The Sophia Point Rainforest Research Centre is complete!
We are excited to announce the completion of the Sophia Point Rainforest Research Centre.
Four years ago, founders Nicola Green and David Lammy had the idea of creating an accessible space for young people to study and understand Guyana’s rainforest. Today, thanks to the hard work, support and dedication of so many, that ambitious vision has been turned into a reality. Led by founding Director Sam Airey, Sophia Point is now a fully functioning research and education centre in this idyllic spot on the Essequibo river.
The journey to establish Sophia Point has not been without its challenges, but the team are delighted with the final outcome and are now ready to throw open the doors and begin the exciting work of transforming access to environmental education in Guyana!
The Build Process: Challenges and Triumphs
To realise Sophia Point, the team spent two and a half years establishing the charity, developing key partnerships and raising the funds, almost a year perfecting the design, and eight months completing the construction. Delivering a building project of this scale in a location accessible only by river, whilst being completely off-grid, was not straightforward.
Contractor, Indar Ramlall and his team managed the complexity of the project brilliantly, working in close collaboration with Sam, trustee Jon Polledri and advisers Marcel Gaskin and Warren Davis. The team had to offload three laden barges of materials carrying hundreds of tons of sand, stone, steel, wood and cement, as well as all of the heavy machinery required. This was only possible thanks to the tireless work of the more than 40 local workers, many of whom are from the indigenous community of River’s View that surrounds Sophia Point.
After months of work, hundreds of bricks laid, thousands of nails hammered and countless sweet biscuits eaten for sustenance, the whole team are overjoyed with the final result. The new centre is ready to host up to 24 students who will use the wet and dry labs to conduct science, eat locally produced food in the dining hall, engage in learning in the numerous break-out and classroom spaces, and discover nature on the trails that connect the centre to the rainforest.
The Design | Immersion in the Rainforest
The design of the centre, led by architect Marcel Gaskin, prioritised three key elements: sustainability, durability and immersion.
Sustainability
Reducing Sophia Point’s environmental footprint was at the core of the design. For that reason the centre is completely solar powered, thanks to a 5.4KwP solar system installed by Guyanese experts Farfan & Mendes, providing all energy to run lights, equipment and store food. Water is fully rain-captured in ten 1,000 gallon storage tanks and air flow and radiant barriers keep the space cool in the hot sun, meaning the centre is not reliant on energy intensive air conditioning or fans. Food waste from the kitchen will be managed with a worm composting system which will provide fertiliser for the vegetable garden creating a circular waste economy on site.
Durability
As a not for profit charity, it was important that the building was both cost-effective and designed with the future in mind. This was achieved by raising the floor to account for future rising water levels and using hard-wearing, high strength materials, like the steel frame, to withstand the harshest of conditions the rainforest has to offer .
Typical of these materials was the use of locally sourced greenheart hardwood for the roof beams and internal wood work, which is one of the strongest hardwoods available. These design choices celebrate the best of locally available materials and ensure that Sophia Point will be welcoming researchers and students for decades to come.
Immersion
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.The research centre tries in every way to immerse the visitor in the rainforest which surrounds it. From open sided classrooms, to half height walls and magnificent roof height cut-outs, it is possible to see through the building into the jungle from every direction. Students are constantly reminded of the nature they are studying, bringing the textbook to life. At Sophia Point, when brushing teeth, eating lunch or tucked in bed, there is always the chance of spotting swinging squirrel monkeys or cackling cayenne jays.
The site will continue to develop as the team begin to landscape the grounds, support natural regeneration, as well as develop a kitchen garden to supplement catering on site for visitors. Given time and hard-work, the grounds will soon look better than ever, allowing the building to merge into its natural surroundings further.
The Future: Science from the Global South
With construction now complete, the team is looking forward to the next phase of Sophia Point: the science! Biology undergraduates from the University of Guyana have already made their first field trip, led by Senior Lecturer Calvin Bernard, as they study the birds and mammals of Sophia Point. This is the first of many trips to come as the centre continues its close partnership with Guyana’s sole public university, and delivers on the joint aim to provide opportunities for young Guyanese to study, understand and champion their rainforest.
Sophia Point is a platform to promote nature in many exciting ways. There are plans to expand camera trap monitoring, engage with local schools to establish nature clubs and deliver environmental education classes, develop monitoring of biodiversity data, and collaborate with regional and international researchers and scientists on exciting projects to build capacity in Guyana.
Please contact us if you are interested in research opportunities or facilitating a trip to Sophia Point!
Thank you to Sophia Point’s Funders and Supporters
These achievements would not have been possible without the generosity of the funders and supporters of Sophia Point. From day one, when Sophia Point was little more than an idea, the backing has been immense. To have delivered on the first major milestone of completing a physical space to support education is a rewarding moment for all involved.
To those who have worked with us, provided advice, donated funds, collaborated or simply encouraged the work of Sophia Point: thank you.
Together, we will continue to play our part in championing Guyana’s incredible rainforest!
