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Gigante Community Health Center

Project Wave of Optimism (Project WOO), a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization, ran a community census and needs assessment in Playa Gigante, Nicaragua, and 80% of the population prioritized a community health center as their greatest need. Accordingly, Project WOO helped guide the Gigante Health Committee (GHC) in addressing this core need through research, securing land, gaining government support, and choosing a contractor.

We at Casa de Tierra were thrilled to be selected as the contractor to build the Community Health Center in this rural community. We believe that just as a health center strives to oversee the health of its patients, a sustainable building aims to safeguard both its inhabitants and the environment by promoting a healthier indoor air quality; encouraging the use of materials that are renewable, local and low in embodied energy; and, reducing waste, pollution, and environmental degradation. And, by incorporating these natural-building ideas into the formation of a health center, we are fostering a sense of physical and environmental stewardship for the community.

The Gigante Community Health Center features earthbag exterior walls, interior walls were made using bamboo construction techniques, local flagstone flooring, an intelligent passive ventilation system, ambient lighting configuration, and abides by the U.S. building codes to accommodate the physically handicapped.

See the Casa de Tierra team hard at work on the Health Center:

 

Gallery Click on photos to read the captions

Natural Building Nicaragua
The foundation is being laid
   Natural Building
An earthbag retaining wall
   Earthen Oven Nicaragua
The columns are going up
   oven construction Nicaragua
The earthbag walls are being set in place


Building Natural Oven
The thick earthbag walls provide thermal mass
   construction Nicaragua
The crew enjoying applying the clay plaster
   Contractor Nicaragua
Thumbs-up on the project
   oven construction Nicaragua
A bird's eye view of progress


Building Natural Oven
Guadua bamboo partition walls are erected
   Contractor Nicaragua
The project is moving along
   oven construction Nicaragua
The roofing system is assembled
Building Natural Oven
She is painted and nearly ready to go


construction Nicaragua
One of the two consultant rooms is complete
   construction Nicaragua
A Nicaraguan resident doctor meets with the Health Center’s first patients
   Contractor Nicaragua
The Health Center’s medical unit and Gigante’s community members alongside Project Woo’s team
   oven construction Nicaragua
Project WOO’s Bo Fox and Lisa Bisceglia and Gigante’s community leaders ring in the inauguration


Building Natural Oven
The entire community came to celebrate the new center at the Inauguration Party
   construction Nicaragua
Ambient light, high ventilation windows, local stone flooring AND that Mural!
   Contractor Nicaragua
The Giving Tree donor door is sketched with the names of those who helped realize the vision and the bright Mural was donated by Abel Arts
   oven construction Nicaragua
The Playa Gigante Community Health Center