More than a building…

Posted on behalf of Global Expansion Project Manager, Eddie Welsh.

The joy of cutting the ceremonial ribbon and walking through the door of a newly constructed community center does not come without its challenges. The fresh paint serves as a visual cue of accomplishment to those who have invested their precious time and effort. The new building aroma is welcoming and gives way to the finished product. It also has a uniquely artistic way of masking the hours of planning, scheduling and coordinating orchestrated by dozens of laborers, masons and contractors.

The pure delight in the eyes of the children and families entering a community center for the first time is what motivates us to construct a quality building, one that is functional for facilitating the distribution of services provided by Children International and our sponsors.

I remember walking the bare piece of land some 10 months ago that is now home to The Nina Rae Wesson Community Center. I recall thinking construction would be tight. The small terrain, closely surrounded by a heavily trafficked park and a few moderately used neighborhood thoroughfares, was not the ideal construction site.

We began the process of selecting a contractor more than a year ago. After working through some minor design changes we adjusted our model to fit the land and requirements of our programs.

Similar to projects here in the U.S, communication and coordination on a project of this magnitude are essential. We are fortunate to have a solid staff in Jalisco, complemented by a knowledgeable construction supervisor.

As anticipated, the early challenges we experienced were with the steeply sloped and rocky terrain. The solid rock provides an excellent support for the building but required hours of jackhammering to accurately manicure the openings for the foundation.

As the building grew out of the ground and the structure began to take shape, our team continued to finalize touches that would best serve the community. It was a true collaboration between the contractor and Children International. The exterior façade was selected based on durability and local architecture. Interior finishes were chosen considering ease of maintenance and functionality. It seemed logical to have tile throughout as opposed to carpet and drop ceilings as opposed to open trusses to maintain a cool environment.

Not without its challenges, the Nina Rae Wesson center was constructed under the watchful eye of experienced professionals. It is one that the sponsors, donors, CI and most definitely the community can be proud of for many years to come. And this Friday, the 31st, there will be a fantastic celebration for the children and families living in the community of Villa de Guadalupe.

Design for the Other 90%

Children International writer Kevin Fleming is an aficionado of utilitarian design, believing that form should always follow function.

On a recent weekend trip to New York City, I had an opportunity to visit the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum. On exhibit until September 23rd is Design for the Other 90%, which celebrates innovative designs that make life better for many people.

“Of the world’s total population of 6.5 billion, 5.8 billion people, or 90%,have little or no access to most of the products and services many of us take for granted; in fact, nearly half do not have regular access to food, clean water, or shelter. Design for the Other 90% explores a growing movement among designers to design low-cost solutions for this “other 90%.”

Most of the designs are elegant in their simplicity. The exhibit is inspiring and left me with a feeling that with creativity, imagination and heart we can find solutions for many of the world’s problems.

Here are a few of my favorites:

The Q Drum is made of durable plastic. Its design enables one person to transport 75 liters of water.
A cooling effect happens as the water evaporates from the sand, which is in between these two ceramic pots. The pot-in-pot cooler enables produce like tomatoes to last for 21 days instead of 2 or 3.The Bamboo Treadle Pump is two simple pistons, which can be completed with available materials like bamboo. Access to groundwater can guarantee success for crops, even when the clouds aren’t cooperating.

(Photos courtesy of Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum.)