Architecture for Humanity
Encyclopedia
Architecture for Humanity is a charitable organization
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...

 that seeks architectural solutions to humanitarian crises
Crisis
A crisis is any event that is, or expected to lead to, an unstable and dangerous situation affecting an individual, group, community or whole society...

 and brings professional design
Design
Design as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...

 services to communities in need. They believe that where resources and expertise are scarce, innovative, sustainable and collaborative design can make a difference.

History

The organization was founded on April 6, 1999 by Cameron Sinclair
Cameron Sinclair
Cameron Sinclair is the co-founder and 'chief eternal optimist' for Architecture for Humanity, a charitable organization which seeks architectural solutions to humanitarian crisis and brings professional design services to communities in need.- Education and personal life :Educated at Kingswood...

 and Kate Stohr in response to the need for immediate long-term shelter for returning refugees in Kosovo after the region's bloody conflict. After hosting a series of open design competitions
Architectural design competition
An architectural design competition is a special type of competition in which an organization or government body that plans to build a new building asks for architects to submit a proposed design for a building. The winning design is usually chosen by an independent panel of design professionals...

 the organization then began taking on a number of built projects, pairing local communities with design professionals to develop a ground up alternative to development and reconstruction.

In 2005 they adopted an 'open source' model and were the first organization to utilize Creative Commons licensing system on a physical structure. To date it has worked in twenty eight countries around the world and has completed over 245 projects. Collectively more than 700,000 people are living, teaching and working in buildings designed by Architecture for Humanity design fellows, chapter members and volunteer design professional.

The early history of the organization is chronicled in the book Design Like You Give A Damn: Architectural Responses to Humanitarian Crises.

Activity

The organization provides pro-bono design and construction management services and funding for projects around the world. They are developing and building schools in West Africa and Haiti, developing long term rebuilding efforts in Myanmar after Cyclone Nargis
Cyclone Nargis
Cyclone Nargis , was a strong tropical cyclone that caused the worst natural disaster in the recorded history of Burma. The cyclone made landfall in Burma on Friday, May 2, 2008, causing catastrophic destruction and at least 138,000 fatalities...

, and sports for social change facilities in Africa and South America. Past initiatives also include long term reconstruction in India and Sri Lanka following the devastating Indian Ocean Tsunami, rebuilding initiatives in the United States after Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...

 as well as hosting a number of international design competitions.

Architecture for Humanity aims to promote humanitarian and social design through partnerships, advocacy and education based programs. To that end, they have consulted with government bodies and relief organizations on a number of projects, including landmine
Land mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....

 clearance programs and playground
Playground
A playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...

 building in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...

; transitional housing for IDP
Internally displaced person
An internally displaced person is someone who is forced to flee his or her home but who remains within his or her country's borders. They are often referred to as refugees, although they do not fall within the current legal definition of a refugee. At the end of 2006 it was estimated there were...

s in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...

, Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...

 and Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...

; school building in Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...

, Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...

 and Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...

; and earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...

 reconstruction assistance in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...

 and Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...

.

In 2006 the book, Design Like You Give A Damn: Architectural Responses to Humanitarian Crises, edited by the organization was released by Metropolis Books and Thames and Hudson. This publication offers a history of the movement toward socially conscious design and profiles over 80 projects that have impacted the lives of communities around the world. The book can be seen here: http://www.pureandapplied.com/books/8/index.html

Finally, the organization seeks to foster public appreciation for the many ways that architecture and design can improve lives.

"Architecture for Humanity represents the finest of the new breed of architectural leadership, employing architectural skills and directing them for the larger good," wrote Robert Ivy, editor of Architectural Record
Architectural Record
Architectural Record is an American monthly magazine dedicated to architecture and interior design, published by McGraw-Hill Construction in New York City. It is over 110 years old...

 about the organization. "Committed, unapologetically architectural in name and mission, Architecture for Humanity stands up for people in need."

Recognition

In 2005 Architecture for Humanity received the Index Award - Design to Improve Life (community category) and in 2006 was awarded the Rave Award for Architecture by Wired Magazine and the Innovation of the Year as part of the Observer Newspapers' Ethical Awards. In March 2006 its co-founder Cameron Sinclair
Cameron Sinclair
Cameron Sinclair is the co-founder and 'chief eternal optimist' for Architecture for Humanity, a charitable organization which seeks architectural solutions to humanitarian crisis and brings professional design services to communities in need.- Education and personal life :Educated at Kingswood...

 was awarded the 2006 TED Prize which awards its recipients 'One wish to change the world'. Most recently the organization has been made the recipient of the 2007 Center for Architecture Foundation Award, a 2007 Travel + Leisure Global Vision Award in innovation.

In May 2008, the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum announced Architecture for Humanity had won the Design Patron Award highlighting the firm's commitment to improving communities by providing pro bono, sustainable design services.

In June 2008 the organization was profiled on Frontline/World as part of their series of Stories From A Small Planet. That year co-founder Cameron Sinclair was profiled as one of CNNs Principal Voices and on the series Iconoclasts on the Sundance Channel.

Open source architecture

As a result of the TED Prize the organization worked with Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems, Inc. was a company that sold :computers, computer components, :computer software, and :information technology services. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982...

 and Creative Commons
Creative Commons
Creative Commons is a non-profit organization headquartered in Mountain View, California, United States devoted to expanding the range of creative works available for others to build upon legally and to share. The organization has released several copyright-licenses known as Creative Commons...

 to develop the Open Architecture Network
Open Architecture Network
Open Architecture Network is a free online, open source community dedicated to improving global living conditions through innovative and sustainable design. It was developed by Architecture for Humanity after one of its founders, Cameron Sinclair, won the 2006 TED Prize from the Technology...

, the first open source system for supporting sustainable and humanitarian design and architecture. This network includes project management, file sharing, a resource database and online collaborative design tools. A beta version of the site launched on March 8, 2007 at the 2007 TED Conference. It has garnered over 27,000 members and 5,000 projects In late 2010 they created a version of the network as a mobile application that is showcased in the Museum of Modern Art.

International design competitions

For the past ten years Architecture for Humanity has hosted a series of open international design competitions
Architectural design competition
An architectural design competition is a special type of competition in which an organization or government body that plans to build a new building asks for architects to submit a proposed design for a building. The winning design is usually chosen by an independent panel of design professionals...

 focused on systemic issues of poverty. These have included including Siyathemba youth sports and outreach facility; Outreach - Design Ideas for Mobile Health Clinic
Clinic
A clinic is a health care facility that is primarily devoted to the care of outpatients...

 to Combat HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...

/AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...

 in Sub-Saharan Africa; and Transitional Housing for Kosovo's Returning Refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...

s.

In 2007 the organization began hosting its competitions on the Open Architecture Network
Open Architecture Network
Open Architecture Network is a free online, open source community dedicated to improving global living conditions through innovative and sustainable design. It was developed by Architecture for Humanity after one of its founders, Cameron Sinclair, won the 2006 TED Prize from the Technology...

 and every two years hosts its premier design competition, The Open Architecture Challenge. That year the inaugural competition, the AMD Open Architecture Challenge, sought ideas to develop innovative off the grid technology centers. Clients include a chocolate co-operative in Ecuador, a youth center in Kenya and a medical organization in Nepal. The competition culminated in the construction of a youth community and resource center in Nairobi, Kenya.

The 2009 Open Architecture Challenge was launched on January 29 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. With support of more than two dozen organizations it invited architects and designers to partner with schools to design cost effective and sustainable classrooms. An international jury convened in July at the 2009 Aspen Ideas festival and selected eight finalists from the tens of thousands of entries from more than 65 countries.

Organisation

Architecture for Humanity has 72 chapters in 14 countries around the world. These chapters work as local affiliates of the parent organization and whose work is mainly regional in scope. Recently these local entities have also garnered recognition for their work with Architecture for Humanity New York noted as New Yorkers of the Week by cable news network NY1.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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