La Reference School was established to address the urgent need for quality education for Haiti’s growing child population. Situated in Ganthier, about an hour’s drive from Port-au-Prince towards the Dominican Republic border, “La Référence” was founded in 2012 by a group of young Haitian professors. Their vision was to create a model school that could inspire others across Haiti. The school’s academic achievements have since lived up to its name.
Following years of evident growth and excellence, La Reference sought support from the Princeton Foundation Koekte to acquire land and pursue its long-term vision for quality education. As part of this public welfare initiative, PHH Architects joined the project to provide expert guidance and ensure stringent safety standards. After thorough discussions with the professors, PHH Architects took on responsibilities including site planning, architectural design, and construction oversight.
Throughout the project, PHH Architects collaborated closely with structural engineers Eckersley O’Callaghan, who generously contributed their expertise to ensure the school’s design could withstand hurricanes and earthquakes, prioritizing safety and durability.
The site plan features an L-shaped teaching building alongside an administrative building, designed around existing trees to maximize natural light and ventilation for classrooms. This layout creates a large, open central courtyard where children can play freely. This design directly responds to government requirements by providing safe, healthy spaces to nurture the community’s children.
The building materials were carefully selected to balance affordability and performance, using locally available CMU blocks, concrete, and corrugated steel roofing. These materials enhance ventilation, natural lighting, safety, and sound control between classrooms. The facade’s rhythm, created by reinforced blocks and strategically placed openings, is a defining feature. The innovative use of mobile CMU blocks efficiently transfers loads to the foundation, ensuring structural integrity.
The school was built using a series of repetitive modular units and developed in strategic phases. This approach allowed efficient management of limited funds while addressing critical issues in the first phase. Challenges included the availability of material sizes, subcontractors’ difficulties in interpreting construction drawings, and language barriers among English, French, and Creole speakers on site. The design team addressed these issues through on-site discussions and revised second-phase plans to improve clarity. The second phase, twice the size of the first, proceeded smoothly, demonstrating the success of the phased modular strategy.
Technical Drawings
△ General Layout Plan
△ First Floor Plan
△ Second Floor Plan
△ Elevation Drawing
△ Aerial View
△ Roof Structure Diagram
Project Information
Architectural Design: Studio PHH Architects
Area: 1,748 m²
Project Year: 2020
Photographer: Nadia Todres
Tools: AutoDesk, Lithonia Lighting, Rhinoceros 3D
Architect: Pierre Henri Hoppenot
Location: Ganthier, Haiti
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