Slide Show

The Gingerbread Neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, is a poignant reminder of the long process of recovery after a disaster like the 2010 earthquake. On September 29, high school students from Port-au-Prince participated in a drawing competition inspired by the uniquely Haitian “gingerbread” design. Educators kicked off the day’s activities with a lecture on the cultural significance of the gingerbread architecture, followed by a walking tour of the neighborhood. The tour included well-known landmarks such as Villa Castel Fleuri, as well as more typical gingerbread houses, many still in need of post-disaster repair. Watch Day coincided with the launch of an effort to train local artisans in restoration and seismic mitigation techniques, through the rehabilitation of a gingerbread building, Maison Dufort, as a conservation model and neighborhood resource center.

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High school students sketch historic houses during Watch Day in the Gingerbread Neighborhood.

Students learned about the history and cultural significance of the gingerbread architecture of Port-au-Prince. After the lecture, the students participated in a drawing competition.

A student works on a freehand drawing of the gable front of a house in the Gingerbread Neighborhood.

A student captures the graceful lines of 4 Rue Pacot.

Educators led a tour of the Gingerbread Neighborhood. Some gingerbread houses, like this one, have been restored, though many others are still in need of rehabilitation after the 2010 earthquake.

Villa Castel Fleuri was home to a former Haitian president and is one of the more significant gingerbread houses.

Students pose in front of Villa Castel Fleuri (right), which suffered significant earthquake damage. A large new building (left) is replacing a demolished gingerbread house.