The designs of the public spaces anticipate further unplanned growth, and aim to protect the potential for future development of the sites with an outside-in approach. The designs start at the site boundary established at the first community engagement meeting and work their way innwards. Careful attention has been given to the creation of visually permeable borders which help define what is public and private without being obtrusive or hostile. This was primarily done through soft-scaping techniques and combines native – drought tolerant plants with clever drainage solutions. Within the boundary, the programme of each public space was established directly through community engagement meetings, and is reflected in the uniqueness of each project. Though varying in their use of space, each project works by identifying the existing conditions and the needs of the community, and succeeds by overcoming the local challenges of scarcity and budget constraint. Maximising the footprint on site has not lead to compromise, but to a search for more innovative and locally available solutions. Stones and gravel are used throughout, capitalising on the local availability of these materials

By studying the context and the origins of Canaan, as well as understanding and working with the community, the projects respond positively to the local challenges. Understanding the specific requirements of each project and community needs allowed to establish comprehensive briefs achievable with the funds available.

A particular design challenge was the resolution of drainage on all sites and to mitigate the impact of flash floods could have on soil stability. To overcome this, issue a sustainable drainage strategy was devised, which incorporated the use of vetiver grass and other planting to stabilise the soil on sloping sites. The vetiver, planted in rows along the site, slows down the surface water run-off on site and helps direct water to larger areas of planting. The arid climate in Canaan, and the deforestation endemic of Haiti, is countered by creating pocket green spaces and areas of mini-forest. The hope is that by creating greener public spaces, they will provide a more relaxing environment and therefore will be used more. In addition to this, the informal nature of the urban area, means that houses are not connected to electricity, and the lack of jobs have resulted in criminality and violence. To ensure the spaces are safe after dark, solar lighting has been incorporated in all projects, cloaking the public spaces with the safe glow of the LED lights. All projects are also accessible and include appropriate ramps, step grades and handrails.