New Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption

Port Au-Prince, Haiti

After the devastating earthquake of January 12, 2010 that left the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince in ruins, all that remained of the Cathedral Our Lady of the Ascension, was dust, rubble, and some standing but barely stable ruins. An international design competition for the reconstruction of the Cathedral was undertaken by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince, with support from other organizations.

 

The design developed by SCF Architects was chosen as the winner. The Jury Chair, Plater-Zyberk, stated that “the panel unanimously agreed that the final choice is memorable, elegant and dignified, yet welcoming to the greater community of Port-au-Prince and those who visit.”  She added that it has elements of “restoration and preservation” by keeping the front façade of the original cathedral that was not destroyed in the earthquake. She described the new structure as “very much of our time, but also in some sense timeless.”