![Ti kay là / Bonaventura Visconti di Modrone - Facade, Column, Windows, Arch, Beam](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/572f/b7dc/e58e/ce4d/8300/00ce/newsletter/Kids_1.jpg?1462745021)
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Architects: Bonaventura Visconti di Modrone
- Area: 400 m²
- Year: 2015
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Photographs:Marco Cappelletti
![Ti kay là / Bonaventura Visconti di Modrone - Image 12 of 26](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/572f/b520/e58e/ce4d/8300/00c2/newsletter/2.jpg?1462744323)
Text description provided by the architects. Between 2014 and 2015, right after graduating, Italian architect Bonaventura Visconti di Modrone was invited to Anse-à-Pitres, a small village in the Sur Este department of Haiti, to build a housing complex for Ayitimoun Yo, an N.G.O. that helps local street children.
![Ti kay là / Bonaventura Visconti di Modrone - Beam, Facade, Column, Windows](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/572f/b483/e58e/ce4d/8300/00bd/medium_jpg/5.jpg?1462744167)
A meeting with the N.G.O founders fostered the idea of designing an anti-seismic building for the children, that could also serve as a resource (haven) to help them feel welcome and part of a family again.
![Ti kay là / Bonaventura Visconti di Modrone - Beam, Concrete](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/572f/b42e/e58e/ce4d/8300/00ba/newsletter/6.jpg?1462744081)
The N.G.O wanted a space that would be easy to control, in which the children could sleep and carry out their daily activities.
![Ti kay là / Bonaventura Visconti di Modrone - Windows, Beam](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/572f/b3ba/e58e/ced5/a800/0087/newsletter/9.jpg?1462743965)
![](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/572f/b447/e58e/ce4d/8300/00bb/newsletter/1..jpg?1462744117)
![Ti kay là / Bonaventura Visconti di Modrone - Windows, Table](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/572f/b4fc/e58e/ce4d/8300/00c1/newsletter/3.jpg?1462744286)
The children, on the other hand, would need different areas; an indoor space to share with their housemates; a veranda to do their homework and spend time with their close friends; a lateral big open space to share with all the others. This subdivision is important considering the fact that there are children of different age and background.
![](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/572f/b4d8/e58e/ce4d/8300/00c0/newsletter/8.jpg?1462744262)
Since it was important that the building fit within the local architectural context, two of its typical elements were adopted: the lakou settlement and the Haitian rural house.
![Ti kay là / Bonaventura Visconti di Modrone - Windows, Brick, Facade, Arch](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/572f/b40c/e58e/ced5/a800/0089/medium_jpg/7.jpg?1462744044)
The first is a traditional way of arranging the houses around a central courtyard; this was reinterpre- ted by placing the houses in a line and leaving a big open space between the buildings.
The second is a simple and clean rectangular-shaped house, with an open veranda that is cheerfully decorated and covered with a pitched roof. In the Haitian culture, the pitched roof especially means respect and acceptance, so it was included repeatedly, creating the characteristic shape of the unin- terrupted cover.
![Ti kay là / Bonaventura Visconti di Modrone - Beam](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/572f/b766/e58e/ce4d/8300/00cb/medium_jpg/Kids_2.jpg?1462744901)
The Haitian climate is very hot and humid, so the roof structure is detached from the houses, al- lowing fresh air to breeze through and providing natural ventilation.
![](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/572f/b538/e58e/ced5/a800/008a/newsletter/9.jpg?1462744358)
Some of the project details, such as the colour of the bricks and of the concrete platform, were cho- sen directly by the children through workshops; this helped them to personalise their future houses and strengthened their feeling of ownership.
![Ti kay là / Bonaventura Visconti di Modrone - Beam](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/572f/b593/e58e/ced5/a800/008c/newsletter/13.jpg?1462744437)
By investigating and reinterpreting the local architectural context we were able to design a building well integrated with the surroundings.
![Ti kay là / Bonaventura Visconti di Modrone - Image 7 of 26](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/572f/b60a/e58e/ce4d/8300/00c6/newsletter/Kids_7.jpg?1462744556)
The main issue we faced during the construction was the organization of the logistics; many of the materials needed were bought in the Dominican Republic, mainly in the capital city of Santo Domin- go, which is a one-day trip from the construction site.
![Ti kay là / Bonaventura Visconti di Modrone - Beam, Brick, Column](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/572f/b5ca/e58e/ce4d/8300/00c5/newsletter/12.jpg?1462744493)
Furthermore, because of diplomatic issues between the two countries, it has been difficult to clear the goods through custom and transport them to the site.
![Ti kay là / Bonaventura Visconti di Modrone - Image 3 of 26](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/572f/b5e6/e58e/ced5/a800/008d/newsletter/1.jpg?1462744529)
All the other materials and components were customized on-site by local craftsman.
The decision to employ local workers and artisans exclusively, led to the direct participation of the entire community and to the creation of a facility (site; place) that belongs to the area and to its architectural and cultural context.