Up! Up! And away…

March 9th at 9pm I will fly out and the mission will begin. As a case study for finishing my diploma at FAUP (Porto Architectural School), I've decided to volunteer and join A4A (Architects for Aid) in one of their humanitarian architecture projects. The projected on which I've been assigned is the construction of the LCCU (Lesotho Children Counseling Unit) centre in Lesotho. The building has been halted and an assessment, survey and new proposal and program will be drawn up in order that the building might finish to be built. Once this is completed a second trip will be organized and I'll be overseeing the building on site. The objective of this blog is to keep record of the work that is being done, both for the benefit of the members of A4A in London, FAUP to whom I'll also be reporting, my own record as well as friends and family that might want to know what I'm up to. Please comment on any post that you have an opinion, as this will undoubtedly help me in the completion of my thesis. Disclaimer: The information displayed on this site has not been previously edited or checked by any A4A staff and I'm the sole responsible for it's contents. A4A or any of the other involved organizations are not to be hold responsible on any account for what is published on this blog.

Friday 26 October 2007

The roof dance.

When I was still in London working for JLA I had a German friend who once told me that back (at his) home when you complete the roof of a building the contractor and the architect go up on the roof and do a roof dance and proclaim poetry!

I wonder if this tradition came from joy or desperation! The kind of despair that makes one so thankful when something is finally over that they literally climb the roof and go ape!

In my case, although I am not German I will surely be on the roof once it is finished, and yes it will be out of despair!

Today once again the contractor has his phone off and I cannot call him! I do not know what he is doing all I know is that I do not have thatch again, and if that was not enough some of the plaster needs to be redone as it has lost it’s grip to the wall.

But my favourite upset of the day has to be the fact that the electrician has decided, for the second day in a row, not to come to work! You will never guess where he went, but I will tell you, it is an ugly, big building with Doric columns on the front porch! Can you guess where that is?

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