
-YCF agrees with AFH proposal to crepissage external walls at the northern and southern elevations to have the same finished surface all the way up the building
-First floor slab edge detail (along the cantilevers) has a variable projected length from the ends of the cantilevers, meaning either the slab edge isn’t straight, or the length of the cantilevers is not consistent; AFH and YCF to determine what happened, and provide a way of fixing it; greater care will need to be taken by YCF when pouring the second floor

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

-AFH will not be working Thursday, May 30, 2013 because of a Haitian holiday

(photo below)

(above & top) the edge of the slab is not a consistent distance from the cantilevers

REPORT #21

PROJECT: CIM
PROJECT NUMBER: 10020
DATE: 2013-05-14
WEATHER: Sunny

SUMMARY:

Work was still slow this week because materials weren’t delivered to the site. Nonetheless, the last bit of slab was poured on the first floor, and blocks were laid on the remaining interior wall, up to the intermediate chainage. Crepissaging on the cantilevers is nearly finished, while formwork for the interior shear walls is being installed.

YCF also poured a small portion of an interior column with masonite backed formwork. The resulting concrete was generally of good quality; however, technical problems were still present during the pour. A concrete vibrator of inadequate power was used, and several blocks in the wall were broken during the process.

ATTENDEES:

Sven Kalim (Architecture for Humanity) (AFH)
Julien Jackson (AFH)
Taïna Mayard YCF Group, S.A. (YCF)
Lirode Deplat (YCF)
Lizzie Blaisdell (Degenkolb) (DK)

CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS:

-Crepissaging of cantilevers is nearly complete; currently crepissaging cantilever @ grid line 1
-Remainder of first floor slab poured (from grid line 2.5 to grid line 5.5)
-Poured up to (4) blocks of the middle column on grid line 10
-Laid block @ grid line 4 up to height of intermediate chainage
-Installed rebar grid for shear wall @ grid line 4, up to height of intermediate chainage
-Formwork for shear wall @ grid line 7 being installed

CONSTRUCTION NOTES:

-A portion of a column (4 blocks in height) was poured on grid line 10, using masonite. The results were much better than previously seen (less seepage of sauce; nicer concrete finish). However, some chronic problems were still evident. Concrete still did not reach all areas of the staggered block, leaving voids along the interface between block and concrete. This may have been a consequence of using a weaker, battery-powered, vibrator (this vibrator should not have been used for any concrete pours, as was explicitly stated in a previous meeting minutes). Also, several of the blocks broke in the areas where the staggered block is floating. AFH to address this problem prior to pouring the next lift.
-Because the first floor slab was not poured to the finished quality requested by AFH, YCF will polish the first floor slab after work on that floor is complete; a polishing test must be done by YCF prior to implementation on the building
-It was observed that one row of shoring for the first floor decking was removed in the middle room on the ground floor; YCF to replace shoring
-There has been some confusion about the (3) day curing time of concrete. Previously, YCF workers counted the day of a pour as one full day, and would remove formwork before a full (3) days had been reached. For clarity, formwork on newly poured concrete should be removed after at least 72 hours, from when the pour began
-The battery operated vibrator should not be used at any time while pouring concrete at CIM; for the best, the vibrator should be removed from the site

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

-AFH will not be working Friday, May 17, 2013 because of a Haitian holiday

(photo below)

(above) the results of the masonite backed formwork pour

REPORT #20

PROJECT: CIM
PROJECT NUMBER: 10020
DATE: 2013-05-07
WEATHER: Sunny

SUMMARY:

Work was slow this week because materials weren’t delivered to the site. Crepissaging on the ground floor continued on the cantilevers, and several corrections were made to the reinforcing bars (rebar) on the first floor.

ATTENDEES:

Sven Kalim (Architecture for Humanity) (AFH)
Julien Jackson (AFH)
Taïna Mayard (YCF Group, S.A.) (YCF)
Lirode Deplat (YCF)
Lizzie Blaisdell (Degenkolb) (DK)

CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS:

-work has been slow last week because cement has not been delivered to the site
-Crepissaging cantilevers @ grid lines 1 through 10
-Rebar hooks in shear walls @ grid lines 2 & 3, and 5 & 6 corrected

CONSTRUCTION NOTES:

-Floor slab will slope to 12cm @ grid line 4; i.e., grid line 5.5 to grid line 4 (~13cm to 12cm), and grid line 2.5 to grid line 4 (~15cm to 12cm)
-Rebar cages in the small columns and intermediate chainage are fabricated to an appropriate size (approx. 14cm by 14cm); either block is not in the correct position (i.e., on axis with the rebar cages), or rebar cages are not correctly positioned – verify in field; the details provided by AFH for the end columns will be used on the first floor; Lizzie (DK) to provide information about maximum allowable coverage? YCF to check if all column rebar cages are plumb
-Crepissage on the cantilevers and beams chamfer must be 45° (3cm vertical; 3cm horizontal)
-It is good construction practice to apply the same rebar hook detail used in the shear walls to splice rebar from block walls into columns
-It is good construction practice to stagger the splicing of rebars
-Floor slabs must be protected during ongoing construction; plywood must be placed on the slab when storing materials, and/or when blocks need to sit on the slab to work

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

-AFH will not be working Friday, May 17, 2013 because of a Haitian holiday

(photos below)

   
(above) rebar ties were correctly fabricated -- 14cm by 14cm; see report #19

(above) another column detail will need to be used on the first floor to have the proper concrete coverage on the rebar

REPORT #19

PROJECT: CIM
PROJECT NUMBER: 10020
DATE: 2013-04-30
WEATHER: Sunny

SUMMARY:

The installation of the reinforcing bars (rebar) on the first floor is completed up to the intermediate chainage (a horizontal concrete beam mid-way up the height of a block wall), and for the columns. However, some adjustments to the rebar will need to be made prior to pouring the concrete, including corrections to the shear wall rebar (which was incorrectly hooked into the columns), and minor repositioning of the shear wall rebar in the transverse direction. Additionally, due to issues with the size and positioning of the rebar cage at the ends of the block walls, an alternate column detail will need to be made to achieve the proper concrete coverage.

A portion of the first floor slab was poured too thick, and an assessment will need to be made by the engineer to determine its impact on the structure.

Blocks have been laid for the lower half of the walls on the first floor (except for the blocks that sit on the slab that has not been poured), and crepissaging on the ground floor is almost complete.

ATTENDEES:

Sven Kalim (Architecture for Humanity) (AFH)
Julien Jackson (AFH)
Kate Evarts (AFH)
Marco Durán (AFH)
Lirode Deplat (YCF Group, S.A.) (YCF)
Yves Francois (YCF)
Lizzie Blaisdell (Degenkolb) (DK)

CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS:

-Crepissaging walls @ grid lines A and B between grid lines 7 and 10 (exterior/interior)
-Rebar installed @ grid lines A and B, between grid lines 8 and 9 (columns)
-Rebar for intermediate chainage at grid lines 1, 7, and 10 installed
-Rebar grid for shear wall @ grid line 7 installed
-Rebar installed for lower half of all walls, except grid line 4
-Column rebars installed
-Laid block @ grid lines 1, 7, and 10, and between columns @ grid lines 8 and 9
-Kate (AFH), Marco (AFH), and Yves (YCF) had a meeting with Sr. Philomène and M. Bernard to discuss: (1) the sanitary system, (2) the construction schedule and how to utilize the classrooms as soon as possible, and (3) how to spread the word about the new buildings to the community

CONSTRUCTION NOTES:

-Areas of first floor slab between grid lines 1 and 3 poured to 15cm, instead of 12cm (according to the plans, slabs were to be poured to 10cm, but after a construction oversight, it was decided that the slab would be poured to 12cm, in order to achieve the proper slope at the cantilevered walkway); DK to determine impact on structure of 15cm slab; AFH to determine detail in room to complete slab
-Rebar grid at grid line 7 needs to be straightened
-Rebar grid at shear walls on grid lines A and B need to be fixed
-Rebar cages for the small columns at the ends of block walls are fabricated too large, meaning there will not be enough coverage when the concrete is poured. In lieu of making YCF repair all incorrect rebar cages, YCF will need to adjust the size of the column based on details provided by AFH
-First floor slab must be protected during ongoing construction; plywood must be placed on the slab when storing materials

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

-Electrician to provide drawings for conduit layout on ground floor walls
-Meeting Minutes #8 (February 19, 2013) state that YCF was to place the electrical conduit inside the block walls on the ground floor, because crepissage was going to be applied. YCF crepissaged walls prior to placing conduit; a decision will need to be made for the placement of conduit on the ground floor; AFH proposing to place long conduit (coming from the first floor) into the block wall, placing light switches into the block wall, and having the outlets surface mounted

(photos below)

(above) A concrete column should be poured flush with the block wall. However, the edge of the rebar cage aligns with the edge of the block wall, meaning there would not be enough concrete coverage over the rebar

REPORT #18

PROJECT: CIM
PROJECT NUMBER: 10020
DATE: 2013-04-23
WEATHER: Overcast

SUMMARY:

Excavation for the staircase foundation was completed and the rat slab has been poured. Crepissaging continues on the ground floor (interior and exterior), while portions of the first floor slab have been poured and are ready for the placement of blocks. Reinforcing bar (rebar) installation on the first floor is nearly complete, and should be completed by next week.

ATTENDEES:

Sven Kalim (Architecture for Humanity) (AFH)
Taïna Mayard (YCF Group, S.A.) (YCF)
Julien Jackson (AFH)
Lirode Deplat (YCF)
Lizzie Blaisdell (Degenkolb) (DK)

CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS:

-Rat slab poured for Stair A footing
-Three of four section of the first floor slab poured; section between grid lines 2 and 6 to be poured this week
-Ground floor interior walls crepissaged
-Crepissaging walls @ grid line B between grid lines 5 and 6 (exterior)
-Crepissaging of exterior walls on grid line A almost complete; crepissaging shear wall between grid lines 5 and 6
-Crepissaging beams @ grid lines 5 and 6
-Installing ties for column @ grid line A-2
-Installing rebar grid for wall @ grid line B between grid lines 2 and 3
-All vertical rebars for columns on first floor installed
-Installing block @ grid line 1
-Lizzie (DK) was on site last week on Thursday, April 18

CONSTRUCTION NOTES:

-First floor slab must be protected during ongoing construction; plywood must be placed on the slab when storing materials
-YCF must provide shoring for the metal decking between the longer spans in each
classroom, until decking has properly cured
-After a slab has been poured, absolutely no one should walk on the surface for at least 3 days

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

-YCF would like to surface mount electrical conduits on the ground floor. AFH to discuss.

REPORT #17

PROJECT: CIM
PROJECT NUMBER: 10020
DATE: 2013-04-16
WEATHER: Sunny

SUMMARY:

Crepissaging has begun on the ground floor, while rebar continues to be installed on the first floor. All the floor decking has been installed for the first floor, but the floor slab has not been poured yet because electrical conduit is still being installed. Excavation for the northern staircase is almost complete.

ATTENDEES:

Sven Kalim (Architecture for Humanity)(AFH)
Julien Jackson (AFH)
Taïna Mayard (YCF Group, S.A.)(YCF)
Lirode Deplat (YCF)

CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS:

-Excavation for stair A foundation almost complete
-Crepissaged walls at grid lines 1 (interior only), 4, 7, and 10
-Crepissaged exterior walls at grid line B, grid line B between 2 and 3 (interior), and grid line A between 2 and 3 (interior)
-Crepissaging wall @ grid line B between 5 and 6 (interior)
-Crepissaging walls @ grid line A (exterior)
-Crepissaging wall @ grid line A between 8 and 9 (interior)
-Column rebar on first floor being installed @ grid lines 1 through 10; almost complete
-Electrical conduits installed on the first floor decking and walls
-Drip edge on the exterior first floor slab being installed
-Kate Evarts (AFH) and Abe Lynn (DK) were on site for last week’s site meeting

CONSTRUCTION NOTES:

-Verify how electrical conduits and outlets should be built on the ground floor
-DK to provide remaining details for staircase A – treads, landings, and roof
-Ask Lizzie (DK) about placement of electrical tubing on the first floor slab, and verify if concrete coverage will be sufficient.

REPORT #16

PROJECT: CIM
PROJECT NUMBER: 10020
DATE: 2013-04-02
WEATHER: Sunny

SUMMARY:

Metal decking on the first floor has been installed for two of the three rooms, while the decking on the cantilevers is almost completely installed across the entire building. Due to the unfamiliarity of the material, some adjustments need to be made to the decking before the slab can be poured. A grid of reinforcing bars (rebar) has already been installed for the one room on the first floor.

ATTENDEES:

Sven Kalim (Architecture for Humanity)(AFH)
Taïna Mayard (YCF Group, S.A.)(YCF)
Julien Jackson (AFH)
Lirode Deplat (YCF)
Lizzie Blaisdell (Degenkolb)(DK)

CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS:

-Decking taking longer to install than expected because it’s an unfamiliar material YCF has not previously worked with; this may cause construction delays.
-Formwork for first floor slab installed; adjustments need to be made to increase the formwork height to 12cm (from 10cm) for proper slab thickness
-Installing formwork at the cantilevers (for future slab termination detail) at grid lines 1 through 8
-Metal decking on first floor (interior) installed at grid lines 1 through 7
-Metal decking on first floor (exterior) installed at grid lines 1 through 9
-Metal decking on first floor (exterior) being installed at grid lines 9 through 10
-Rebar grid for first floor slab installed at grid lines 1 through 4
-Last Friday (March 29, 2013) was a national holiday, so there was no construction

CONSTRUCTION NOTES:

-YCF will construct the first floor in the same manner as the ground floor (blocks first, concrete second), however, smaller lifts will be implemented to avoid pocketing
-Formwork for first floor slab needs to be increased in height by 2cm (from 10cm to 12cm); DK to confirm if additional 2cm to floor slab is acceptable
-Areas where metal decking interfaces with existing concrete need to be adjusted; see details issued by Lizzie (DK) on March 26, 2013
-YCF to draw plan of how first floor slab will be poured; provide drawing to DK and AFH for approval
-YCF needs to be careful not to damage metal decking; underside of decking is ceiling finish

(photos below)

(above) discussing decking details

(above) decking at the interior shear wall

PROJECT: CIM
PROJECT NUMBER: 10020
DATE: 2013-03-26
WEATHER: Sunny
______________________________________________________________________________
SUMMARY:

The last bit of concrete for the walls, ring beams, and beams was poured last week. Metal decking arrived on site, and is currently being installed on the first floor. Concurrent to the deck installation, YCF will begin installing the reinforcing bars (rebar) in the walls and columns on the first floor.
______________________________________________________________________________
ATTENDEES:

Sven Kalim (Architecture for Humanity)(AFH)
Taïna Mayard (YCF Group, S.A.)(YCF)
Julien Jackson (AFH)
Lirode Deplat (YCF)
Lizzie Blaisdell (Degenkolb)(DK)
______________________________________________________________________________
CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS:

-All concrete, excluding the floor slab, has been poured on the ground floor
-Installing formwork at the cantilevers (for future slab termination detail) @ grid lines 1 through 4
-Installing metal floor decking on 1st floor @ grid lines 1 though 4
-Rebar joining block wall on ground floor to block wall on first floor installed @ grid line 7 (these bars were not installed prior to the ring beam being poured, and had to be installed by removing concrete, and then replacing the removed concrete)
______________________________________________________________________________
CONSTRUCTION NOTES:

-POCKETING: Minor pocketing observed on ring beam from most recent pour (2013-03-21) @ grid line 7; pocketing to be repaired by YCF
-Concrete finish from most recent pour (2013-03-21) looks much better

(photos below)

PROJECT: CIM
PROJECT NUMBER: 10020
DATE: 2013-03-19
WEATHER: Sunny
______________________________________________________________________________
SUMMARY:

Last week, several more beams, ring beams, and cantilevers were poured. Reinforcing bar (rebar) installation for the ground floor is complete, and all that remains is to install the rest of the formwork, and pour the remainder of the beams, ring beams, and cantilevers.
______________________________________________________________________________
ATTENDEES:

Sven Kalim (Architecture for Humanity)(AFH)
Taïna Mayard (YCF Group, S.A.)(YCF)
Julien Jackson (AFH)
Lirode Deplat (YCF)
Lizzie Blaisdell (Degenkolb)(DK)
______________________________________________________________________________
CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS:

-Poured ring beam and beam at grid lines 3, 4, and 5; ring beams at grid lines A and B; pour was stopped by creating a cold joint at the middle of shear wall between grid lines 5 and 6; cold joints to be roughened to 1/4” amplitude (+/- 1/8”)
-Cantilevers at grid lines 3, 4, and 5 poured
-Rebar installation complete
-Formwork for ring beams and beams from grid lines 8 through 10 being installed
-Formwork for cantilever from grid lines 6 through 10 being installed
-Anchor bolts installed on cantilevers at grid lines 6 and 7
-Anchor bolts being installed from grid lines 8 through 10
______________________________________________________________________________
CONSTRUCTION NOTES:

-POCKETING: Pocketing observed on some concrete elements from most recent pour (2013-03-15); ring beam on grid line 4; beams on grid lines A and B, and grid line 5; for next concrete pour, YCF will use more powerful vibrator to prevent pocketing; existing pocketing to be repaired by YCF
-Rebar joining block wall on ground floor to block wall on first floor (through the ring beam) not installed prior to pour of ring beam at grid line 7; rebar (#4 @ 60cm) to be installed in ring beam by drilling into concrete and binding with epoxy; approved by Lizzie (DK); detail to be provided by DK
-FORMWORK: YCF advised to make formwork size closer to actual area being poured. This will help to mitigate gaps between the formwork and the surface the formwork is attached to.
-New foreman on site: Lirode Deplat (YCF)
-Remainder of ring beams and beams to be poured at once (grid lines 6 through 10) later this week

The quality of the formwork used to pour concrete has been a key culprit in creating the poor quality concrete finishes we've seen from recent concrete pours. By making a few simple changes to the way the formwork is constructed and set up, we can greatly improve the quality of concrete coming out of the forms.

At CIM, new wood will be used when possible to help give a nicer finish to the concrete; the formwork will be braced more uniformly by placing 2x4’s at 40cm on center; a 2x4 will be placed at the bottom of all formwork to catch and prevent “sauce” from seeping out the bottom; and finally, we instructed the site foreman to place all 2x4’s used for bracing with the short face against the plywood (structurally, a 2x4 works better along this axis).

Structurally, there haven’t been any serious issues from the concrete that's come out of the formwork. We’re pushing for a better quality concrete finish because the finish of the building will be exposed concrete.

(photos below)

(above) bracing at the front of the building looks good

(above) regularly spaced bracing along the interior shear wall

   
(left) back-side needs a bit of work; (right) adding some bracing

(above) back of building after the bracing is added

FIELD REPORT #13
PROJECT: CIM
PROJECT NUMBER: 10020
DATE: 2013-03-12
WEATHER: Sunny
______________________________________________________________________________
WORK IN PROGRESS:
-Formwork for ring beam at grid line 10 being installed
-Formwork for cantilever at grid lines 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 being installed
______________________________________________________________________________
PRESENT AT SITE:
-Sven Kalim (Architecture for Humanity)(AFH)
-Julien Jackson (AFH)
-Taina Mayard (YCF Group, S.A.)(YCF)
-Foreman, workers (YCF)
-Lizzie Blaisdell (Degenkolb)(DK)
______________________________________________________________________________
MATERIAL ON SITE:
-blocks
-wood formwork
-aggregate
-sand
-reinforcing bar (rebar)
-toolshed
-cement
-metal shoring
-wood (2x4, plywood)
-Doka timber formwork beams
______________________________________________________________________________
OBSERVATIONS:
-Some pocketing observed @ ring beam on grid line 1
-Poured ring beam and beam @ grid lines A and B between grid lines 1 and 2; stopped at middle of shear wall (between grid lines 2 and 3)
-Noticeable deflection of concrete observed at ring beam on grid line 1; inspected by Lizzie (DK) and is structurally acceptable
______________________________________________________________________________
INFORMATION OR ACTION REQUIRED:
-pocketing to be repaired
______________________________________________________________________________
REPORT BY: Sven Kalim

FIELD REPORT #12
PROJECT: CIM
PROJECT NUMBER: 10020
DATE: 2013-03-05
WEATHER: Cloudy
______________________________________________________________________________
WORK IN PROGRESS:
-formwork @ grid line 7 being installed
-rebar for beams @ grid line 5 and 6 being installed
-cantilever rebar @ grid line 3 being installed
______________________________________________________________________________
PRESENT AT SITE:
-Sven Kalim (Architecture for Humanity)(AFH)
-Julien Jackson (AFH)
-Taina Mayard (YCF Group, S.A.)(YCF)
-Foreman, workers (YCF)
-Abe Lynn (Degenkolb)(DK)
______________________________________________________________________________
MATERIAL ON SITE:
-blocks
-wood formwork
-aggregate
-sand
-reinforcing bar (rebar)
-toolshed
-cement
-metal shoring
-wood (2x4, plywood)
______________________________________________________________________________
OBSERVATIONS:
-chamfer detail along beams and cantilever was specified at 3cm x 3cm, but will be reduced to 2cm x 2cm because the larger chamfer would conflict with concrete coverage
-some pocketing @ upper column on grid line B-6 was observed
______________________________________________________________________________
INFORMATION OR ACTION REQUIRED:
-pocketing to be repaired
______________________________________________________________________________
REPORT BY: Sven Kalim

FIELD REPORT #11
PROJECT: CIM
PROJECT NUMBER: 10020
DATE: 2013-02-26
WEATHER: Sunny
______________________________________________________________________________
WORK IN PROGRESS:
-formwork for beams @ grid lines 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 being installed
______________________________________________________________________________
PRESENT AT SITE:
-Sven Kalim (Architecture for Humanity)(AFH)
-Julien Jackson (AFH)
-Taina Mayard (YCF Group, S.A.)(YCF)
-Foreman, workers (YCF)
______________________________________________________________________________
MATERIAL ON SITE:
-blocks
-formwork (wood)
-aggregate
-sand
-rebar
-toolshed
-cement
-metal shoring
-wood
______________________________________________________________________________
OBSERVATIONS:
-cantilever rebar was too long
-some stirrups in the beam were too close (~1cm) from formwork edge
-some pocketing occurred at the base of the most recent concrete pours
______________________________________________________________________________
INFORMATION OR ACTION REQUIRED:
-pocketing will be examined by engineer
-stirrup spacing will be check by engineer
-cantilever rebar will be adjusted to proper length (concrete should end at 1.9m from the exterior wall, not the rebar)
______________________________________________________________________________
REPORT BY: Sven Kalim

Several weeks ago, an incident occurred on site resulting from a lack of protocol. Without prior inspection of rebar by the engineer, YCF construction workers poured a concrete shear wall. Although AFH’s field supervisor was on site at the time, neither he or YCF’s site foreman contacted our offices to question whether the rebar had been checked.

Moreover, no proper photos were taken of the rebar grid prior to being concealed by formwork, and any documentation we did have came in the form of peripheral shots of the shear wall rebar. These were insufficient to definitively say if the grid had been properly constructed.

Degenkolb was asked to give their professional opinion regarding the wall, and stated that “it is notable that the numerous other locations and lifts of shear wall reinforcing we have observed on site so far were typically placed correctly without exception.” Additionally, last Thursday, February 14th, Degenkolb used an electronic stud finder to locate and measure the grid of rebar concealed in the wall. The results were positive and showed that the rebar was correctly placed. And although we can see on site the kind of rebar that's still exposed at the top of the wall (and can thus assume that the already poured portion of concrete contains the same kind of rebar), the technical limitation of the stud finder is that we can't actually determine what type of rebar is in the concrete.

No other incidents involving inspections have occurred since, and both parties are now meticulously checking to make sure rebar has been inspected prior to a pour. Should such an incident occur again, YCF will be asked to demolish the offending concrete, have the engineer check the rebar, and then re-pour the concrete.

(photos below)

FIELD REPORT #10
PROJECT: CIM
PROJECT NUMBER: 10020
DATE: 2013-02-19
WEATHER: Sunny
______________________________________________________________________________
WORK IN PROGRESS:
-ring beam placement (grid line B)
-installing formwork (grid lines A & B, between grid lines 8 through 10)
-demolition of old concrete above cistern
______________________________________________________________________________
PRESENT AT SITE:
-Sven Kalim (Architecture for Humanity)(AFH)
-Julien Jackson (AFH)
-Taina Mayard (YCF Group, S.A.)(YCF)
-Foreman, workers (YCF)
______________________________________________________________________________
MATERIAL ON SITE:
-blocks
-formwork (wood)
-aggregate
-sand
-rebar
-toolshed
-cement
-metal shoring
______________________________________________________________________________
OBSERVATIONS:
-incorrectly sized ties were brought to the site for the beams
______________________________________________________________________________
INFORMATION OR ACTION REQUIRED:
-YCF to manufacture new ties for beams
-YCF to measure columns in cistern and provide a drawing to DK and AFH
______________________________________________________________________________
REPORT BY: Sven Kalim

Recent concrete pours have yielded significantly less pocketing, but surfaces remain rough and not presentable as a concrete finish.

Several areas of especially bad pocketing from previous pours have been probed and repaired as well.

(photos below)

(above) probing a shear wall

(above) probing a shear wall

(above) finished surfaces are still very rough

(left) shear wall to be probed; (right) results showed the pocketing was well repaired

On Thursday, February 14th, Yves Francois (YCF Group), Abe Lynn (Degenkolb), and Kate Evarts (AFH) organized a brief talk and walkthrough with the students of CIM about the new building that's currently under construction. Abe explained some basic structural principles and their application in the design of the building, while Yves Francois (YCF Group) spoke about the need for good education and qualified professionals in the construction industry in Haiti. The discussion was followed by a tour of the construction site, and a talk by Yves about the importance of good quality materials in construction. The students had the opportunity to ask a few questions, and we even did a block test -- dropping a block from shoulder height -- to show them that the quality of the materials being used in the construction of their building are top notch.

The block we tested remained intact.

(photos below)

Recent concrete pours at CIM have yielded poor results. Pocketing is prevalent towards the base of walls and columns, and believed to be the result of poor quality formwork. Gaps between formwork and the surfaces they are attached to, as well as concrete that may be too wet, allows 'sauce' to seep from these gaps. Voids form where this escaped concrete mix used to be.

To be fair, these areas of pocketing are not widespread -- but efforts need to be made to avoid it.

Since we did not intend to crepissage any surfaces, we expected a better quality finish for the concrete. YCF will be repairing all pocketed areas, and have offered to crepissage all wall surfaces on the ground floor (after careful inspection by the engineer), as a result of these recent issues.

YCF is also bringing a formwork specialist to the CIM site to inspect formwork prior to pouring the next round of walls and columns. Depending on the results, AFH will determine if changes need to be made to the pouring process.

(photos below)

FIELD REPORT #9
PROJECT: CIM
PROJECT NUMBER: 10020
DATE: 2013-02-05
WEATHER: Sunny
______________________________________________________________________________
WORK IN PROGRESS:
-block laying between grid lines 8 & 9
-putting up formwork for shear walls between grid lines 2 & 3
______________________________________________________________________________
PRESENT AT SITE:
-Sven Kalim (Architecture for Humanity)(AFH)
-Julien Jackson (AFH)
-Taina Mayard (YCF Group, S.A.)(YCF)
-Foreman, workers (YCF)
______________________________________________________________________________
MATERIAL ON SITE:
-blocks
-formwork (wood)
-aggregate
-sand
-rebar
-toolshed
-cement
-metal shoring
______________________________________________________________________________
OBSERVATIONS:
-block wall towards grid line B at grid line 7 was poured askew as a result of too much force from formwork shoring.
-pocketing at shear walls and columns
-shears walls were poured too high (3.20m instead of 2.95m)
______________________________________________________________________________
INFORMATION OR ACTION REQUIRED:
-YCF to repair pocketing areas
-YCF to remove 25cm from columns at gridline B, between 5 & 6.
-Lizzie (DK) to inspect wall at grid line 7 to determine what action is to be taken
______________________________________________________________________________
REPORT BY: Sven Kalim

FIELD REPORT #8
PROJECT: CIM
PROJECT NUMBER: 10020
DATE: 2013-01-29
WEATHER: Sunny
______________________________________________________________________________
WORK IN PROGRESS:
-chipping concrete to apply smooth finish
-putting up formwork for shear wall
-backfill
______________________________________________________________________________
PRESENT AT SITE:
-Sven Kalim (Architecture for Humanity)(AFH)
-Julien Jackson (AFH)
-Taina Mayard (YCF Group, S.A.)(YCF)
-Foreman, workers (YCF)
______________________________________________________________________________
MATERIAL ON SITE:
-blocks
-formwork (wood)
-aggregate
-sand
-rebar
-toolshed
-cement
-wheelbarrows
______________________________________________________________________________
OBSERVATIONS:
-pocketing at shear walls and columns
-Haitian block is 200mm (compared to US blocks, which are slightly smaller than nominal size to account for mortar between blocks). The additional 10mm per block means that one course of block needed to be removed from the top to maintain a proper ring beam height (with an additional few centimeters of concrete from the discrepancy)
-formwork for shear wall is very high. YCF pouring process explained to AFH/DK. DK says it's an acceptable method
______________________________________________________________________________
INFORMATION OR ACTION REQUIRED:
-YCF to repair pocketing areas
______________________________________________________________________________
REPORT BY: Sven Kalim

FIELD REPORT #7
PROJECT: CIM
PROJECT NUMBER: 10020
DATE: 2013-01-22
WEATHER: Sunny
______________________________________________________________________________
WORK IN PROGRESS:
-block laying
-putting up formwork
______________________________________________________________________________
PRESENT AT SITE:
-Sven Kalim (Architecture for Humanity)(AFH)
-Julien Jackson (AFH)
-Taina Mayard (YCF Group, S.A.)(YCF)
-Foreman, workers (YCF)
______________________________________________________________________________
MATERIAL ON SITE:
-blocks
-formwork (wood)
-aggregate
-sand
-rebar
-toolshed
-cement
-wheelbarrows
______________________________________________________________________________
OBSERVATIONS:
-the first two shear walls have been poured (north side); some pocketing/voids formed at the base of the column
-new detail provided to YCF for splicing columns with #8 rebar
-some ties in columns where not at correct angle; corrected on site
______________________________________________________________________________
INFORMATION OR ACTION REQUIRED:
-new aesthetic detail for the connection between concrete and block to be provided by AFH
-horizontal rebars in the blocks need to be properly covered with mortar
______________________________________________________________________________
REPORT BY: Sven Kalim

FIELD REPORT #6
PROJECT: CIM
PROJECT NUMBER: 10020
DATE: 2013-01-14
WEATHER: Sunny
______________________________________________________________________________
WORK IN PROGRESS:
-rebar for shear walls
-preparing wall/slab formwork
-establishing concrete heights with string
______________________________________________________________________________
PRESENT AT SITE:
-Sven Kalim (Architecture for Humanity)(AFH)
-Julien Jackson (AFH)
-Abe Lynn (Degenkolb)(DK)
-Taina Mayard (YCF Group, S.A.)(YCF)
-Foreman, workers (YCF)
______________________________________________________________________________
MATERIAL ON SITE:
-compactor
-formwork (wood)
-aggregate
-sand
-rebar
-toolshed
______________________________________________________________________________
OBSERVATIONS:
-some rebar was bent to provide space for other construction work. It was discussed in last weeks meeting that rebar should be bent as few times as possible (for non-construction purposes) to avoid weakening bars.
______________________________________________________________________________
INFORMATION OR ACTION REQUIRED:
-workers should be told not to unnecessarily bend rebar
______________________________________________________________________________
REPORT BY: Sven Kalim

FIELD REPORT #5
PROJECT: CIM
PROJECT NUMBER: 10020
DATE: 2013-01-07
WEATHER: Sunny
______________________________________________________________________________
WORK IN PROGRESS:
-backfill and compaction under kitchen slab
-backfill along east foundation wall
-minor concrete patching on west foundation wall
______________________________________________________________________________
PRESENT AT SITE:
-Sven Kalim (Architecture for Humanity)(AFH)
-Julien Jackson (AFH)
-Lizzie Blaisdell (Degenkolb)(DK)
-Foreman, workers (YCF Group, S.A.)(YCF)
______________________________________________________________________________
MATERIAL ON SITE:
-concrete mixer
-sand
-compactor
-wheelbarrow (3)
-cement
-formwork (wood)
-aggregate
-toolshed
______________________________________________________________________________
OBSERVATIONS: (Returning from Holiday)
-minor patching on west foundation wall
-portion of west stem wall needs to be poured
-transverse footing foundation walls need to be poured (two southern walls)
-some column ties not bent to correct angle
______________________________________________________________________________
INFORMATION OR ACTION REQUIRED:
-roughen all concrete surfaces where new concrete is poured
-check column ties prior to new column pours
-incorrect rebar for the slab on grade was delivered on site; project is less than one week behind schedule
______________________________________________________________________________
REPORT BY: Sven Kalim

FIELD REPORT #4
PROJECT: CIM
PROJECT NUMBER: 10020
DATE: 2012-12-21
WEATHER: Sunny
______________________________________________________________________________
WORK IN PROGRESS:
-backfill and compaction of trenches
-placing rebar into first cross trench (north side)
-placing rebar into second cross trench (north side)
______________________________________________________________________________
PRESENT AT SITE:
-Radim Tkadlec (Architecture for Humanity)(AFH)
-Julien Jackson (AFH)
-Lizzie Blaisdell (Degenkolb)(DK)
-Foreman, workers (YCF Group, S.A.)(YCF)
______________________________________________________________________________
MATERIAL ON SITE:
-rebar (prepared wall-tie columns)
-formwork (wood)
-aggregate
-toolshed
______________________________________________________________________________
OBSERVATIONS:
-swapped position of #8 and #6 rebar (like in long footings), OK by Lizzie (DK), next footings will have correct positioning of rebar
-hooks at ends of cross footing rebar don't have the correct overlap length
______________________________________________________________________________
INFORMATION OR ACTION REQUIRED:
-hooks will be replaced
-rebar in the other trenches will be positioned correctly
______________________________________________________________________________
REPORT BY: Radim Tkadlec

FIELD REPORT #3
PROJECT: CIM
PROJECT NUMBER: 10020
DATE: 2012-12-18
WEATHER: Sunny
______________________________________________________________________________
WORK IN PROGRESS:
-formwork for foundation wall (west)
-pouring concrete for remainder of footing where septic tank used to be (west)
-backfill at foundation walls (east)
______________________________________________________________________________
PRESENT AT SITE:
-Kate Evarts (Architecture for Humanity)(AFH)
-Sven Kalim (AFH)
-Radim Tkadlec (AFH)
-Julien Jackson (AFH)
-Taina Mayard (YCF Group, S.A.)(YCF)
-Abe Lynn (Degenkolb)(DK)
-Lizzie Blaisdell (DK)
-Foreman, workers (YCF)
______________________________________________________________________________
MATERIAL ON SITE:
-rebar
-formwork (wood)
-cement
-sand
-aggregate
-toolshed
______________________________________________________________________________
OBSERVATIONS:
-concrete from foundation wall (east) looks good; few plastered patches where concrete didn't settle well; slight bowing of a portion of the foundation wall (very minor)
-concrete in formwork covered with a bit of debris
-septic tank removed
______________________________________________________________________________
INFORMATION OR ACTION REQUIRED:
-revised detail for the stepped footing (DK)
-workers should clean off concrete of all debris prior to pour
______________________________________________________________________________
REPORT BY: Sven Kalim

FIELD REPORT #2
PROJECT: CIM
PROJECT NUMBER: 10020
DATE: 2012-12-11
WEATHER: Sunny
______________________________________________________________________________
WORK IN PROGRESS:
-workers placing rebar for foundation wall (east side)
-workers placing formwork for foundation wall pour
-demolition of old slab at retaining wall
______________________________________________________________________________
PRESENT AT SITE:
-Kate Evarts (AFH)
-Sven Kalim (AFH)
-Radim Tkadlec (AFH)
-Julien Jackson (AFH)
-Taina Mayard (YCF)
-Abe Lynn (Degenkolb)
-Foreman, workers (YCF)
______________________________________________________________________________
MATERIAL ON SITE:
-rebar
-formwork (wood)
-sledgehammers & wheelbarrows (for demolition)
-scaffolding
-toolshed (with lumber, plywood)
______________________________________________________________________________
OBSERVATIONS:
-Abe's steel inspection -- looks good with minor correction
-rebar for columns very tight; it will be necessary to specify aggregate size for pour
-demolition of old slab will continue to first cross footing (next to kitchen); thereafter, only rebar to be removed
______________________________________________________________________________
INFORMATION OR ACTION REQUIRED:
-Abe to develop new detail for future rebar spacing in columns
______________________________________________________________________________
REPORT BY: Sven Kalim

FIELD REPORT #1
PROJECT: CIM
PROJECT NUMBER: 10020
DATE: 2012-12-06
WEATHER: Sunny
______________________________________________________________________________
WORK IN PROGRESS:
-adding ties to shear wall column
-formwork for back footings in place (to septic tank)
______________________________________________________________________________
PRESENT AT SITE:
-Sven Kalim (AFH)
-Julien Jackson (AFH)
-Abe Lynn (Degenkolb)
-Foreman, workers (YCF)
______________________________________________________________________________
MATERIAL ON SITE:
-rebar
-mixer
-formwork (wood)
-toolshed (with lumber, plywood)
______________________________________________________________________________
OBSERVATIONS:
-septic tank needs at back of site needs to be emptied and demolished so footing can be placed.
-some ties not bent to correct angle (being fixed while on site)
-spacing of ties is at correct spacing or slightly less than minimum required (not bad, just slightly over-structured)
______________________________________________________________________________
REPORT BY: Sven Kalim

Soeur Philomene signing the contract…now work can officially start!

AfH is excited to report that work has commenced at the CIM site! The contractor, YCF Group SA, has started demolition and excavation for Phase I (of four phases) for the project. Phase I includes “Building L” in the phasing plan below:

The building will be three floors, housing eight classrooms and the kitchen for the school.

Demolition work has begun on taking down temporary classrooms in order construct the new three story classroom building. The following images show the construction crew hard at work…

We paid a brief visit to the site today. We saw that demolition of the temporary classrooms that need to be removed for the new construction was underway on our last site visit (July 19). This demo is being managed by the school as they want to salvage the materials.

The school has workers repairing a wall in the back section of the property.

Today we visited the site to talk with Soeur Philomene and the kitchen staff to find out more about their kitchen needs. The CIM kitchen is part of Phase I, which will be moving forward rapidly as soon as we hire a structural engineer.

We found out that the kitchen serves ~100 students at a time and 400-500 a day. (Imagine the storage needed for 500 plates!) The school gets rice, corn, and potatoes delivered once a month from the Programme National Cantine Scolaire (PNCS), so they also require a sizable storage facility for dry goods. On a weekly basis, they purchase vegetables and meat from the market.

The current kitchen only has a door and a very small window, so we hope to provide plenty of ventilation and air movement in the new kitchen. Of course it would always be better to design for more burners and ovens as well, but we will do the best we can staying within the budget.

Something new and unexpected: we learned today that the students have an etiquette class, in which they learn proper table manners!

Demo is also underway on the buildings which need to be cleared in order to start Phase I. Materials are being salvaged for reuse.

The original construction schedule sought to have the construction drawings completed by June 18th so we can have contractors bid on the drawings and begin construction by July 1st in order to complete the Phase 1 classroom block by October 1st. It is currently mid July and we, the CIM design team, would like to pause and step back to clarify for both ourselves and to the OAN community to several events that have culminated to the on-going two month delay to the project.

The official starting date of the project was in April 2012. Unfortunately that was five months after we lost our in-house engineer, Rick, who spoiled us with his insight and expertise. Rick’s departure, which was well known ahead of time, was no considered in the drafting of the construction costs where the fees for building consultants is ill-informed and far too low priced. As the master planning phase of CIM came to a conclusion (on schedule,) we were unable to proceed with the design of the building due to the lack of a structural engineer. Even though the critical need for an engineer has been looming over AFH-Haiti for the past seven months, we’ve only recently begun to address this need, causing our inability to produce an engineered set of drawings out for bid.

Despite this fact, we attempted to adhere to the schedule by skipping schematic and design development phases to rush out construction drawings to give to the contractor to get feedback on construction method and means to expedite the construction process. This left gaping holes in the design, that in conjuction with the lack of an engineer, create a rather empty building.

The benefit of doing the CD exercise without DD or SD is the implementation of CAD standards, office graphic standards, and coherency across the architectural side of the office. This involves implementing the latest features of autocad which was not present in past drawings. These are rather technical IT issues involving block libraries, annotation standards, lineweight standards, naming conventions, drafting techniques and organization. When the team returns to CD, we will be much better prepared to produce documents.

Since the project has been delayed so heavily already and we’re looking on completing the project in December rather than October, we’ve taken the time to fully design the building hence returned to Schematic mode. Currently we’re doing elevation studies, implementing feedback from the charettes into the design, tweaking the positioning and widths of stairs and hallways, and producing images that will soon be on the OAN.

The goal is to have a complete architectural set that we won’t change so the calculations done by the engineer will be final.

P.S. Today is also our project lead's Birthday! Happy Bday Kate!

On Wednesday and Thursday of last week, a team of AfH-ers visited CIM for two days of design charrettes. On the first day, our team led a group of students, age 5-18, in conceptualizing their ideal school and representing their ideas through words, drawings, and models. On the second day, we did the same exercises with a group of teachers from the school. Both groups, after a little warming up, were very enthusiastic and passionate about the process.

The charrette was a great success and we learned a lot about the priorities of the students and teachers. Fun was had by all and we look forward to returning to the school for more outreach sessions.

Date: 2012/07/09

Personnel:

Kate Evarts
Stephen Sun
Brett Ferguson
Angie Tabrizi
Sony
Laneau

Featured currently in the slideshow is the master plan for CIM. Before describing its layout, allow us to explain the evolution of the site since the last update.

Program:
The current program for the master plan consists of 22 classrooms, one IT lab, one science lab, one admin room, one kitchen, all at 50 square meters. It is stipulated that each student is given 1.2 square meters of space which, at 42 students per classroom, calculates out to 50 square meters. We are also contracted to design a 24 stall bathroom block, a basketball court, and a multipurpose space used for prayers, parent/teacher conferences, dining, and theater plays.

Site:
The gingerbread house that was to be renovated for the future administration and kindergarden was unexpectedly, but safely, demolished. A 10ft high perimeter wall was erected: dividing the site in two. Rather viewing these constraints as difficulties, the problems actually made the solution to the site quite evident. We propose two three story classroom blocks that hugs the new site wall to define the division of the school space and the private residence of the nuns. Placing the larger classroom block on the south provides shade to the multipurpose space as well as the basketball court which allows it to be occupied even during the summer season. Should the school purchase the neighborhood lot that is currently notching into the site, the open space allows for the development of a two story classroom block building which further defines the communal school courtyard. The beauty of the plan is that even if the congregation is unsuccessful in purchasing the property, the placement of the building still encourages a central public space.

Charettes:
To further develop the master plan, we’re holding community outreach sessions with student group of all ages, instructors, and even parents to help identify qualitative characteristics of their ideal school we hope to implement. The first step of this ethnographic process involves gathering a group of 18-24 students to break up into sections to come up with a list of priorities in their ideal school. We then consolidate each section’s list to come up with a general priority list which is then discussed and voted upon to determine the three most important ideas to the study group. The groups are then separated again (after a break filled with pate au poulet “chicken hot pockets,” and refreshments) to begin the charette exercise of designing and diagraming one of these priorities. The exercise is not meant for them to design a solution to the problem, but rather to design the problem itself by providing Architecture for Humanity relationships between tangible architectural spaces and invisible priorities that they themselves defined. Our first charette will take place on July 11th, 2012.

Architecture:
Our design priorities are very straight-forward. To develop classroom spaces that are seismic-proof, cool in the summer heat, beautiful to occupy, and inspirational for all those who attend the school. Each room has two means of egress with wide hallways and staircases. We have a luxurious 12ft floor to ceiling height that has light shelves to keep out direct sunlight, yet allows for diffuse non glare light into the classrooms. Every two classroom shares a solar chimney which, exposed to the southern sun, heats up the air inside, causing it to rise through all three stories there by drawing in cool air from the courtyard. The chimney outlet is designed so that prevailing winds from any direction will assist in this stack effect keeping the classrooms cool and well ventilated in any climate situation.

What are we doing now?
As of today, we are developing design development/construction drawings for contractors to bid on. The project is phased so that we are only looking to build the smaller of the two classroom blocks during the summer and fall of 2012. We plan to complete the building before the winter quarter so the school can remain operational throughout the year.

Personnel:
Kate Evarts/ Architecture for Humanity (AfH)
Angela Bateson/ Architecture for Humanity (AfH)
Danica Kane/ Architecture for Humanity (AfH)

This was the first AfH site visit to CIM since the contract was signed. An tour of the site showed many new buildings since the last AfH visit on January 19. Transitional structures have been built along the neighbor's southern wall. The north end of the southern section of the site has been built up with transitional classrooms. The Nun's dormitory and supporting buildings in the southwest corner of the site are nearing completion. Construction has begun on a guardhouse at the southeast corner of the site. The perimeter wall along the east side of the site is being rebuilt a meter away from the edge of the street per new regulations. This is nearing completion. This will have to be done along the north side of the site as well. This is not in the AfH scope.

We took measurements to prepare a preliminary site plan. A surveyor has been contacted to do a full site survey.

We toured the site with Sr. Philomene and Emmanuel Bernard who pointed out several underground cisterns, a new electric panel and meter, a cistern for potable water which is refilled by a delivery truck. Sr. Philomene indicated that the large plastic cistern on the Rue du Travail 2eme side of the property are filled with city water pipes running under the street.