Morne-Rouge School

Architecture - Sainte-Rose

In the wake of the hurricane of 1928, the architect Ali Tur was dispatched to the colonies and commissioned by then Governor of Guadeloupe Théophile Tellier to rebuild the archipelago’s public buildings. The public primary school of Morne Rouge, which is attended by over 180 students, was one of 120 public edifices built during this period. The style of the building was inspired by the Art Deco, or Modernist, movement, which emphasizes simple forms in both floor plans and facades, most of which feature strict symmetry. Ali Tur worked with reinforced concrete, a building material that is both economical and highly resistant but that was hitherto unknown in Guadeloupe. An expert in, and staunch proponent of, modern architecture, Ali Tur was also very careful to incorporate climate considerations into his designs, not only to make buildings as resilient as possible to hurricanes, but also to provide them with natural ventilation by taking into account the prevailing winds, for example, when deciding which way a building should face, using venetian blinds or pierced walls to improve air circulation, and adding balconies or awnings to shade facades.