Atlas of Habitats

group

20 m³

at 0 m

6.7ºN

[palm] shelter

mixed

porous

mammals

[palm] shelter

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Introduction

Liberia
Robertsport
6,7004° N, 11,34560° W
09/04/2024, 09:30 am

An agglomeration of eight traditional thatched huts were fabricated with the materials found in close proximity. These simple but well-crafted shelters served as meeting points and camps for fisherpeople, as well as fireplaces for smoking fish. The area was located in a palm tree grove very close to the Atlantic Ocean. We researched the biggest hut and the one in the best condition. When we arrived, the camp had already been abandoned and no one was living there.

Microclimate

The main purpose of the structure is to protect its inhabitants from rain and wind. All the shelters have only one aperture as an entrance, which apparently makes the structure quite dark and unventilated. The advantages of the building materials are that they do not overheat. This was also visible in the thermal images that were taken, but they also revealed that the structure would no longer remain rainproof.

Material

The roof is made from dried plant materials. Palm fronds were woven together to create a waterproof layer. This technique is typical in tropical climates as it provides shade and protection from rain. The load structure was produced from young round trees with diameters of five to eight centimeters, while smaller diameters were used for the battens and substructure used to carry the woven-palm-frond roof surfaces and walls.

Location

The location is situated about ten kilometers south of Robertsport and only accessible by small dirt roads. We found many scraps and bits of plastic trash that had been left behind by the fisherpeople and their families. However, we also found many weather nests in the palm trees located around the agglomeration, which might have benefited from the fish scraps and other trash. These master builders are not looked at very positively by locals as they are very active in building nests and therefore very loud.

Construction

All vertical members reach the floor and the ends were buried and anchored in ground. The strong, load-carrying joints have tree forks on the top ends with horizontal members resting on them. These connections are very strong. Other simple joints were produced with nail connections. All the beams were split and cut with a machete. The whole structure was produced with a just a few different simple tools.