The Inspiration for the Concept design of the Disaster Recovery Building was drawn from the pirogue shelters (langar pirog) particularly the pillars. These shelters are structures drawn from our history and culture.

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Fishermen in the past, used to keep their pirogues sheltered underneath these structures and mend fishing nets. People used to crowd underneath these shelters in faith and trust of the fishermen returning with the catch of the day. More recently it has been used as a socialising place, to play domino or have picnics.

There are not many of these structures left on our islands. The only remaining remnants are the large pillars. These can be found along the coast lines of all our islands, particularly La Digue. They are lone structures which continue to defy mother nature's wrath. They have been battered by the sea, strong winds, eroded by years of rain and heat of the sun, yet, they remain. Standing strong and defying the odds. Over the years, the thatch roofing of these pirogue shelters have collapsed and the timber structures have rotten away, leaving the pillars.

We as Seychellois, identify ourselves with such structures. They bring up fond memories of our childhood, tradition and culture. They represent our past and indirectly symbolises strength, durability, longevity and deep-root tradition of our forefathers. The pillars are the roots to our culture, grounded since the era before our Independence and has lived through our modern way of life until now.

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I decided to integrate the use of those large pillars into the design of the building. The timeless design is quietly understated, simple and sophisticated. I strongly believe that Modern and Traditional Architecture can co-exist. Mixing traditional and modern architectural elements works well when done properly and with a slight hand of restraint. This method allows the design to have a strong sense of place.