Jamaican Architecture
Jamaican Architecture
Topic: Jamaican Architecture
Author: Mark T Johnson
Publish Date: 06/08/2020
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Jamaican Architecture | |
Introduction
The original inhabitants, the Tainos of Central
America, named this island “Xamayca” meaning “Land of wood and water”
and despite the damage and deforestation of the last five centuries, it is
still an apt description of Jamaica which in its 4411 square miles has
mountains and plains and many rivers.
The climate is described as “Tropical Maritime” We
have seasonal rainfall, tropical temperatures, and relatively high humidity
but good cooling breeze and trade winds. However, we are in a hurricane and
earthquake zone.
In Jamaica, over 90% of the people are of
African origin but there are many Asian, European and Middle Eastern
migrants mixed in. The Taino did not survive the coming of the Europeans but their
agricultural practices survive and their building traditions are relevant
today.
The population of Jamaica is just under
three Million and the economy is based on tourism, agriculture, and bauxite
mining.
Vernacular Architecture of Jamaica
There could be no truer use of materials than in
the structures of the Tainos whose buildings had thatch roofs which insulated
and shaded and porous walls of vertical poles through which light and air could
pass. These houses operated on the same principle as hammocks, allowing air to
circulate and keep the occupant cool.
The European settlers had other plans. They soon
started importing and making bricks, cutting stone, and burning lime to make
mortar to build as they knew how. They learned through trial and error what
gives a building “climate resilience” as we call it today.
Carpenters, masons, carvers, and other artisans
and architects came, from America, Europe, Africa, and Asia, albeit under very
different circumstances. They brought with them their idea of what a building
should be and the methods and details of putting them together. As cultures of
the four continents collided, some aspects of building traditions, of forms and
features, were discarded, while others that suited the climate and the way of
life were embraced and developed. Architectural styles imported and applied to
Civic and Plantation Buildings were adapted for use in towns and countries in
buildings of different sizes. Ideas traveled between the island colonies in the
Caribbean and up and down the North American coast. Through this complex
process, a Caribbean Creole vernacular architecture was created.
The resulting buildings were almost of necessity
sustainable. For the most part, the materials were local-wood, stone, thatch,
and earth, suiting the climate and resistance in many ways to earthquake and hurricane.
I believe we can learn from the principles that these early vernacular
buildings embody and offer some examples.
Natural Cooling
There are many examples of early buildings that
use natural cooling techniques such as Shading, Cross ventilation & Convection
to keep interiors cool during the hot cycles of the day and the year, taking
advantage of prevailing winds.
Hurricane Resistance
Hurricanes impact the Caribbean and North America
from June through November, often with devastating consequences. The geometry
of roofs, reduction of exposed elements, use of ventilating elements to reduce
pressure build-up and proper bracing and jointing methods have meant that many
early vernacular buildings have survived season after season of hurricanes.
Earthquake Resistance
As we saw in 2010 in Haiti, our close neighbor, earthquakes can take a
a terrible toll on the peoples and economies of this region. There is evidence
that before being completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1692 the town of
Port Royal was similar to the city of London before the fire, tall buildings
cheek by jowl and of both masonries, and timber construction. In that same
earthquake, it was reported that the only buildings that survived in the inland
capital Spanish Town, which the English had seized from the Spanish were those
built of “Spanish Walling” which is nog construction- a timber frame in-filled
with stone or brick in a lime and earth mortar, and rendered with lime mortar-
a flexible structure.
- Reinforced concrete construction is now the norm in Jamaica, but the opportunities exist for other materials old and new to help us design in ways which are less dependent on imported material and fuel, examples of these are:
- Lime: Once the only bonding agent used, lime is making a comeback as a green material. It is burnt at a lower temperature than cement and reabsorbs carbon dioxide in the setting. It can be used in cast walls, as mortar, and in paints.
- Brick structures again suffered greatly in a major 1907 earthquake.
- Bamboo: A “free” material used in temporary shelter, roadside stalls bamboo has great potential. The Scientific Research Council is looking at the treatment and use of Jamaica’s bamboo resources as raw material for building products. This can be as a framework for masonry or in manufactured sheet products. At Island Village Simon Velez built a stage roof and entry pavilion, bringing three Colombian artisans to teach local carpenters the jointing methods he has developed.
- Thatch: Once freely available palm thatch is becoming scarce, mainly used in the tourism sector. I am advocating for it to be grown as a forest product for roofing screens and furniture
- Timber: I have tried to know the source of my timber, and use a lot of plantation-grown pine, although it does not have the beauty of scarcer hardwoods. At the Cockpit country Information center, we used the forestry departments thinning, treated with borates, to build railings and walkways.
- Energy: Replacement of electricity generated through burning imported oil is also more and more imperative. The energy used in buildings can be minimized through good passive design, and it is rapidly becoming viable for the remaining energy demand to be met through solar, wind, and geothermal generation. The Jamaican authorities are in the process of making grid-tie possible, reducing the need for battery backup where the alternative power is generated.
- Water: Rainwater harvesting and storage, and the use of water-saving devices are all becoming a part of the vocabulary.
Social Sustainability
The Princes Foundation for the Built Environment
sponsored a design workshop for the community and has set up a community
development organization, the Rose Town Foundation for the Built Environment. I
participated in the initial workshop becoming involved it Rose Town thereafter.
Through this consultative process, a Masterplan was drawn to rebuild a civic
center including training facilities, workshop, and industrial facilities, a
park, market, shops, and housing all on the now vacant no-man’s-land, reuniting
North and South. Housing proposals are being put forward based on the concept
of retaining good buildings where possible and infilling within the existing
lots and on the open land. This is considered a better approach than the
concrete 4 story walk-up housing blocks which cannot be afforded by the local
residents and which provide no private or semiprivate yard or outdoor space for
residents.
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| Jamaican Architecture |
So far there have been two construction training
projects. A total of 28 youth from the area have undergone three weeks of
residential training with another NGO, Falmouth Heritage Renewal, learning
basic carpentry and masonry but also experiencing the use of lime and the hand
tools used in carpentry. Returning to Rose town the first group continued
training with a local trainer and in the process restored a small house
adjoining the community center. The second group roofed and restored an old
shop as offices for the Rose Town Foundation for the Built Environment.
A Functional Housing Model
In areas such as Rose Town, security and mutual support, as well as an economic necessity, created a system that saw the “yard” as a functional living arrangement that survives in many urban areas today. The climate allows for outdoor living, and the outdoor space can make up for restricted indoor space. The “yard” has developed as a functional living an arrangement that survives in many urban areas today, providing collective security and mutual support with several households sharing the common outdoor living space. The Hallin Bank Project was an opportunity to bring the functioning downtown ‘yard’ to an uptown site. Designed for a group of friends who pooled resources to achieve homeownership, the project sought to retain the 1940ies brick in-filled timber-framed or ”nog” house, keep all the mature trees, and create affordable units and livable communal space, all on a 1/2 acre lot near the new commercial center of New Kingston. Wide frontages, single room deep, two-story units were developed around a courtyard, within the shady courtyard the temperature can be several degrees cooler than the street, and the courtyard provides an opportunity for social gatherings, shared meals, shared childcare, and a degree of security.
Conclusion
In conclusion, “CAA guide to designing for
sustainability” document summarizes the guiding principles I have found
important when it says;.
“The main challenges of sustainable construction which emerge are as follows:
•
Promoting energy efficiency (energy saving measures; extensive retrofit
programs; transport aspects; use of renewable energies)
•
Reducing the consumption of high-quality drinking water (relying on
rainwater/greywater; reducing domestic consumption with water management
systems; waterless sanitation systems and use of drought-resistant plants)
•
Selecting materials based on environmental performance (use of
renewable materials; reduction of the use of natural resources; recycling;
•
Contributing to sustainable urban development (efficient use of land;
design for long service life; the longevity of buildings through adaptability
and flexibility; converting existing buildings; refurbishment; sustainable
management of buildings; prevention of urban decline and reduction of sprawl;
contribution to employment creation; cultural heritage preservation);
•
Contribution to poverty alleviation;
•
Healthy and safe working
environment.”
•
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