project detail

As part of the CHUD (Cap-Haïtien Urban Development) programme, this commission addressed the improvement of public space and mobility in the vulnerable neighbourhoods of Petite Anse and Balan, located around the airport on the outskirts of Cap-Haïtien.

Although close to one another, the two neighbourhoods have very different conditions. Petite Anse extends toward the sea from its old colonial core, occupying mangrove land that has been progressively filled in; at its eastern edge this expansion continues through further land and waste infill. Balan lies south of the airport, on the other side of the RN3 national highway, on firmer ground.

Both neighbourhoods flood three to four times a year, owing to their location and insufficient drainage. Petite Anse is exposed to marine flooding, while in Balan the elevated RN3 platform acts as a barrier to water evacuation. These conditions affect both daily life and the use and accessibility of public space.

The project proposed a phased intervention: a first stage of tactical urbanism actions, organized into groups GR1 and GR2, and a second stage of larger, more permanent investments known as Investissements Clés (IC). The first actions were to be carried out during the life of the contract.

However, the absence of paving and the constant presence of mud and standing water limited the feasibility of the tactical interventions. In response, the team proposed carrying out the physical improvements planned under GR2 first, to create a base onto which tactical urbanism elements could later be added.

The design of the proposals drew on an intensive participatory process, with workshops and working groups, including a dedicated women’s group. This process identified and prioritized five GR1–GR2 actions, three of which were carried out: the improvements to Carrefour Marché, Place Lobeda and Place Kraze Zo.

The larger-scale investments (IC) included beach improvements, a new fishermen’s jetty, the delimitation and restoration of the mangrove, and works on the main drainage channels, including Ti Larivyè. These proposals did not progress beyond the preliminary design stage (APS), due to disagreements with the Mairie and the MTPTC over the scope of the commission, as both institutions sought to reorient it toward flood prevention — a goal beyond the original mandate of improving public space and mobility.

In the end, of the actions planned under an eight-million-dollar allocation for investment in these neighbourhoods, only the three improvements mentioned above were built — and even their execution departed from the original designs, including the removal of rain gardens and permeable paving, reducing the sustainable drainage integration envisaged in the project.

The experience highlights the close relationship between public space, mobility and water management in these territories, as well as the importance of maintaining consistency between the priorities agreed with the population, the design of interventions, and their execution.

The project was awarded the ODS COAVN Gipuzkoa 2025 Prize.