Las Hormigas Women's Cooperative Kitchen

Project Type:
Architecture

Project Mission/Goal:
XXX

Project Description:
This project reuses structural components of an existing building while adding function and comfort through the addition of ecological renovations and necessary fixtures. It brings to the impoverished area of Western Ciudad Juarez, a colonia called Ranchos de Anapra, an opportunity for women to work together in their own neighborhood rather than being forced to work across the city in dangerous factories producing goods for export and being separated from their children for much of the day. Instead, this project is part of an effort to empower women to learn skills that will benefit them and their community and keep them closer to home and their children. It also works to bring women's issues on the border to public light, most notably the thousands of disappearances and murders of women in the Ciudad Juarez area. In addition, this kitchen serves the adjoining child care facility where members of the cooperative kitchen may leave their children while at work and includes a small serving and cafeteria room.

This project was completed mostly through a workshop process where US citizens and Anapra residents worked together in a cooperative process to complete the roof system and the wall envelop. It included trainings in the techniques employed during the unique construction process.

Walls were constructed of salvaged pallets which were cut aprat and reused to form an exo-skeleton into which a mixture of clay and straw were then applied to form an insulative covering around the existing concrete masonry walls. The roof was made of pallet parts rebuilt into 20" deep trusses. Straw was again clay-coated to provide insulation. It is important to note that typical construction is only the concrete masonry walls and either a tin roof or asphalt rool roofing with no insulation which means that buildings are miserably hot in the summer and quite cold in the winter. This rehabilitation results in a building that can be comfortably used all year long. Solar hot water with a site constructed batch heater was also made and installed during the workshop.

Links and Captions:
All image files are in World Hands Project file folder on OAN.

finished walls.JPG.
© Dafyd Rawlings
Image of the outside walls finished ready for plaster and limewash
CC: License

close-up light straw clay wall.JPG.
© Dafyd Rawlings
Close up of the clay-straw walls before plaster.
CC: License

stuffing straw wall.JPG
© Dafyd Rawlings
The proicess of applying straw clay within formwork
CC: License

straw roof insulation.JPG
© Dafyd Rawlings
Clay-coated straw insulation between pallet trusses
CC: License

making light straw clay by hand.JPG
© Dafyd Rawlings
Straw is tossed with pitchforks while clay slip[ is drizzled over the pile
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installing pallet trusses.JPG
© Dafyd Rawlings
Trusses made from pallet parts are hoisted unto the roof and set in place
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clay plaster scratch coat.JPG
© Dafyd Rawlings
Plaster is applied to the clay-straw walls
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stuffing walls.JPG
© Dafyd Rawlings
Another image showing how walls are stuffed with clay-straw
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blessing of the restaurant.JPG
© Dafyd Rawlings
Father Peter Urban blesses the new restaurant
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grand opening.JPG
© Dafyd Rawlings
Las Hormigas Women's Cooperative Restaurant is open for business!
CC: License

Project Details:
Project Name: Las Hormigas Women's Cooperative Kitchen
Project Location: Puerto de Anapra, Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico
Date(s): Dec 2006 - May 2007
Project Phase: Completed
Client: Las Hormigas
User Client: Women's Cooperative Kitchen members
Description and Number of Beneficiaries/Users: women member of coopertaive + their familes, community, member # varies
Major Funding: Catholic Church
Concept/Lead Architect(s)/Designer(s): Alfred von Bachmayr
Project Architect(s)/Designer(s): Dafyd Rawlings
Structural Engineers: n/a
Electrical/Mechanical Engineers: n/a
Contractor/Manufacturer: Dean Coil
Additional Consultants: n/a
Total Cost/Cost per Unit: approx. $12000 USD
Area (if applicable): approx. 900 SF
Photo/Image Credit(s): All images shared by Dafyd Rawlings

Nominated by: Dafyd Rawlings, Assistant Director World Hands Project

Location