Building Sophia Point
In 2019, the Sophia Point team had the idea of creating an accessible space for young people to study and understand Guyana’s rainforest. Thanks to the hard work, support and dedication of so many, that ambitious vision has been become a reality. Completed in March 2024, Sophia Point is now a fully functioning research and education centre in an idyllic spot on the Essequibo river.
After months of work, hundreds of bricks laid, thousands of nails hammered and countless sweet biscuits eaten for sustenance, the whole team are overjoyed with the final result. The new centre is able to host up to 24 students who are able to use the wet and dry labs to conduct science, eat locally produced food in the dining hall, engage in learning in the numerous break-out and classroom spaces, and discover nature on the trails that connect the centre to the rainforest.
We documented the journey of construction from design to delivery which was an immense collective team effort. Particular thanks to architects Marcel Gaskin and Warren Davis, lead contractor Indar Ramllall and his foreman Mako and to the many, many people who worked hard to construct this amazing building.
8 months of work in 1 minute
Finishing touches (Feb 2024 - April 2024)
With the frame in place and interior walls erected we entered the final stages of construction. At this point the skill of workers was on full display as they artfully jointed all blockwork, constructed the incredible greenheart roof arch which welcomes you into the building and began the process of sanding, staining, painting and finishing all materials. It was also now that we installed the solar system and connected the water system. As an off-grid site the research centre is completely reliant on nature for both power and water, meaning that our solar system had to be scaled to meet the demand of future researchers and the water system had to account for the long dry seasons present in Guyana’s climate.
Building takes shape (Nov 2023 - Feb 2024)
With foundations complete the team moved to the next stage of construction.
In building the Sophia Point centre we looked to achieve three principal things, to be practical, durable and to celebrate local materials. This became evident as we erected our main frame for the expansive roof. The practicality comes from the whole building being under one roof, which allowed us to use the natural ventilation to keep temperatures down and capture all the rain water we’d ever need. The durability comes in the choice of materials such as the pre-fabricated steel selected for the main frame ensuring the centre can withstand the harsh conditions of the rainforest and remain standing for decades. Finally our focus on local materials, and builders, means that Sophia Point is a celebration of the best of Guyana. At the very heart of the building stands a 20+ foot Greenheart tree column holding our roof up and celebrating Guyana’s incredible tropical hardwoods.
Breaking ground (Jul 2023 - Nov 2023)
Delivering a building project of this scale in a location accessible only by river, whilst being completely off-grid, was not straightforward. Just starting the project required three 50ft barges loaded with hundreds of tonnes of stone, steel, timber and machinery to land at Sophia Point and offload. Once on site, the team, led by Contractor Indar Rammlall, got to work assembling staff quarters, preparing the ground and marking out the dimensions of the centre.
We hosted a ground breaking or “turning the sod” ceremony with local community members, the village Toshao, village council, Founder Nicola Green, British High Commissioner Jane Miller and Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana Professor Paloma Mohamed Martin all in attendance.
Around 30 people worked on the site most days during this phase, the majority of whom were from the surrounding villages of Falmouth, River’s View and Agatash. Despite incredibly hot conditions the team were able to level the ground and worked to ensure the foundations were successfully cast.
Final design (May 2023)
After more than 3 years of preparations and fundraising, and 8 months of design consultation, we are delighted to present the final design for the Sophia Point Centre.
Our plans have evolved from a small 6 person hammock pod to a building able to support up to 24 persons, provide a wet and dry lab and house all the cooking, washing and teaching facilities needed for week-long field courses. Architect Marcel Gaskin worked with us throughout this process and we couldn't be happier with the results. We also want to thank all those who gave their time generously to review, advise and inform us during the design phases.
