Casa de las Anas is a small guest house in the foothills of
the Dominican Republic. Like many other
houses of Monción, it was built of concrete blocks and roofed with used tin
when we bought it, blazing hot during the day. Located in a working poor neighborhood, it wasn’t a priority
for electric power or water—power was off for hours a day and water showed up
maybe once a week. We re-roofed it, using a “hop roof” design that allows the heat to
escape from the peak and adding an inexpensive ceiling that channels the heat
towards the peak instead of allowing it to heat the house. A 3,000-gallon ferrocement cistern
stores rainwater and a 150-gallon tank on the porch roof provides enough water
pressure to shower. Most
important, we built porches and a thatched patio out back that doubled the
living space and provided a cool, breezy place to be all day.
Tin "hop" roof and thatched patio
Carport, Walkway, and Rainwater Cistern
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