Overview

 

Engineers Without Borders Purdue has partnered with the Grand Caillou/Dulac Band of Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw Native American Tribe (GCDB). We are working with multiple stakeholders to design a Hurricane Resistant Community Center for the Grand Caillou/Dulac Band of Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw along the Gulf of Louisiana. The indigenous community withstands devastating hurricanes every year. Their homes are flooded and swept away due to high winds. Not all members of the community have the resources to evacuate the area and the Community Center will serve as a relief area during the storm. It will also host members that are rebuilding their homes from the ground up.

 

Progress

 

August 2022 – Project Adoption

The project was initiated by another EPICS team; however, it was decided that Engineers Without Borders Purdue (EWB Purdue) will continue the project. 

 

October 2022 – Assessment Trip

The team visited the community and participated in multiple stakeholder meetings to understand the project and the roles of the stakeholders. During this trip, the team met with various members of the community, including the leader of the community, Elder Chief Shirell. Not only did the team learn about the community's culture but they also had the opportunity to take a boat trip on the Bayou to learn more about the geographical location. 

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March 2023 - Garden Implementation Trip

Since the start of 2023, the team has been designing a community garden with the tribe that prototypes sustainable systems and will float in the event of a flood. Six members of the team and two mentors traveled to Louisiana to implement the garden during Purdue's Spring Break. This garden will allow the community to come together to grow produce that are not readily accessible to them. The garden has been designed to allow them to continue to grow crops as the temperature drops. 

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October 2023 - Assessment Trip

The team visited the community for a second Assessment Trip. During this trip, the team had the opportunity to meet many professional volunteers who are working on the project. With the professionals, the team presented conceptual designs for the building to the tribe and get feedback from the community. Advisor Andy Mix also led students in some light surveying and overall assessment of the site. 

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March 2024 - Garden Implementation Trip (Final)

After a year of iteration and improvement, the final garden design was ready to be completed, and incorporated a rain catchment and distribution system, irrigation system with unglazed pots, and a hoop house connecting two floating beds. A team of nine students, a TA, and a mentor traveled to Louisiana during Purdue's Spring Break, took down the previous garden built March of 2023, and built the new design over the course of the week. The construction project was a success and the garden is ready to support any crops the tribe would like to grow!

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Current Status: Working on the Community Center and Grants

Our team is focused on continuing design work for the community center including wind and heat load calculations as well as rainwater catchment and utilization. We are also working alongside our professional contacts to both refine our designs and prepare an application for a grant that could fund the community center in full.