projects
ViviendasLeón Project History
2008
Casa Comunal/Community Center
New construction, rammed earth
Communidad Goyena, Nicaragua
Construction budget: $40,000
The community center project is the first collaboration between ViviendasLeon and the University of San Francisco, Department of Architecture. The project was designed by fourth year students over the course of the academic year, within the framework of a design studio. The students traveled to the community to begin construction on the project during the subsequent summer. The construction materials and methods are similar to previous rural buildings incorporating rammed earth, reinforced concrete and environmental design principles. The USF architecture students were accompanied by a school group from Marin Academy during the summer who assisted with the construction. The USF students will undertake the design of finish elements including floor tile, and windows and doors during the following academic year.
2005-2008
Goyena Preschool
New construction, rammed earth
Communidad Goyena, Nicaragua
Construction budget: $7,400
This is a phased project over three years. It is a two-classroom preschool building. It is constructed of rammed earth and reinforced concrete, with steel purlins and corrugated metal roof. It also has an office and comedor at either end of the building constructed of decorated cement block for ventilation. To offset the heating characteristics of the roofing material, an interior sloping ceiling is designed to both insulate the interior and create a chimney like draft to help ventilate the interior. The project is was built with the help of the community, volunteer and school groups from the United States including Drew School and Sonoma Academy.
2004
Vivienda Rural
New construction, rammed earth
Communidad Goyena, Nicaragua
Construction budget: $7,400
This was a house built for the preschool teacher in Goyena. It is constructed of rammed earth and reinforced concrete, with a roof of steel purlins and corrugated cement panels. Typical of these rural projects, the doors and windows are made of wood. The project was built with the help of the community and volunteers from the United States.
2003
Vivienda Victor Castro
New construction, reinforced block
León, Nicaragua
Construction budget: $13,169
2002
Vivienda Hermogenes Ruiz
New construction, reinforced block
León, Nicaragua
Construction budget: $13,500
2002
Hurricane Relief Housing 2,3
New construction, rammed earth
Communidad Palo de Lapa, Nicaragua
Construction budget: $9,000 (2 houses)
These are the second and third in a series of three houses built after Hurricane Mitch. The houses are constructed of rammed earth and reinforced concrete. The roof construction is steel purlins with corrugated, fiber reinforced cement panels. Changes to the design and fabrication techniques of these homes led to better structural stability and a more cost effective design over the original house built the year before. The project was built with the help of the community and volunteers from the United States.
2001
Vivienda Mercedes Machado
New construction, reinforced block
León, Nicaragua
Construction budget: $13,407
This is the first of three affordable houses built with funding raised independently by ViviendasLeón. It is part of a pilot project to examine the methods, design, funding, credit and market for affordable housing in the León region. It is constructed of reinforced cement block and is a three bedroom, one bath and living/dining room house. The total area of the house is approximately 60 sq meters.
2001
Hurricane Relief Housing 1
New construction, rammed earth
Communidad Palo de Lapa, Nicaragua
Construction budget: $6,000
This was the first in a series of three houses built after Hurricane Mitch. The house is constructed of rammed earth and reinforced concrete. The roof construction was wood frame trusses with corrugated, fiber reinforced cement panels.
2000
Goyena School
New construction, reinforced block
Communidad Goyena, Nicaragua
Construction budget: $12,000
Goyena School was a two-classroom, reinforced cement block building. The community had been moved to the current location after being displaced by Hurricane Mitch in 1998. The project was built with the help of the community and volunteers from the United States.
1999
Carlos Nuñez Tellez Preschool
New construction, reinforced block
Communidad CNT, León
Construction budget: $7,000
Carlos Nuñez Tellez Preschool is a two-classroom, reinforced cement block building. The project was part of a larger plan to build a primary school and a medical clinic. It was designed to be accessible to handicapped students. The project presented particular challenges as the community was politically polarized and struggled without titles to properties where homes were located. The project was built with the help of the community and volunteers from the United States.
1998
La Ceiba Preschool
Factory conversion, wood construction
Communidad La Ceiba, Nicaragua
Construction budget: $5,000
La Ceiba Preschool was a project to convert a cotton-ginning factory into a preschool for the community. The building was originally constructed of fired clay bricks and reinforced concrete. For safety reasons, the project removed the brick and enclosed the reinforced concrete frame with wood framing and fiber reinforced cement panels, wood windows and doors. The final project had two classrooms and a kitchen. The project was built with the help of the community and volunteers from the United States.
1997
Palo de Lapa Preschool
New construction, reinforced block
Communidad Palo de Lapa, Nicaragua
Construction budget: $7,000
Palo de Lapa is a one classroom, reinforced cement block building. The project is an addition to an existing pre-fabricated concrete school building. The project set a standard for school building by making use of reinforced cement block construction, rather than a more common and often less secure method of confining unreinforced blocks within a concrete frame. The project was built with the help of the community and volunteers from the United States.
1996
Los Barzones Preschool
New construction, rammed earth
Communidad Los Barzones, Nicaragua
1995
Los Barzones Preschool
New construction, rammed earth
Communidad Los Barzones, Nicaragua
Construction budget: $10,000
Los Barzones was the first of a series of rural community schools. It is built of rammed earth, a construction method well suited to the pace and collaboration of community based construction. It is a two-classroom building. The project ultimately included a shed for the community well and composting toilets. The project was built with the help of the community and volunteers from the United States.
1994
Proyecto Mujer
Historic renovation, adobe repair
Centro historico, León
1993
Proyecto Mujer
Historic renovation, roof replacement
Centro Historico, León
Construction budget: $24,000
Proyecto Mujer was a renovation of an existing historic adobe house for a social service agency by the same name, based in León. The project included replacing the roof structure and clay tiles, repairing adobe walls, installing electrical services and preparing a master plan for further improvements to the house to adequately provide space for the agency. The project was initiated by Proyecto Mujer in partnership with the New Haven/León Sister City Project. The project was built with the help of the community and volunteers from the United States. It was completed by local contractors funded by a grant from the Swedish government based on master planning documents prepared by NH/L SCP.
Los Carlitos Preschool
New construction, rammed earth
Guadalupe, León
Construction budget: $40,000
Los Carlitos was a four classroom school built in a neighborhood in León. The project introduced the use of rammed earth to León.