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2010. Port-au-Prince, Haiti  (Unbuilt)

2011 AIA Tampa Bay Award Winning Project

Project Architect:  Richard M. Haas (at H2W Studio, LLC)

In January 2010, Radio Tele Soleil radio and television station in Port-au-Prince Haiti was totally destroyed by  the massive earthquake that hit the country.  The Tampa Based non-profit organization, Help Brings Hope for Haiti, (now Renew Haiti) approached the firm for the new design.

Concept: Derived from the need for natural ventilation, a spiritual anchor, and a memorial to the history of Radio Soleil.  The program consisted of a two story broadcasting studio with radio production on the first floor and television production on the second floor.  An auditorium and small chapel were also programmed.  The architecture consists of three major conceptual ideas:

1.  Naturally Ventilated - In order to keep energy costs to a minimum, only portions of the building will be air-conditioned, requiring the remainder to be passively cooled.  The overall buildings are organized to take advantage of the prevailing breezes.

2. Chapel as Spiritual Anchor - The Chapel is situated in a deliberate way and angle to be viewed from the common spaces of both floors of the Radio Station and Auditorium.  It resides at the end of the vista of the glass wall of the Radio Station Building.  The angle of the Chapel opens to welcome staff, colleagues, and visitors into the courtyard. The Chapel “slides” underneath the larger auditorium alluding to their multi-functional connectedness.

3.  Centered around Memorial Courtyard -  The courtyard becomes a place to remember and honor those who have given so much for Radio Soleil and look hopefully to the future.  It is the center of the composition around which all buildings lead into.