Update DONE West African HQ Building
July 13, 2006 Dakar, Senegal
Architect Richard Donohoe visits DONE West African Headquarters in mid-June. His visit was in response to a request from the DONE board to evaluate the building for short-term solutions prior to the three-month rainy season beginning in July. While providing a recommendation toward a long-term building solution for DONE headquarters. Read report of ceiling collapse during Palm Sunday service here.
TOUR: Reverend Thomas Browne and Reverend Liberty took Dick (as he wish to be called)
through the entire building in order to see and examine the cracks in the walls. Next he was taken into the church and shown the areas that had been affected and the type of repairs that have been put into place. Dick took notes, measurements and analyzed bricks used for building in Senegal.
ANALYSIS: The following is the preliminary reasons for the ceiling collapse. During the extreme rains in August 2005 the building took in tons of rainwater that was not able to drain from the building. This was caused by the lack of drainage outlets and building style. Because the water could not drain fast enough from the building it migrated through the walls creating the cracks in the structure and the collapsed ceiling.
SHORT-TERM SOLUTION : After a critical examination of the situation he came to the conclusion that short-term emergency repairs should quickly be put into place before the heavy rains this year. He recommended using penetrating sealing on the entire outside of the building where water could affect, while sealing cracks and holes with cement, and tearing down or re-roofing the stairways. Further he called for large drainage pipes to be placed along side the walls for water to drain off the building as soon as it rains. As for long-term solutions he called for the entire top floor to be cover or if necessary replace the building.
DONE board member the Reverend Patrick Novak came from the United States to join Dick for a final analysis and implementation of the short-term solutions. Together they had the chance to talk with local masons and sealing experts to get an insight of the kind of materials that could be purchased locally. Before leaving for the United States Reverend Novak conferred with the DONE Board and money was immediately allocated for repairs. The short-term repairs have the building in a better condition to withstand the coming rainy season.
