Every September, Hurricane Irma remains more than a date on the calendar. For St Maarten, it is a reminder of how quickly life can change, how much so many people lost, and how deeply the built environment is tied to safety, memory, and home.
For architects, much of the early work after Irma was not design in the usual sense. It was assessment: walking damaged homes and businesses, documenting roofs, openings, water intrusion, structural failure, and the details that shaped insurance reports and claims. Behind every report was a person, a family, a business, or a place with meaning. Architectural knowledge became a way to explain damage clearly and help owners understand what could be repaired, strengthened, or reimagined.
As rebuilding began, many requests were understandably defensive. People wanted garages, storage rooms, and bunker-like spaces for cars, food, and water. Larger windows were replaced with smaller ones, and open railings gave way to solid blockwork. Architecture became a way to feel protected again.
But if we only design from the last disaster, we risk creating buildings that are closed, heavy, and less connected to Caribbean life. The real challenge is not reactive architecture, but responsive architecture: design that remembers the storm, respects the risk, and still makes room for light, breeze, shade, beauty, and daily comfort.
Remembering Irma is about respecting the scale of what was lost and honoring the effort of homeowners, contractors, engineers, architects, insurers, and communities who carried the island forward. We strive to design with care so every renovation, addition, villa, and public space contributes to a stronger, more thoughtful St Maarten.