aia puerto rico 2011 honor awards reseach & publications projects

submission deadlinenovember/18/20115:00pm

awards presentationdecember/3/2011

categories /built workunbuilt workurban planningresearch & publicationsconceptual projectsstudent work

for rules, guidelines and more information, visit:aiapr.org 787.793.6100 x.1011

invited jury/anthony piermarini AIAsteve dumez FAIAcarlos cubillos






Research / publicationsinvestigaciones / publicaciones






PUERTO RICO THEN & NOW 01Jorge Rigau, FAIA

THE NORTHERN CHANNEL: Harnessing Water in Puerto Rico at the Beginning of the 20th Century 03Jorge Rigau, FAIA

(IN)FORMA 3 “ LA CIUDAD Y EL URBANISMO” 05Francisco J. Rodríguez, AIA

BRIGHT SHADE 06Fernando Abruña, FAIA

MONA ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE & KEEPER’S DWELLING 07Luis A. Gutiérrez, AIA

ATRIA Y SU CASITA SEGURA 09Astrid Díaz, AIA

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AIA Puerto Rico

HONOR AWARDS

2011

Mona

Islan

d Ligh

thous

e and

Kee

per’s

Dwe

lling

Categ

ory:

Rese

arch

/ Pub

licati

on

Isla d

e Mon

a, Pu

erto

Rico

The objective of the study was to provide a cursory overview of the Lighthouse and Keeper’s Dwell-ing, their construction materials, and the conditions of these materials. The study also made recom-mendations for key next steps in the evaluation and preservation of the Mona Light buildings.

The Mona Lighthouse is approximately 50 feet tall and constructed almost entirely of metal. It is essentially a cylindrical tower braced by a structural framework. Six vertical trusses connect to and radiate from the central cylinder and are laterally braced by horizontal members connecting the outer chords of the trusses. The Lighthouse is entered at the ground level through a doorway on the east elevation of the passageway that connects the Lighthouse to the adjacent keeper’s quarters. The ground-floor level, enclosed by decorative steel panels, consists of a hallway that encircles the central stair shaft and opens into the passageway to the Keeper’s Dwelling.

The center of the Lighthouse is occupied by a cast iron circular stairway that leads to a service room and watch level located directly below the lantern at the top of the tower. The winding stair termi-nates at the watch level and the lantern itself is accessed by a ship’s ladder. The 12-sided lantern is constructed of a metal framework of astragal bars that would have originally held glass storm panes. The roof is standing-seam copper sheet metal and is topped by a ball finial with a weather vane. It is possible that this weather vane also served as a lightning rod. Under the copper sheet-metal roof is a ventilator that was used to exhaust smoke and heat from within the glass enclosure.

The central shaft of the Lighthouse is constructed of riveted steel plates. At the bottom four levels, these plates are approximately ¼-inch thick and measure 82-inches in width by 45 ¼ inches in height. They are fastened at their seams to the horizontal steel bands and vertical trusses on the exterior of the tower. The rivets are 1-inch in diameter and occur approximately every 4 inches. At the top two levels of the shaft (the watch level and the lantern level), the diameter of the structure widens and the panel construction changes.

On these levels, the steel panels are riveted to interior steel bands and the exterior face of this seam is welded. The floors at these levels are composed of cast iron plates. In addition, at the watch level, the walls are clad with ship-lapped wood paneling. There are two metal balconies projecting from the Lighthouse, one at the watch level and one at the lantern level.

The 12-sided lantern is constructed of a combination of ferrous and copper alloy astragals (muntins) that were originally glazed; the glass is currently missing. Samples of the glass storm panels retrieved from the site indicate that the historic glass was 3/16”-inch thick with an amber hue. The lantern originally housed a Fresnel lens that served as the rotating beacon for the Lighthouse. The Fresnel lens has since been removed for safe-keeping and is currently in storage.

The Lighthouse sits on a concrete base and foundation, with steel chords connecting the trusses and embedded in the concrete.

1977 2010

1885

Although it is frequently stated that the tower was de-signed by Gustave Eiffel, no mention is made of the fact in the well documented work Faros españoles de Ultramar. More important is that there are docu-ments by the Eng. Rafael Ravena which describe and illustrates the tower just as it was constructed. Both plans (the first designed with masonry, and the second, made of iron) were presented by Ravena. The construction of the second was approved the next year it was presented. The project memories clearly describes the tower and the plans include di-mensions in all its parts. It was considered a simple structural tower.

The connection with Eiffel came probably because the metal components were purchased in Paris, in-cluding the tower stair, the lantern, and the clock mechanism. There were specialized factories in Par-is who had the lighthouse equipment and the Span-ish Government had a resident engineer who made the purchase orders. Mona’s Lighthouse also coin-cide with the Universal Exposition at Paris in 1889, where Eiffel designed the famous tower.

Miguel A. Sánchez Terry, author of Faros Españoles de Ultramar, de-scribes and presents the Spanish lighthouses history, listing the ones built in the Spanish colonies of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. 1952

AIA Puerto Rico

HONOR AWARDS

2011

Mona

Islan

d Ligh

thous

e and

Kee

per’s

Dwe

lling

Categ

ory:

Rese

arch

/ Pub

licati

on

Isla d

e Mon

a, Pu

erto

Rico

The Keeper’s Dwelling was built at the same time as the Lighthouse and is also constructed primarily of riv-eted steel. On this rectangular building, the exterior wall envelope is composed of rectangular steel panels riveted to I-beam columns and steel battens. The steel panels are decorated with L-shaped moldings riveted to the center of the steel panels and octagonal steel plates with center pyramidal finial at the intersection between horizontal and vertical battens. The building sits on an I-beam sill installed on a raised concrete foundation.

The gabled roof currently consists of corrugated galvanized metal on steel trusses. Gutters run along the east and west sides of the roof. There were originally four downspouts on the east and the west elevations; they are all currently missing. However, a PVC pipe that extends to an adjacent cistern from the east gutter on the north elevation of the building currently carries off some roof water. The aluminum jalousie-style windows are modern replacements installed in the original iron frames. The main entrance is on the west elevation through a heavy iron and wood door.

The interior of the Keeper’s Dwelling consists of seven rooms, separated by beadboard partition walls. The ceiling throughout the interior is also beadboard. Interior doors are paneled and appear to be original. The windows are currently replacements, but the original iron frames remain, as do the hinge pintels for interior shutters. There is access to the attic through a wall ladder in the central hall. In the attic, the steel trusses and underside of the roof are visible.

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aia puerto rico 2011 honor awards reseach & publications projects

Documents

mona lighthouse

watch level

ground level

copper sheetmetal roof

central shaft

groundfloor level

central stair shaft

seam copper sheet metal