project detail

The project aims to enhance the value of the Grotte Marie Jeanne, in the south of Haiti, near the small coastal town of Port-à-Piment, as a tourist and cultural attraction.

The proposed work consists on the renovation and new construction of an Interpretation Centre, recovering part of the existing one, destroyed by Hurricane Matthew in 2016, and the fitting out of the cave to receive visitors safely.

The proposal includes the training of local guides and a very simple lighting system for one of the most spectacular rooms in the cave, the Salle Etoilé, using bicycles with dynamos that activate the LED lighting in the room. Durable materials such as Fiberline composites will be used for structures and walkways, along with an interpretative discourse of the environment, which will be both mystical and representative. The project is completed with the proposal of improving the access path in a circular route that allows to integrate part of the population in the project.

Only the renovation of the Interpretation Centre and an improvement of the access to the dolina were executed; the circular path and the interior gallery upgrades were not carried out.