Since its inception just over a decade ago, the design services nonprofit Architecture for Humanity has seen the birth of over 80 local chapters worldwide, who have joined the cause in building a better world. As president of Spain’s first AFH chapter, Giovanna Carnevali talks about the importance of this mission and its relevance in developed contexts such as its hometown, Barcelona. Read more…
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Donate Now to Build Back Better
Five days ago the impoverished nation of Haiti suffered an earthquake of biblical proportions followed by more than 35 aftershocks. It’s a place close to our hearts as we began working their last year with a local partner, Yele Haiti. Some of us haven’t slept all week but at least we have a home to go to. There are a hundred stories we could tell you from our partner teams on the ground but with 2 to 3 Million people in need of shelter, we need to think about how to build back - and more importantly - better. We’ve talked with a huge number of stakeholders and continue to strategize about the best impact we can make in the recovery and reconstruction phases.
The question that every reporter has asked is “What Next?”
Here is a brief synopsis of what we have planned over the coming year - so far. (if anyone asks you)
1. Set up Community Resource Centers to bring architecture and building services to folks on the ground. w/ Yele Haiti
2. Translate and distribute of our Rebuilding 101 Manual. (Originally developed after Hurricane Katrina)
3. Adapt, translate and distribute a Earthquake Resistant Housing Manual for local NGOs and community groups.w/ AIDG
4. Provide Architectural and Construction professionals to develop and build community facilities inc. schools and medical centers
5. Complete the Yele Haiti Youth Sports Facility and Disaster Recovery Center (developed 2009).
6. Train and Educate Incoming Volunteers in building safely and to emphasize the need for sustainable materials and construction techniques.
Every day dozens of design professionals from South Dakota to Southern Sudan have offered their services. Special thanks to the Haitian diaspora who have reached out to offer support. If you want to donate service please do so on our site. Yes we will need you but not today and not next week. Bottle that desire as Haiti needs years of help.
We are honored that the American Institute of Architects highlighted our organization for professionals to give during this time of need. And give you did. So far we’ve raised $35K from individual donors, Autodesk gave $10K, Heath Ceramics $5K so far (see below!) and a number of companies have pledged a financial contributions as well as use of some staff members. We’d love to hit $100K by the end of the month. This is put us in a good position for 2010 and the first half of 2011. - A surprise match is always nice.
Our local city chapters have also begun to mobilize. Architecture for Humanity San Juan is taking the chapter lead and Architecture for Humanity Miami is helping coordinate US based efforts. We’ve also heard from a couple of Canadian chapters who are looking to raise funds.
Finally I want to personally thank all the Architecture for Humanity staff, chapter members and our design fellows that have gone beyond the call of duty. The efforts they have put in this week will be positively felt in the years to come as we work and support the reconstruction effort.
The more we raise, the more services we can commit, the more buildings we build. It’s that simple. Help us build back better.
Cheers,
Cameron Sinclair
Executive Director, Architecture for Humanity
848 Folsom Street, Suite 201, San Francisco, CA 94107-1173
W: 415 963 3511 | M: 646 765 0906 | cameron@architectureforhumanity.org | @casinclair
ps. sorry this is long. It’s 4am and we’re all running on fumes.
Contribute Funding
So far 98% of our funding has com from online donations with top donations coming from the United States, Canada and Germany respectively. On Tuesday PayPal waived ALL processing fees for us from now until Feb. 12th - that means100% of your donations will go to the Haiti rebuilding effort. so…
Contribute Expertise
As noted we may need you in a big way. If you have time on your hands, we have CAD, site survey, construction management and yes some design work. We’ll also need another program manager in San Francisco. Give Design
Collaborate
During Hurricane Katrina we worked alongside more than 50 groups. So let’s work together. We love collaborating - heck, our office is called Collaborate. We’ve already reached out to our friends at Habitat for Humanity, connected with Latin American design orgs and spoken with a number of associations.
Raise Funds Locally
During the Tsunami our highest set of individual donors were kids. Twelve to eighteen year olds did everything from hot chocolate stands to bake sales to talent shows. Got an idea? Don’t just think about it, just do it.
Read Up on Reconstruction
There is a lot out there, esp. online. We also have two books, Design Like You Give A Damn and Rebuilding After Disaster: The Biloxi Model Home Project.
Dont’ Forget
It’s vital we push for safe, affordable and innovative reconstruction before Haiti becomes a memory. If you know someone wanting to cover the rebuilding initiative - speak up and tell them about Architecture for Humanity. Tell your friends through facebook or twitter (we’re @archforhumanity) and put up appeal posters in your workplace. We can also talk at events and, as we’ve done for 10 years, if there is any honorarium we will donate 100% to the organization. Remember, folks like Sarah Palin gets $100,000 to speak, that’s three schools in Haiti.
If We Missing Something, Tell Us
It’s been a really long week and we could be forgetting something. YOU ARE OUR FAMILY. Be brutally honest with us. Tell us what we are missing? or should be doing? Is there an innovative material we should be using? Is there a new a new housing design we should look at? Is there anyone we should be partnering with? let us know.
On January 12th around 4.50pm local time a powerful 7.0 earthquake hit the impoverished nation of Haiti. This was followed more than 30 strong aftershocks. There has been widespread major damage and a loss of life estimated to be in the tens of thousands.
We had been set to send a design team to Haiti this month to partner with local NGO Yele Haiti but have put this on hold until we can get a full assessment of the situation. We’ve connected with both Yele and our close friends at AIDG (Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group). We have made a full commitment to support both their efforts in the long term rebuilding of affected areas.
We have launched an appeal for supplying construction and design professionals and supporting earthquake resistant housing and community structures..
If you care about building back better, donate today.
Cheers,
Cameron Sinclair
Executive Director, Architecture for Humanity
848 Folsom Street, Suite 201, San Francisco, CA 94107-1173
W: 415 963 3511 | M: 646 765 0906 | cameron@architectureforhumanity.org
Donate Now to Support Rebuilding >
Updates: All updates will be via this link. Read more…
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When: 18/11/2009, 18h-21h30
Where: Barcelona (Elisava)
Do we need architects “for humanity”?
Is it important to develop projects to meet the needs of people and improve their quality of life?
Its probably so.
We are living through a period in which it becomes necessary to “distinguish” architecture “for humanity” from an architecture “for clients, for architects, for developers etc.”
Ours is a social discipline par excellence for humanity, and its objective is to seek answers to questions that affect and reflect the way people live. Read more…
AFH Spain meets Nathan from AFH San Francisco in Barcelona
AFHS had an interesting and encouraging encounter with Nathaniel Corum from AFH SF during his stay in Barcelona, as he was invited to participate to the Clear Village Lab.
The CLEAR Village Lab is a three-day, immersive event gathering together passionate professionals from a variety of disciplines to create the masterplan strategy for a real-life sustainable village. The intention of this initiative is not to build a ‘perfect place’, but rather to foster a dynamic, living community which embraces principles, technologies and forms of governance that allow for a more sustainable future of living and can provide a benchmark for other communities to follow. Read more…
When: 18/11/2009, 18h-21h30
Where: Barcelona (Elisava)
AFHS will participate the TEDx Arkitects event
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TED has created a program called TEDx. TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. Our event is called TEDxArkitects, where x=independently organized TED event. At our TEDx Arkitects event, TEDTalks video and live speakers will combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events, including ours, are self-organized.
Architecture For Humanity Spain has been invited to the TEDx Arkitects to share its reflexions about “Building Ideas for a Better World”.
When: 02/05/2009, 19h-22h
Where: San Francisco, CA, EEUU (Autodesk Gallery, 1 Market Street)
Architecture for Humanity Celebrates 10th Anniversary
On May 2, 2009, Architecture for Humanity will be kicking off a yearlong capacity building campaign by hosting a 10th Anniversary event at the Autodesk Gallery at One Market in San Francisco. This event coincides with The American Institute of Architects (AIA) 2009 National Convention being held in San Francisco from April 30 - May 2, 2009
Over the past decade Architecture for Humanity has transformed from an idea to create change to an international organization that is building it. Since its inception in 1999, Architecture for Humanity has been involved in the construction of more than 100 structures worldwide, impacting the lives of millions. Read more…
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Ark
ARCHITECTURE FOR HUMANITY
(Spain)
Today marks the 10th anniversary of Architecture for Humanity. You read that right; it has been ten years since we first invited building professionals to design like they give a damn.
These days when I look at the diversity and range of work on the Architecture for Humanity project board, it can feel overwhelming. But it only takes a moment to be reminded why we do this work - a thankful hug from a client, an ingenious detail that allows clean drinking water or a project that galvanized a community. Design truly has the power to bring people together.
Today, Architecture for Humanity is a truly global organization. Our network includes 40,000 professionals and 70 chapters in 28 countries. Collectively more than 700,000 people are living, teaching, healing and gathering in buildings designed by Architecture for Humanity design fellows, chapter members and volunteers. Read more…
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When: 25/03/2009, 21h30
Where: Barcelona (Cine Bosque)