CSA AS3 Leh We Go - Port of Spain Urban Study Tour

CoverS T U D Y

Abstract

Acknowledgement

Introduction Page 2

Trinidad: The Experience Page 4

Port Of Spain Articles Page 6 Layout Landmarks Port of Spain VS. Kingston Vernacular VS. Modern Walkability History of The Trini Beat The Avenue

Notable Structures Page 14

Port of Spain Districts Page 21

Study Areas Page 24

Woodford Square and Surrouding Areas Page 28

The Queen’s Park Savannah And Surrounding Areas Page 34

Brian Lara Promenade and Surrounding Areas Page 42

Frederick Street Page 46

“Gingerbread Town” Page 56

Classifieds Page 65

This booklet seeks to express the observations, experiences and analyses of Port of Spain by the AS3 Class of the Caribbean School of Architecture whovisited the city between January 23 and February 6, 2014. AS3’s given studyarea in Port of Spain is bound by Queen’s Park Boulevard Sotuh (to the North)and the Brian Lara Promenade (To the south). The Study Area is divided intothree sections, starting from the northern most section; between Queen’sPark Boulevard South and New Street, between New Street and Duke Street,and between Duke Street and Independence Square South.

For the two weeks our task was to document via sketching, photographing,observing and interviewing, the given study area, and formulate individualopinions of the city. At the end of the two weeks, we presented our findings to alumni, professionals in the construction industry, and other interested parties.

This booklet seeks to express the observations, experiences and analyses of Port of Spain by the AS3 class of the Caribbean School of Architecture who visited the city between January 23 and February 6, 2014. AS3’s given study area in Port of Spain is bound bt Queen’s Parl Boulevard South (to the North) and the Brian Lara Promenade (to the south). The study area was divided into three sections, starting from the northern most section; between Queen’s Park Boulevard South and New Street; between New Street and Duke Street, and beween Duke Street and Independence Square South.

For the two weeks our task was to document via sketching, photographing, observing and interviewing, the given study areas, and formulate individual opinions of the city. At the end of the two weeks we presented our findings to alumni, professionals in the construction industry, and other interested parties.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTAS3 avoided rel bacchanal on study tour thanks to following people:

• Franz-Joseph Repole, lecturer• Julie Sullivan-Jones, lecturer• Mark Raymond, Architect• Stephen Spence, alumni• Homer, alumni• Jamieson, architect• Sian Davies, junior architect

We had rel Bake, Eggs and Sausage Tabanca thanks to:• Alicia’s Palace Hotel

Everyday we had “ONE, BIG, BAD, STINK, truck on de road” thanks to:• Vanburn, driver

Bacchanal – party atmosphere; arguments, confusion e.g. “if dey find out, it will be rel bacchanal.”

Tabanca – The feeling of hurt and pain when a close relationship ends.v

AS3 avoided “real bacchanal” on study tour thanks to the following people:

- Franz-Joseph Repole, Architect, Lecturer- Julie Sullivan-Jones, Architect, Lecturer- Mark Raymond, Architect- Stephen Spence, Alumni- Stephan Homer, Alumni- Steve Jamieson, Architect- Sian Davies, Junior Architect

We had “real” Bake, Eggs and Sausage “tabanca” thanks to Alicia’s Palace Hotel

Everyday we had “one big, bad, stink, truck on the de road” thanks to Vanburn, bus driver.

real bacchanal - utter chaos/ utter confusion

tabanca - the feeling of hurt and pain when a close relationship ends.

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Port of Spain is mostly a retail and commercial city; with a residential population of 36,965 people and the population density is 3080 peo-ple per sq.m. according to 2011 census data. Measuring 10.4 sq.km, Port of Spain sits on rela-tively flat land bordered by the Northern Range of Mountains, The Gulf of Paria (south-southwesterly) and the Caroni Swamp (south-southeasternly).

The islands of Trinidad and Tobago sit at the southernmost part of the Eastern Caribbean Archipelago and is known as the home to the greatest show on earth, Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. Trinidad is actually closer to Venezuela than it is to its sister island, Tobago, and inher-ited its name from its Spanish settlers in 1797.Port of Spain is located on the northwestern side of the island of Trinidad.The twin island of Trinidad and Tobago enjoys a tropical wet and dry climate, which is characterized by high year-round temperature – with an average high of 31.9 degrees Celsius and an average low of 22 degrees Celsius with its rainiest months between June and November.

INTRODUCTION

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The city’s most popular major annual event is Carnival, which is a two-day celebration of culture, held on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Participating in Carnival, or “playing mas”, consists of international and regional masqueraders (people) displaying the history, heritage and vibrancies of the nation in a Carnival Band. These bands have friendly competition where masqueraders display their eclectic cos-tumes and colours, which tell a story of the past or a particular era. The people revel in the streets where they march (chip) through a particular path. There are numerous judging points before a final judging point at the Queens Park Savannah stage where they give a last, memorable impression of their carnival band until the following year.

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Let’s go on a journeyTo a place across the seaFilled with exotic peopleAnd many things to see

Take out your booksTake out your padsThe place I speak of

The land…of Trinidad.

Hidden in mangrovesAnd cotton trees

Is a city with much exciting history.Eighty houses a church

And a weak barbetteThe Spaniards thought

They must have it....

TRINIDAD:THE EXPERIENCE

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They attacked, and took it for their ownAn evil plot they must have sown.

The French then invadedThe Spanish they evadedThe east they conqueredThe west they debated.

In the 1808 fire… they all faded.

King Street Queen Street even Prince Street tooRoads of the grid the British pushed through

Catholic or Anglicans which will ruleArose Immaculate Conception and catholic schools

But Henry MacLeod, filled the air with flueA burning building and

red rubble on the groundPort of Spain is now Anglican bound.

Twin towers light house…. the cathedral standAt centre where promenade began

Glorify Captain ArthurChampion of the barefoot man

With Woodford Park further inlandEric Williams said his social views at hand

With Marion Anderson and Winifred AtwellDoesn’t he play piano quite grand?

Spirited politic debatesRelaxing moments under a birch tree

Woodford, a pedestrian link to public buildingsCan you hear it…I can hear it

It is saying I am free

The Queen‘s Park the Savannah, The name, it doesn’t really matter.From Sugar estate to cow pasture

Now mostly for fun adventure

Field hockey polo and even kite flyingHere during carnival

it’s the vibes that we findingHardly we go through, always around

Whether driving or walkingReverence is found.

Around gather magnificent seven Cause even they know it’s true,

The Savanah at centreIt is really an important view.

From here, Port of Spain unfoldUptown to downtown where the ships unloadPlaces we ventured much more than six-folds.

In this booklet we shall tell you,A walk-through we shall give you

Ja to Trini even back againOur trip you may wish excitement that could happen

- Samantha Easy

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Port of Spain layout by: Kashka King

The city is laid out in geometric patterns with parks and squares; on the hills behind Port of Spain are residential suburbs. At the centre of the city is the business district, near the Gothic-style Holy Trinity Cathedral and the Queen’s Park Savannah—the city’s largest open space and a popular site for recreation. From that area radiate many of the most important streets, and around it are several buildings of historical and architectural interest, including the President’s House, which stands in the grounds of the Botanical Gardens; Whitehall, which houses the office of the prime minister; the house of the Roman Catholic archbishop of Port of Spain; the Knowsley Building, which accommodates some government ministries; All Saints’ Church (Anglican); and the neo-Renaissance Red House, rebuilt in 1906, which contains the Parliament and government offices. There are also Muslim and Hindu houses of worship in the city. Among the educational institutions are three well-established sec-ondary schools: Queen’s Royal College, Fatima College, and St. Mary’s College. One of the campuses of the University of the West Indies is situated at St. Augustine, about 10 miles (16 km) east of the city.

Port of Spain Layout

The city is laid out in a rectilinear grid much like any British colonial city throughout the Caribbean - with several parks and public squares. On the hills behind Port of spain are residential suburbs. At the centre of the of the city is the business district, near the Gothic-style Holy Trinity Cathedral to the south and the Queen’s Park Savannah to the north - the city’s largest open space and a popular site for recreation. From the savannah radiates many of the most important streets, including Frederick Street and Charlotte street - major commercial streets,and several important buildings of historical and architectural interest. These buildings include the President’s House, which stands in the grounds of the Botanical Gardens; Whitehall which houses the office of the Prime Minister, the house of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Port of Spain; The Knowsley Building, the Queen’s Royal College, just to name a few.

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Walkability of Port of Spain

by: Andrew Blackwood

Walkability of the City Port of Spain, Trinidad, particularly the study area that was assigned to our class group could be described as easy. The social aspect of the city is one that contributes to its walkability, in addition to the close proximity of services and ameni-ties of the city. The Brian Lara Promenade which is the heart of the city, lines the study area and moves up to the southern end of the Queen’s Park Savannah. Evidently the allotted spaces for pedestri-ans are well kept and are of dimensions that accommodate ease of access and egress to streets and alleyways within the city. The city also spreads west to St. James, a 15 minute walk from the southern end of the Queens Park Savannah. The grid system of Trinidad and Tobago is aligned in orthogonal blocks running parallel and perpen-dicular to each other and takes less than two minutes to walk each block considering heavy pedestrian traffic in areas such as Frederick Street. The city also makes use of green spaces that act as transi-tional buffers between the districts in the city; so you can walk from the Brian Lara Promenade and within a few minutes you encounter Woodford Square, a green space in the city. A few minutes from Woodford Square is another green space which buffers the busier side of Port of Spain from the subtler side by virtue of difference in pedestrian traffic. Port of Spain is a city friendly to pedestrians, give or take you could take fifteen to twenty minutes from the National Agency of Performance Arts (South Queens Park Savannah) to the Brian Lara Promenade.

Green Space

Building

Sea

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Port of Spain vs. Kingston

Trinidad is a Caribbean cultural melting pot renowned for its Carnival and pulsating to the beat of steel drums, Soca music, and calypso. Trinidad is also lined with relaxing beaches and hotels. Another highlight of Trinidad is visiting Port of Spain which is its capital city. The city serves primarily as a retail and administrative centre and it has been the capital of the island since 1757. It is also an important financial services centre for the Caribbean and is home to two of the largest banks in the region.Port of Spain’s official population is relatively small, and reflects the narrow city boundaries including the central business district and a number of economically depressed and a few upscale adjoining suburbs. When looking at a map of Port of Spain, one can see the obvious grid work and pattern the city sits in, where the streets and roads lie parallel and perpendicular to the line of the coast. Standing at the top of Frederick Street by the corner of the Queen’s Park Savannah- there is a direct view to the waterfront. Jamaica’s ‘downtown’, Kingston area is quite similar to Port of Spain’s in that there is also a grid system as well as the littered green areas strategically placed around the cityscape. Kingston is approximately four times bigger than Port of Spain, and because of this, it makes it a bit overwhelming to tread on foot unlike in Trinidad. Even though Kingston has green area placed throughout the city, because of the vast size of the city and no real walking spaces, people experience the city life but don’t really get to experience the city. The green spaces are so far from each other that when people do end up going there, it is not for long. They just enter the city to get what they have to then leave, while in Port of Spain, there is time to breathe, to walk there, getting to experience the city and city life of the people as well as do what they have to then linger a bit more to spend more money. The cityscape in ‘downtown’ Port of Spain, many would say, is quite similar to ‘downtown’ Kingston. The layout, the direction of traffic and the width of the sidewalk shows this. Even though this is so, the atmosphere/ feeling of each place is vastly different. Port of Spain is quite pedestrian friendly, whether because of the free wide sidewalks or the more considerate drivers and visible pedestrian crossing. In Jamaica however, it is very much the opposite of Port of Spain in that aspect. There are vendors occupying a vast majority of the sidewalks, many drivers don’t follow the road codes and there are little to no pedestrian crossings. No worries at night though, in Kingston, by the time it gets to seven o’clock in the evening, there are hardly any people or vehicles on the road. In Port of Spain, it seems the liveliest at night. There is something happening on almost every street. On these same streets, the country hosts the Grant event of Carnival. Port of Spain is well known as the home for Carnivals and for the Queen’s Park Savannah. Here, interested tourists can find the magnificent seven; these are a group of mansions located at the northwest corner of Queen’s Park Savannah on Maraval Road. From north to south, the mansions are: Killarney built by Charles Fourier Stollmeyer , Whitehall built by Joseph Leon Agostini, Archbishop’s House built by Patrick Vincent Flood , Roomer built, Mille Fluers, Hayes Court by the firm of Taylor & Gillies, and Queen’s Royal College by Sir Courtney Knollys. All these buildings were designed and built some time before the modern architectural era. They are Trinidad’s historical buildings. While there, it was observed that Trinidadians had a great appreciation for their history. Most of these buildings are now being used as government buildings or schools or churches while the others are being renovated/ restored such as the Red House. Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the south-eastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island. In Jamaica, up until a few years ago, historical buildings did not seem like something of importance to Jamaicans. After the wear and tear of time and hurricanes and the day to day elements, they were left to disintegrate. Recently however, that has changed and there is even an organisation that ensures the restoration of what is left of the remains of Jamaica’s historical buildings. From the study of both cities, it was observed that they are similar in many ways and different in many others as well. Size remains as the main factor of the differences as well as culture. The mannerism of the people in Port of Spain differs from the one seen in Kingston. This not only changes the social aspect of the city but also the functionality of it and what makes which one the better city. 8

Vernacular vs. Modern

At first glance it is easy to ignore what type of building you are passing on the street in Port of Spain because of the den-sity of buildings and narrowness of streets in some areas; but that is something that happens in many cities around the world. However, if one takes the time to look around Port of Spain you begin to notice a wide range of architectural styles both modern and vernacular; like Art Deco, Neo Classicism , Victorian and Gothic just to name a few. Port of Spain is liter-ally one of the very few cities in the world where you would find a vernacular building juxtaposed with a massive modern building.Before I go any further, I should first define vernacular architecture. It is a category of architecture based on local needs and construction materials, and reflecting local traditions, as opposed to modern architecture that is generally character-ized by simplification of form and an absence of applied decoration. With that being said, anyone can see that they are two very different styles of approach to architecture. Even though they are different, in Port of Spain you will notice a kind of harmony and fusion of the two styles created within the city.Throughout the city of Port of Spain you’ll find vernacular buildings that have been converted for modern usage. At the same time I noticed that a lot of the newer modern or international style buildings adopted some features from the old vernacular buildings around the city. Port of Spain, unlike Kingston, has a culture of trying to maintain their vernacular buildings and finding a use for it, rather than knocking it down and building something new in its place. They have a huge restoration project ongoing in the city; such as the magnificent seven located west of the savannah and the Red House. This reverence they have for their vernacular buildings, along with ambitious modern building projects around the city, helps to give Port of Spain a certain character and uniqueness that is not found anywhere else in the world.

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Historic Gothic Rosary Church at the corner of Henry and Park Street

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Port of Spain Landmarks

The oldest part of Port of Spain begins way down south at the waterfront, with the light house as anchor for the Fredrick Street, one of the most important streets in Port of Spain. Down this end is City Gate, the main transportaion hub for the city. Take a little walk up from City Gate, and you find the busiest KFC in Trinidad. While usually KFC isn’t usually a major aspect of an urban analysis, this KFC is quite significant to our study. Being located just up the road from CIty Gate on the corner of Fredrick Street and Indepence Square South, this KFC has one of the most prime commercial addresses in all of Port of Spain. Hundreds,if not, thousands of peple stream through City Gate every day and usually make their way up through Frederick Street into the city, every single one of these people making this journey pass this KFC. This KFC also enfronts the Brian Lara Promenade, a well planned green space spanning the width (east-west) of the original boundaries of the city. it is also home to the statue of Captain Cipirani at the intersection of Fredrick Street Independence Square North and South. Fredrick Street de-fines the eastern edge of the city’s heart, Woodford Square Park. Hart, Abercromby and Knox Street are the south, west, north edges of the historical landmark that commemorates the memories of the fight for independence. Following the precedent of Classic urban planning, this square is surrounding by powerful civic buildings such as the Red House, Hall of Justice, the Na-tional Library, and the Old Fire Station Building. Right off the square, to the south, is the Holy Trinity Cathedral that makes its presence known with its systematic bell ringing, every 15 minutes. While it is a grand structure, the cathedral almost recedes into the urban landscape allowing the surrounding buildings to make more of an architectural statement. The Police Headquarters, with red and orange striped arches resembling something out of the Harry Potter novels is located behind the Red House on St. Vincent Street. Returning to Fredrick Street and going up where it meets Oxford Street is St. Mary’s College, Trinidad’s leading Catholic boys’ school. St. Joseph’s Convent, the leading Catholic girls’ school as well as the first denominational secondary school is across the road from St. Mary’s College. At the northernmost end of Fredrick Street is the largest landmark in all of Trinidad , the Savannah, which forms the centre of largest one-way traffic roundabout in the world. This green plantation landmark is given reverence by the citizens, even from above it commands attention. The Savannah: the centre of attention, the venue of carnival, one word to describe Port of spain by is, the Savannah.

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HISTORY OF THE TRINI BEAT

Musically, Calypso, Soca and Steelpan music is what Trini-dad and Tobago is best known for. Promoted internationally in the

1950s through artists like Lord Kitchener and Mighty Sparrow, the art form was most popularised at that time by Harry Belafonte. Along with folk

songs and African and Indian-based classical forms, cross-cultural interactions have produced other indigenous forms of music including rapso, chutney, and other

derivative and fusion stylesWhile soca may only have a cult following internationally, it is one of the most popular

musical genres in the Caribbean, and arguably the most popular music in Trinidad and Tobago to date.

Soca originated in Trinidad and Tobago and its creation is credited to the musician “The God-father” Garfield Blackman, a.k.a. Lord Shorty. Blackman intentionally invented this new style of music as a reaction to fears among his peers that calypso music was fading away in favour of reggae music. In an attempt to counteract the preference for this new form of Jamaican and American-influenced music over the traditional Trinidadian calypso music, Lord Shorty was inspired to reinvent calypso music in an attempt to generate fresh interest. He did this by to adding classical Indian musical elements to traditional calypso music and refined the genre over ten years. Fusing classical Indian music and calypso made sense as Indians and Afri-

cans form the two largest ethnic groups in Trinidad.With the use of Indian traditional instruments such as the dholak, table and dhantal

in his new style of calypso, he created this new genre called solka, later renamed “soca” and is said to be a combination of the words soul and calypso, i.e. ‘the

soul of calypso’.

-Ade-Jon Davis

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THE AVENUE

The long winding Ariatpita Avenue lays dormant throughout the day, occasionally showcasing various

boutiques and a wide range of restaurants to satisfy almost any palate. This however pales in comparison to the activity that occurs

as night falls and the road transforms into a lively hip strip known as “The Avenue”

Various bars and clubs seem to emerge from the ground and illuminate the streetscape as The Avenue, the party district, takes over, unidentifiable from the

Ariapita traversed during the day. Cars fill the curbs, Music from the bars fuse in the air and people from all walks of life litter the sidewalks, all contributing to the lively party

setting.Every Friday Trinidadians migrate from their offices and flock the Avenue for this weekend ritual. The lounges, bars and restaurants are filled with large crowds of people. The open

layout of bars and walkable distance of the strip allows the patrons to pick and choose which bar they should hop to next before even entering, also causing the party to start from the

very sidewalk with entertainment from top DJ’s and bands inside. Streets are lined with food carts and stalls,the scintillating aroma fills the air. When allowing your nose to lead, one

will surely find themselves filling their stomach with the popular Gyros or Doubles.The Avenue is the hub of Port of Spain nightlife, causing one to encounter many aspects

of Trinidadian culture.

- Shaquille Bennett

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Notable StructuresRed House

In 1844 Sir Henry McLeod, the Govenor, laid the foundation stone for new government offices. Richard Bridgens, Superintendent of Public Works and architect, designed two distinct building to be linked by a double archway over Sackville Street. The buildings un-derwent several modifications, one such change was to paint it red in memory of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. This building then became known as Red House. The Red House is loosely de-scribed as French Renaissance and is distinguished on the outside by its high central Dome. This 34m dome covers a rotunda located in what used to be the roadway between the two original buildings. Sitting in Woodford Square, looking west towards the Red House, the dome and neoclassical details can appreciation in the design for all its beauty. Observing Red House from Abercromby Street or in Woodford Square, one can imagine Trinidad preparing to cele-brate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria by painting the build-ing red, and in all the excitement of the March 23, 1903 Water Riots, the Red House was burnt to the ground. Protests were held about the new law regarding the reasons for an increase in pay-ments for and distribution of water in the town. The crowd got loud and rowdy to the point of riotous, the lives of Members of Council were in danger and soon after, it was discovered that the lower sto-rey of the Red House was on fire. The Riot Act was read and thus the police men retaliated. Sixteen people died that day, forty two injured and the shell of the original Red House remained. Rebuilt in its existing form, it reopened in 1907 as housing for the legislative bodies in Trinidad and Tobago and is currently being worked on to preserve the memory of the Red House.

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Holy Trinity Cathedral

Sitting on the south border of Woodford Square, the Holy Trinity Cathedral is one of the oldest landmarks in Port-of-Spain. This was the first Anglican Church in Trinidad and was located at the corner of Prince and Frederick Street and more commonly known as the Trinity Church. This timber structure was destroyed in 1808 by a fire that affected the city.A new church was started in 1809 in Brunswick Square (now Woodford Square) but was never completed due to public objections. The beautiful structure of brick, lime-stone (local) and stained glass that we see today was started in 1816 and finished two years later. The im-pressive hammer-beam truss roof of the church is made from local wood. Consecrated in 1823, the Holy Trinity Cathedral reflects a mixture of the styles Georgian, Gothic Revival and Victorian.

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

At the eastern end of the Brian Lara Promenade in down-town Port of Spain you can find one of the oldest Catholic churches in Port of Spain, the Cathedral of the Immac-ulate Conception, with its two grand towers framing the entrance. On March 25, 1816 the foundation stone for the present Cathedral was laid by the country’s first civilian Governor Sir Ralph Woodford and the building was finally completed in 1836. The Cathedral was built in the shape of a Latin Cross and the walls are made of limestone quar-ried from the nearby Laventille Hills. One of the unique features of this Cathedral is the crypt beneath the church that houses the final remains of more than 15 high ranking Catholic Church officials, including Archbish-ops. Bodies have been interred from as early as 1828 with the most recent being Archbishop Anthony Pantin in the year 2000, the only local Archbishop of Port of Spain. http://citizensforconservationtt.org/main/images/cathedral%20of%20the%20immaculate%20conception.jpg15

National Academy for the Performing Arts

The Sydney Opera House carbon copy is located a few feet away from the savannah. Beautiful acoustics of the steel pan can be heard at times coming from this hundred feet tall aluminium cladded Chaconia, rightfully called NAPA. The National Academy of Performance Arts, the permanent home for the development of talent in the arts, features many open vistas for the enjoyment of the performance arts. The North region Napa has a 1500 seat acoustically designed performance hall, two practice hall, teaching rooms, hotel for visiting performers and stages designed to showcase pannist and other performance artistes on it 429,093 sq. ft land. Napa is not only enjoyed on this space but it flower like shape can be appreciat-ed from far and wide places as one of the four hearts of Trinidad.

Nicholas Tower

Located along Independence South, this 21 storey (88m) build-ing is one of the tallest structures found within the urban fabric of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, as well as in the English- speaking Caribbean. It is a unique building that is easily dis-tinguishable with its elliptical blue-glassed form. The building was constructed on the site of Trinidad Union club, a 136 year old private club which now occupies the penthouse suite of the Nicholas Tower along with other large corporate businesses such as Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange.

For me, seeing the Nicholas Tower was a unique experience. It undeniably demands attention with its distinctive oblique blue shape that is placed off axis in relation to the promenade. The form coupled with its scale can be overwhelming as it exudes a temple-like quality over the Independence square.

Jeneill Codner 16

The (Old) Public Library (NALIS - National Library and Infor-mation System Authority)

The first national library of Trinidad was established in 1851 when Lord Harris, Trinidad’s governor from 1846 to 1854, put forward the ordinance to the Council of Govern-ment. It was not until 1902 that it moved to this site on Knox Street. This library was built with a simple arcaded second story, with the arcade providing shaded passage-ways for both the upper and lower levels of the library. The ground floor comprised a public readingroom, a lending library and a small office for the librarian. In 2003, the li-brary moved to its new complex on the corner of Hart and Abercromby streets.

Old Fire Station Tower

The old Fire Station, originally built in 1896/1897 and refurbished and renovated in 1999/2000, is an excellent example of the preservation of a historic building which has been elegantly blended with the modern architectural landscape of the city. Located at the corner of Hart and Abercromby Streets in Port of Spain, for 10 years (1989-1999) it was the home of the Trinidad Theatre Workshop which was founded and directed by West Indian poet and Nobel Prize winner, Derek Walcott. It has recently been in-corporated into the National Library Complex and remains a historic gem in the city of Port of Spain.

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Twin Towers

The Twin Towers of Trinidad and Tobago, also known as the Eric William Plaza are the tallest pair of buildings located on Inde-pendence Square of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, as well as in the English-speaking Caribbean. It comprises of a pair of skyscrapers that are 22 stories high (92 m). The first tower houses the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago (Eric Williams Financial Tower) while the second tower houses the Ministry of Finance (Central Bank tower).

I find the neo-modernist styled Twin Towers quite stimulating in the city scape of Port of Spain. There is significant and keen at-tention paid to detail. At first glance one would assume that the cross bracing featured along the towers are solely ornamental, however this is not necessarily the case. The cross braces and core walls in both towers are a feature of the structures earth-quake resistant design that allows for earthquake forces with the former taking 15% of the forces and the latter taking 85%. These buildings are truly magnificent with its fine use of detail, structure and aesthetics.

Jeneill Codner

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CITY GATEby: Joseph McKenley

City Gate, as the name suggests, is the gateway to Port of Spain. As Port of Spain is a largely commercial city, people travel from suburbs outside the city every day, into Port of Spain, for work. For those who travel by way of Max Taxis, the local public transit, they’ll make their way into and out of the the city through City Gate. Not only is it the gateway to Port of Spain, but it is also a “multi-model terminal facility where communters can enter and leave and change modes of transport all under one roof” - NIPDEC (National Insurance Property Development Company Limited)

Inside City Gate, there are shops, and eateries for those waiting to change buses, platforms for the various buses to pick up and drop off and the occasional violinist playing for money - no kidding. The transport centre seems pretty well laid out, and seems to serve its purpose well.

Having been encouraged not to miss out on the ritual that happens at City Gate, AS3 took a trip there one morning at 6:30 to experience rush hour, we observed as the crowd increased on decreased depending on the time of the morning - a crowd of school children trying to make it to school for 7:30; then a crowd of working adults getting to work for 8 or 9 depending. However, as crowded as it got it never boisterous. The crowd all seemed to move in one particular direction, heads straight ahead and without muttering a word (For the most part) - they were all heading toward the port of spain exit - in fact, AS3 students were the only ones heading in the opposite direction.

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Districts in Port of SpainBy: Ryan Dyer

According to Kevin Lynch, author of Image and the City, “districts are the medium-to-Iarge sections of the city, conceived of as having two-dimen-sional extent, which the observer mentally enters “inside of,” and which are recognizable as having some common, identifying character. Always iden-tifiable from the inside, they are also used for exterior reference if visible from the outside.” Most people structure their city, to some extent in this way, and Port of Spain has been planned bearing this in mind. Nodes are typically the intensive foci of districts and are their polarizing center.

Port of Spain hosts a series of districts within our study area. The most common districts are government official, residential, institutional, com-mercial and retail. The most important public and government buildings within the city are located around Woodford Square. It was built during the reign of the English and some term it ‘the university’ because on a daily basis, heated discussions arise from political issues stemming from the surrounding buildings. The residential community within Port of Spain can hardly be described as a district due to the limited number of residents remaining because the vast majority of the buildings within Port of Spain have been adopted for commercial and retail use. Institutional districts can be seen along Fredrick Street where St. Mary’s College, St. Joseph’s Con-vent and other minor schools are situated.

Instituional

Retail

Commercial

Governmental

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The Study Areas24

In Sector 1, the major landmarks were, Woodford Square and Brian Lara Promenade,they also acted as nodes. Further nodes were scattered across the area offering various activties that cause the area’s dwellers to pause, as a node should. The Water fountain located in the heart of Woodford square is a good example of a node, as its datum gave the park a sense of centrality, which resulted in people continuously gathering around the fountain throughout the course of the day. The Brian Lara Promenade to the south of Woodford Square and to the west of Laventille sucsessfuly gives citizens a place to pause, as it is a central green space open to everyone and is flooded with activity from vending to artistry to performances. It was noted that the Brian Lara Promenade was greatly appreciated by the citizens because it gave the people of Laventille a place that they could come together, talk, indulge in a warm serving of doubles or play their daily rounds of checkers. Brian Lara Promenade based on its position and historical importance has become a social nucleus for the people of port of Spain. However as you move west along te promenade, away from Laventille on the East, you realize, that social activities begin to thin, as a result of the change in actovity type from retail to goveernment and commercial buildings.

Sector One

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In the second sector there were not a lot of landmarks, but there were a few nodes. The rituals on the other hand are a dime a dozen. Sector two spanned New Street to Duke Street. Throughout the days, the most active streets int he sector were Frederick Street and Charlotte Street, the main commercial streets of Port of Spain. Nodes identified in the city consisted of food shops and food stands, gas stations, street corners, gambling venues and even the Renegades Pan yard (the top steel pan group for carnival), which is very active in the evenings when they are performing and practicing. Nodes in this aspect will lead to developing rituals. The rituals that took place in this sector were most evident from midday into the evening. This included lunch hour, where at almost the same time everyday people would stream out of their office buildings and fill all nearby restaurants and ten return to offices within an hour. In the evening, these same people can be seen leaving the New Street area and heading past Duke Street to catch a taxi or other transportation. The sector hosts two parks: Victoria Square Park and Lord Harris Park, both of which are uninspiring and unwelcoming. The homeless use the benches in the nights as places to sleep and in the day their leftovers give hints to their antisocial behaviour.

Sector Two

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In Sector 3 located to the north of Port of Spain, between Queen’s Park West and New Street, lay many different nodes, landmarks and rituals. The road adjacent to The National Academy for the Performing Arts, is laden with vending stands near to College of Sci-ence Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago (COSTAATT) and Bishop Anstey High School. One landmark was the Memorial Park though it could also be considered as a node but not a very good one. Other places that can be considered landmarks are Albion Plaza and The National Academy for the Performing Arts. The only ritual that was noted in this sector is the ‘lunch hour’ ritual during the week, where at 12pm the working class floods the food areas along the street. This defines the white colar nature of the area.

The vending stands in the sector are major nodes in the area. The two most prominent ones are by COSTAATT and the carts by Bish-op Anstey High School. The students gather around these carts during their lunch breaks and after school hours to socialize and buy snacks. The road to the east of The National Academy for the Performing Arts, Frederick Street, has a lot of cars parked alongside it during the day with people in them reading, eating, smoking and socializing.

The National Academy for the Performing Arts is located to the north of Sector 3 and is one of the tallest buildings in the area with the most contemporary design of all buldings now. The architecture is so different that this makes the building easily spotted from any-where in the sector thus making it a good landmark. This is also true for Albion Plaza which is also located in the sector; it towers over most buildings in the area. Their vast heights and shape make these two buildings landmarks in sector 3.

Sector Three

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Woodford Square29

Police Headquarters

The Old Police Headquarters

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Police Headquarters

National Library looking unto Queen Street 31

THe National Library32

The Old Police Headquarters

The Old Fire Station Building and National Library

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Whitehall

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Queen’s Royal College

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Ferry to Tobago, docked in the Port of Spain Harbour

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Independence Square South

Indepence Square North

Brian Lara Promenade

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Frederick Street can be considered the spine of the study area, the spine of the original Port of Spain. It is on Frederick street that Port of Spain comes together. Interestingly, it is one of the two streets that runs straight from the Savannah to the waterfront. It is a bus-sling street full of commerce and activity. Along Frederick street, one can find The Savan-nah (to the north), The National Academy for the Performing Arts, Memorial Park, Wood-ford Square, St. Mary’s College, Brian Lara Promenade, The Beacon lighthouse, and City Gate. By hosting these institutions, Fredrick Street becomes possibly the most relevant and recognisable street in the city.

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St. Mary’s College

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Frederick St. West

Frederick St. East

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Frederick St. West

Frederick St. East

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“Sexy Ladies” they had been called throughout the trip, these vernacular constructs were littered throughout the city giving great moments of pause and of reflection. It is a joy to see that in Port of Spain, pride is taken in preserving the architectural heritage of the gingerbread and other vernaular architecture. While Gingerbread Town is not an actual location in Port of Spain, the presence of these gingerbread structures was so great that in some areas, especially in Victoria Square, it did feel like a Gingerbread Town. 55

Vernacular Structure on the corner of Queen and Abercromby Street

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City Gate Vernacular Structure on Cipriani Blvd.

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TABANCACLASSIFIEDS 67

AS3 Study tour

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A-S-UNITY

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