Cameron Sinclair

Haiti: The Good News

2012-01-12T10:47:27-05:00

By Kate Stohr and Cameron Sinclair, Co-Founders, Architecture for Humanity

It's been more than two years since Architecture for Humanity first started working in Haiti just before the devastating earthquake in 2010 that killed more than 230,000 people and displaced nearly one million more people. Is the country recovering? It's a fair question.

Media coverage has not been particularly kind to Haiti. This year headlines like "Haiti's stalled recovery," or "Haiti recovery stalled?" or my favorite, "Haiti's eternally stalled recovery" painted a less than optimistic picture. However, you parsed it, "stalled" seemed to be the word of choice in 2011 to describe the pace of progress in rebuilding here.

However, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic. I've been spending a week or two every month for nearly two years in Haiti. Architecture for Humanity has a team of 30 building professionals, most Haitian, based in Port-au-Prince. We've been rebuilding schools, clinics and doing a ton of urban planning for housing and commercial development. It's been a thrill to see these projects come to life. We just wrapped our year in review. I've worked in Katrina and in South East Asia, and I was surprised to see that we've done more in Haiti in these two years than we have after any previous disaster. Ok, so, fair enough, that may say more about us than Haiti. You have to admit though, if a small group like ours can build clinics and schools impacting more than 4,000 people and design camp improvements and housing developments impacting another 25,000 then that's just the tip of what's possible.

So, why the negative press? For one thing, media expectations regarding reconstruction often disregard the normal pattern of rebuilding after disaster and basic construction timelines. It takes between nine months and a year for permanent construction projects started immediately after a disaster to come up from the ground under the best of circumstances. Add to that national elections, a cholera outbreak and a backdrop of civil conflict, and it's easy to understand why the pace of reconstruction in Haiti may be slower than the norm. Yet, Haiti is rebuilding.

As we ease into year three of the recovery effort, we're seeing construction starts in housing, education, healthcare and even some beautiful historic preservation projects. Haiti led the Caribbean in hotel construction starts in 2011, with 753 rooms in the active pipeline.

When Michele Martelly ("Sweet Mickey") was confirmed President in April after a contested election it signaled a new era for the country. Not only was the election relatively peaceful, the country welcomed back not one but two exiled past leaders, Jean-Claude (Baby Doc) Duvalier and Jean-Bertrand Aristide without serious civil unrest. Martelly brings a refreshingly polished style of leadership. He has priorities, for one thing. They are clear: education, finding homes for people living in tents, and restarting Haiti's economy. His business approach is beginning to be felt at the local level.

Industries that had been long dormant are being resuscitated. For example, Haiti was once the leading supplier of seisal, a material used in rugs and rope, in the region. Haitian coffee is delicious and now a fair trade commodity as well as it's prized mangos. Artisans are thriving and it is amazing to see the design quality coming from Haiti in recent months.

To be clear, Haiti has many hurdles still to overcome. Camps are on the edge of becoming permanent settlements. North of Port-au-Prince an area that was a greenfield and primed for development prior to the earthquake is now de facto home to some 10,000 displaced families. Martelly has dismantled some of the more prominent camps in Port-au-Prince's downtown area, but a housing crisis looms as little has been done to address the supply of housing. In an effort to encourage equity and economic development, international donors have focused on homeownership. In Haiti, rental housing (with strong regulation) is more likely to deliver the needed short-term supply of more than 100,000 units.

The delays -- and we've talked about the professional exodus from Haiti -- are largely related Haiti's limited professional capacity. What I mean by that is that things that we take for granted, a land registry system, real estate appraisals, and permitting structures, building code enforcement and inspections have been eroded and need to be rebuilt just as much as the country's buildings need rebuilding.

Despite various training programs and the best efforts of NGO's, building standards are nowhere near where they should be. We see examples of unsafe construction every day. It is frustrating, needless, and exasperating at times. Building code inspections are an issue the government urgently needs to address. That said, these are regulatory structures that time will heal. And chances are Haiti will leapfrog outmoded systems in the process. (Already the Haiti Property Law Working Group is starting the ball rolling on the land tenure front.

But you've heard all of that before.

So here it is, ten reasons why we should double down and renew our commitment to Haiti in 2012:

1) Haiti is beautiful. Check out this new hotel in historic Jacmel.. Admit it, you want to go on vacation here. With miles of pristine beaches and a vibrant culture. This is a lovely place to work. Even more lovely to visit.

2) Haitians are a wonderful, hard-working people. We can personally vouch for this. When Architecture for Humanity conducted surveys of more than 400 businesses in five key downtown commercial corridors we found that many of the business owners worked two or more jobs.

3) History. Haiti is home to some of the most intriguing history in the region -- and the architectural landmarks to prove it. One of which, an iron market some how got liberated on its way to Egypt and found its way to Haiti was recently restored -- and beautifully so -- with funding from the Digicel Foundation

4) Demographics. Haiti has a young, eager willing workforce. More than 55% percent of the coutry is under the age of 25. And with the priority on rebuilding the nation's schools we'll likely see more talent coming from Haiti. Here's a beautiful school Architecture for Humanity just completed in Montruis.

5) Great Wifi connectivity. No I am serious. I get better connectivity in Haiti than I do in my own home. Inveneo, a group that trains local IT professionals, is now working to extend connectivity to rural areas in partnership with Microsoft. (Thanks again, guys.)

6) Design. Haiti is home to some seriously design savvy artisans. A recent tradeshow in Port-au-Prince left me wishing I could do more than window shop. The work of these artistans is beginning to be exported through distributors like Carribean Crafts, and you can buy some of Haiti's beautiful handiwork at retailers near you.

7) Rural development. For decades planners have called for decentralizing Port-au-Prince. This mandate is now being acted upon. We helped Habitat for Humanity plan a rural community near Leogane for 500 households. We also worked with local landowners who are eager to begin creating jobs and building the economy on land that has laid fallow for years. Many of these jobs would be in sustainable agriculture and food processing.

8) Yes, it is safe. In one week last year nine people were murdered in Baltimore, none were murdered in Haiti. Haiti has a lower homicide rate than its neighbors and a lower rate of petty crime than neighboring Dominican Republic

9) Healthcare. Mark our words, Haiti will have universal healthcare before we do. Thanks, Paul Farmer. Check out Partner's in Health new hospital.

10) Location, location, location. Haiti is so close to the US markets that smart industrial investors are capitalizing on international incentives to open factories in Cape Hatien and elsewhere. So that new Donna Karan t-shirt you are buying next season... might just come from Haiti.

Ok, so it may take a little longer than the average media attention span to see these new visions for Haiti realized. That doesn't mean it isn't happening. I am excited by Haiti's future. I am not the only one. Many are getting behind Haiti's long-term recovery. My guess is President Clinton, who visited Haiti as a wedding gift, is planning his second honeymoon there even as you read this.

Japan Quake: When to Start Rebuilding

2011-03-14T02:19:21-04:00

For those not used to working in disasters, the first week is chaotic, filled with stories of heroism and despair. The first responders are not the charities but the families of those who are injured or missing. For those caught in this tragic situation, this is an overwhelming situation to be in.

It is also not the time for architects or urban planners to show up thinking they can rebuild. People are trying to find their loved ones, not think about what their lives will look like in 5, 10 or 15 years. For those of us who are part of the reconstruction effort, we need to think about immediate needs for shelter while planning for the next three to five years of rebuilding.

Architecture for Humanity makes it a policy that we do not go anywhere without being asked. Within hours of the disaster we were approached by a number of Japanese groups, including our local chapters in Kyoto and Osaka, for our support and services. We stay focused to our mission of reconstruction, but in the first few weeks, when architects are not needed, we respond to the needs on the ground.

A coalition of individuals are trying to help update foreign nationals in Japan with the latest information regarding unfolding events. This is also being done via twitter the hashtag #honyaquake

We are looking at implementing a 10-phase approach.

Next Six Weeks
1. Support the #honyaquake movement with global translators
2. Distribute lessons learned [underway]
3. Engage Our Network of Building Professionals [underway]
4. Pre-Planning Assessments and Damage Analysis

Six Weeks to Nine Months
5. Identify ey projects and begin design and development process
6. Sorting Out Land Tenure and Building Ownership
7. Produce and File Construction Documents

Nine Months Onwards
8. Bid and Tender Process
9. Construction
10. Post Occupancy Analysis

Focus and Team
Our focus will be to support the building of the following;
Transitional Shelters, Health Clinics, Community Structures, Schools, Hospitals and Civic Structures

To implement our long-term plan we are partnering with our Kyoto and Osaka chapters as well as a number of Japanese architects in our global network. If we need to we will broaden our reach to our entire network. Thanks to long-term supporters and individual donations we now have the resources to start this process.

However, an organization should only work within a scope that fits the scale of the response. In Haiti we raised close to $2 million and are undertaking a three-year construction plan building many schools, in partnership with studentsrebuild.org. However in Chile we raised around $50,000 and focused resources on building a small youth center in Talca. Let us not forget Christchurch.

For Japan if we raise between $50,000--$200,000 we will provide pro bono design services and construction management. If we raise more than $200,000, our organization will provide a suite of design and construction services as well as construction financing for small 'urban acupuncture' centers.

As always, we believe in open source. So if you want to do your own thing and like it, steal this plan If you like it but think it needs improvement, comment below.

Thank you.

Celebrate International Womens Day by Investing in Them

2011-03-08T11:08:34-05:00

In Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and India our humanitarian reconstruction work has all been led by women. In an industry dominated by men, it is intriguing to find that when responding to those in need, it is women who are the first to stand. Moreover in areas of deep poverty and neglect it is women who are building their own future. One example, funded via kickstarter, is a series of homes that are currently being built in Southern Mexico and a training program to allow a collective of women to form a small business by becoming the architects of their future.

Over the next two months a coalition of architectural designers and natural builders will be working alongside 20 women in the indigenous village of San Juan Mixtepec, in the state of Oaxaca, to design and construct an off-the-grid building made from appropriate materials such as clay and bamboo. This type of architecture is known as agri-tecture. This training program and prototype will be the foundation to building a social enterprise.

To increase visibility of the project the team will produce a stop frame animation of the projects evolution, interviews with the women and a series of large-format photographs.

Why Focus on Women
In this town, 60% of the men, mostly youths and family heads between 18 and 35, immigrate, mainly to the United States. 84.5% do not return.

Local Materials

The Prototype
The structure sits within a simple, rectangular plan, formed by two nucleus's: One private and one public.

Each one is formed by two intersecting arches that cross in the center, underline the notion of space and marking each space's activities. This allows ample spaces even though the area is small. The patio presents itself as an extension of the house directly connected to the kitchen. It is supported by a wooden structure lined with bamboo, placed with spaces in between making the wall translucent. The patio opens to vibrant natural surroundings, creating a privileged socializing area.

The one floor house is punctuated by the color on the doors, which can vary depending on its occupants and should use strong marking colors, which is characteristic to Mexico.
The variety of textures present in the adobe, bamboo and roof tiles contribute to a richer and more harmonious entirety.

PROJECT ADVANTAGES

Ecological: Regional and biodegradable materials.
Social: Strengthens community work.
Structural: All walls are structural.
Economical: Resource Optimization.
Cultural: Integrates with the traditional houses and promotes local knowledge.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

SOLAR ENERGY
To take full advantage of the solar energy, small solar panels will be installed to convert the energy from the sum into electricity. It is expected that they allow the use of: 4 light bulbs, 1 television and 1 radio. (the average amount of appliances used in this municipality)

WATER
A deposit collects rain water from the roof and it is re used for watering the vegetable garden, the kitchen and the bathroom. This way the women are less dependent on external water supplies.

Other than the reuse of water, a treatment system will be implanted through the use of a gray water filter made up of gravel, plants and coal. This water may be used to water the vegetable garden.

COMPOSTING TOILET
The "Composting Toilet" is a system used in bathrooms where, instead of using flush water or sewage systems, urine and feces are stored and treated through composting turning them into nutrient products for soil. There is no use of water, therefore there is no water waste and water contamination is avoided. It is similar to a composting system, as oxygen is also needed for the process to take place.

A chamber where feces and urine (combined or separated) are stored is connected to a tube or chimney to allow hot air to rise leaving the indoor spaces with fresh air.

COMPOSTING
Composting is a biological process where micro organisms transform organic mater, such as manure, leaves, paper and food left overs, in a substance similar to soil known as compost. Other than reusing a part of domestic rubbish, compost improves the soils structure and acts as a fertilizer.

ESTUFA LORENA
The Estufa Lorena is an energy-efficient, traditional stove that uses less wood to cook than normal wood stoves. It is basically a closed box of mud and sand with a chimney. The wood is place inside the box and the food is heated from the hot smoke. This system reduces wood consumption by 60% and improves the air quality in the kitchen.

Invest in this program.

THE GLOBAL TEAM
20 Women of San Juan Mixtepec, Mexico
Juan José Santibañez, Oaxaca, México
CaeiroCapurso, Oaxaca, México and Barcelona, Spain
blaanc borderless architecture, Lisbon, Portugal and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
architecture for humanity, San Francisco, US; Port au Prince, Haiti and Cape Town, South Africa

What is Agri-tecture? One in two buildings on the planet are made from natural building materials yet most of the research and development is focused on the glassy metal pointy ones. Agri-tecture is the marriage of the built and natural building environment.... If buildings were vegetarians they would be argi-tecture.

Madonna Makes the Right Move in Malawi

2011-02-18T00:31:56-05:00

Today we learned of a new strategy by Madonna in her desire to increase access to education in Malawi. As a sharp critic of her earlier plans for a large "academy style" school I welcome this move and hope it can be a point of reflection for many of us involved in the development process.

Defining Success
Working with communities is often a tricky and long road. In order to be sustainable it must respond to the needs of the community yet have a sound model in order to remain in existence long after the initial investment is made. Whether you are working internationally or domestically, if the end users are burdened with an overly built facility they are exposed to more financial risk then had you not intervened. Therefore success should not be defined by how good a building looks but how it is used and how it is loved. This can be best achieved by employing a community led development process.

The Values of Community Led Development
To inspire communities to build sustainably my group, now building in 22 countries, is guided by a participatory design process that defines the client as a complex ecology of stakeholders rather than a single owner or occupant.

In a traditional development model, building services and construction firms bid for projects. In this model the design process is "closed." Community members have little interaction with the design team during the design process and little personal connection to and investment in the resulting structures.

By contrast, participatory design, or community design as it is sometimes called, engages building stakeholders of all ages and walks of life. In the community design model, the design process is open. Stakeholders, be they community members, homeowners, parents, students, or government officials, are invited and encouraged to participate in the design process through planning sessions, hands-on workshops, exhibitions, community interventions. This creates a sense of ownership and pride and empowers community members to become active instigators of change in their community. This process allows the entire group to work collectively to overcome a series of typical challenges including;

1. The removal of typical barriers to participation, such as formal hearings or inconvenient locations

2. Greater communication between different sectors and interests in the community, including government organizations, religious organizations and individuals

3. The prioritization of issues by and with those most affected by the decision-making process

4. Resolution of complex land-tenure issues

5. Mitigation against political instability by defining process and responsibilities

6. The ability to convey complex ideas simply to expert and non-expert participants alike through the use of graphics, 3-D models and other visual presentations

7. Environmentally and Culturally Appropriate Design

8. Opportunities for skills training and advancement

9. Creation of green collar jobs in the construction trades

10. Greater local capacity for local leadership and future economic development

A good example of this is the recently completed Mahiga Hope High School and Rainwater court in Mahiga, Kenya. A collective of small nonprofits and community groups came together and built a holistic approach to education using small funds (less than $200,000) and invested in the community that was already there. The project took just over a year to complete but was done in the time frame of the community not the funders.

The film Building Hope to be screened at SXSW next month on the school

Investing in Reality
Rather than investing all your funds in one big complex, it is better to spread your investment to reach a broader impact. In the case of Raising Malawi the choice was one academy vs. upgrading dozens of appropriately sized existing schools that, in turn, can be replicated and scaled. It's a choice of supporting a few hundred children or to impact tens of thousands.

In an industry that only reports success, it is an incredibly admirable thing that Raising Malawi has open and come out and said 'we didn't get it right, we learned and we are adapting'. For every grand project profile there are thousands that disappear into the vapor leaving promised communities in the lurch. Lets hope this tale will reverberate through the philanthropic world and that millions are invested wisely and not in the creation of white elephants that dot the landscape.

Haiti one Year on: Building a Foundation

2011-01-04T12:48:46-05:00

The anniversary of any disaster offers a moment to reflect, no more so than in Haiti where more than 1,000,000 people remain displaced a year after the 7.0 earthquake destroyed lives and livelihoods.

Even in the best case scenario rebuilding takes years. In Haiti, violence, political uncertainty and the recent cholera outbreak have slowed the work.

Despite these hurdles, my team at Architecture for Humanity is making strong progress. We started out with a plan for reconstruction when we first posted here on Jan. 17, 2010. To implement visionary plans you need to build a strong foundation, one that is responding to immediate needs but making sure we are enabling projects for economic stability and local ownership.

In this first year this is exactly what we did. We've established a rebuilding center, distributed a basic guide to rebuilding safely to thousands, funded masons training and building assessment programs, helped with the construction of temporary clinics, provided urban planning and construction expertise to our partners, and most critically, worked to rebuild schools. All told, our services have impacted the lives of more than 37,935 people to date. A relatively small start, but now we have a strong base in country I expect to see those numbers increase exponentially.

Our impact
Distributed Rebuilding 101 Manual to 5,000+ builders
Provided Mason training grant impacting 500 builders
Schools in design and construction: 7, impacting 3027 students
Hosted 58 visiting construction professionals (long-term and short-term)
Performed damage assessments of structures impacting 4218 people
Designed camp improvements and upgrades impacting 25,000 people
Number of Haitians employed on projects to date: 1,340
Total design and construction beneficiaries to date: 37,935

Read the full One Year report: Bati Byen, our year in Haiti.

The Rebuilding Center
Looking ahead, we're excited about our partnership with the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund to help rebuild small businesses, restore jobs, and bring Haiti's economy back to life. The investment in our Rebuilding Center in Port-au-Prince will enable small and growing Haitian businesses to participate in post-earthquake reconstruction and ensure rebuilding incorporates better design and engineering.

The Rebuilding Center will serve as a one-stop-shop to provide technical expertise to Haiti's construction sector. It should help put more than 5,000 Haitians back to work and benefit the lives of 30,000 people within three years by providing workforce training, consumer education, and professional referrals. Part of this work will include supporting lenders and micro-finance institutions making construction loans. The goal: To make sure Haiti design and construction firms are aware of--and can compete for--reconstruction bids and tender opportunities while helping Haiti's entrepreneurs build back better.

Student Clients, Student Funders
Haiti not only changed the way we give, it changed the way we report back. Our largest individual donor block came from secondary school students as part of Students Rebuild, an initiative that has partnered us with the Bezos Family Foundation and Global Nomads Group. Teams of students are raising funds with a dollar for dollar match up to $2500. With hundreds of donations coming in we needed to adapt to the way we report. Instead of monthly updates, the team on the ground provided weekly diaries reporting on everything from design ideas, price gouging, post-election rioting to demo and clearance of schools. There was live videoconferencing between our Haitian student clients and student donors. The most poignant was one between a school in New Orleans displaced by Hurricane Katrina and one in Port au Prince. Additionally we developed a K-12 standards-based curriculum and hands on design workshops. Through Students Rebuild we're rebuilding schools, brick by brick, day by day with funds raised for students by students.

If you are a student or educator, why not join us.

Fall Update 2010: Global Nomads Group shows what's going on in Haiti.
Credit: Global Nomads Group

It's Hammer Time: Schendy Kenizan at a demolition site in Pele.
Credit: Schendy Kenizan

Design Matters: Eric Cesal on the role of architects in Haiti.
Credit: Architecture for Humanity Auckland

The Daily Jam: Architect Yves François on his daily commute.
Credit: Yves François

With the help of the Clinton Global Initiative, Global Philanthropy Group, the Barefoot Foundation, and The Stiller Foundation, we've committed to help build at least ten schools. Our goal is to raise $500,000 through Students Rebuild to support this goal. With a majority of the schools in construction documentation, we're making good progress.

Below are three examples 'on the boards' and ready to break ground.

Finally, the transition from humanitarian assistance to economic development takes at least five years. We need to give thanks to the patience and determination of the citizens of Haiti. They did not ask for this task but they are bound together by it. We are just fortunate enough to be asked to help support their vision and to build strong foundations for future generations.

Southern Sudan: Building a New Nation

2011-01-01T21:40:18-05:00

In seven days millions of residents in Southern Sudan have the opportunity to decide their future by voting for independence. The outcome is pointing towards a new nation state and the international community will rally around its birth. The real issue is whether the international community will help or hinder the development of Southern Sudan.

Adopting and Tackling Humanitarian Issues
The new nation, like many fragile states, will inherit a number of systemic issues. Ninety percent of the population live on less than one dollar per day. Approximately one in ten children do not make their fifth birthday and maternal mortality is the highest in the world. Southern Sudan doesn't only need doctors and clinics but an entire health care system. Then there is education. It is hard enough for a country to build a health system, try also having to build an education system, infrastructure and an economic base will be a monumental achievement. In an oil rich region, this should be the last place to be burdened with extreme poverty.

International NGO Involvement: Good or Bad?
The heavy handed approach by some well meaning international non-governmental organizations can spell disaster for a country trying to stand on it's own legs. In post conflict countries the international community steps in to help support a weak political and social system. The danger is when the international community unintentionally creates a 'hand to mouth' aid system that negates or overrides local small businesses and government initiatives.

Recently we worked in a city supporting a local low-cost health care business build and open a series of clinics. With a strong business model the clinics began to expand across the city only to find resistance from 'donor driven' clinics offering free services. Countries like Haiti have suffered from this competitive giving strategy. Where aid funding undermines economic incentive or a government's ability to develop local systems is dangerous and can lead to further destabilization.

Supporting Good Governance While Supporting Existing Government
Salva Kiir, voted in with 93% of the vote, will probably be the first president of Southern Sudan. How the world works with his government with make or break this emerging nation.

This is not a reboot. Academics and policy makers might have an idealized vision of starting a new nation but fragile states are never one borne from a clean slate. Most western states would not survive the sort of restrictions that get placed on developing countries in their bid to emerge out of poverty. We need to find ways to empower and support the new government without forcing predetermined notions of good governance.

Rule of Law
Beyond schools and health facilities the new nation state needs to support their governance with a strong rule of law. This is just not about police and judicial system but full accountability of aid and development -- for a new nation state, the biggest game in town. In our digital world it should be fairly easy to cross reference GIS mapping, crowd sourced information (using mobile technologies) and online accountability to create a more transparent system of aid.

Creating Communities Anchors
For the past decade community led or community-driven development has re-entered the rebuilding process. Those who look down on community involvement claim it allows weak local stakeholders the ability to disburse cash without proper oversight. This is a bit of a chicken and egg situation. There will always be a a number of bad apples but unless you are willing to trust local stakeholders there will never be local ownership of facilities. Given the percentage of aid siphoned off before entering local communities it's a little like complaining someone is taking the crust off the bread while tucking into a steak dinner. Communities need basic services, small business development and, in the case of Southern Sudan, agricultural innovation. Let's not tie down the community with heavy handed policy just to satisfy Western based reporting systems.

I'm not a policy wonk, nor an academic expert. I build communities, ones with integrated health and education facilities and woven together with economic avenues. Before we go in to build in Southern Sudan there must be a strong foundation, one that supports local governance and international collaboration. If you have ideas, thoughts or criticism, add them below.

This is part one in a three part series. I will be writing a second look at Southern Sudan post referendum results and the third six month on.

Nothing Worse Than Being All Mouth and No Trousers

2010-12-30T14:32:39-05:00

This is what my mum used to say to me. I didn't realize what it actually meant but as a nine year old I took it to mean -- don't just talk about something, do it. I guess this always instilled a great urgency to get things done. 12 years ago, armed with $700 from my savings account, I co-founded Architecture for Humanity as a mechanism to get the design and construction profession involved in humanitarian work around the world. After many years in the wilderness, bit by bit we began to work on acupuncture projects, small interventions that create social and economic change in a community. This ranged from small medical facilities in Kenya to weaving cooperatives in India. Domestically we've been involved in upgrading homeless shelters, sustainable housing on the Navajo and Hopi reservations and responding to rebuilding needs of East Biloxi and New Orleans post-Katrina.

This year we've been involved in 53 projects in 16 countries. Everything from community facility building in Chile and Kenya, post-disaster reconstruction in Haiti and Pakistan, low-cost health clinics in India, sustainable housing in the United States, schools in the Philippines and Uganda and youth sports development work in Brazil, Mali and Namibia. In 2010 our architects, designers and construction professionals showed they were all trousers.

Community sports facilities built in the favelas of Rio (l) and rural Kenya (r)

As we say goodbye to the decade and enter the 10s we are closing out the year with an online $100,000 campaign. In the past week we've raised $89,000. As I watching hundreds of $25 donations come in, I've got to stop asking for support and practice what I preach. So from now until 1/1/11 (PST) I'll match any 'sponsor a day of design' donation made to the organization.

Cheers
Cameron Sinclair
Chief Eternal Optimist, Architecture for Humanity

The Floating Opportunity in Colombias' Katrina

2010-12-23T10:45:48-05:00

Many are calling it "Colombias' Katrina". 6 months of constant rain leading up to a record 13 times more rainfall than the previous record, have caused one of the greatest humanitarian disasters in the history of a country that already has more than 40% of its population living bellow the national poverty line. La Niña Phenomenom -an oceanic and atmospheric phenomenon and cyclic counterpart to El Niño- has Colombia drowning, literally. About 450,000 families have been affected in more than 1.600 reported emergencies spread through 28 of the nations 32 states. Overflown dams, reservoirs, and river banks have erased entire cities. By December 21 2010, more than 2,000,000 victims had either lost their houses, seen their crops flood and livestock die, missing family members, or a combination of these. More than 300,000 homes have been destroyed and/or damaged leading to an estimated $5.3 billion in damage, about 2% of the nations GDP. The countries' map now shows over 200.000 hectares of waterlogged fields, collapsed arterial interstate highways, and regional highways with restricted traffic thus making the distribution of humanitarian aid a challenging task, and the rescue of isolated populations in the verge of water-borne illness outbreaks a crisis within a crisis (1).

According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers evaluation, although the country has acted rapidly to avoid more casualties, the unstoppable flow of over saturated rivers mixed with unplanned urbanization and uncontrolled deforestation makes what is happening in Colombia a crisis comparable and, in some cases, worse than Hurricane Katrina. The National government - lead by the newly appointed President Juan Manuel Santos - declared State of Emergency and has begun a fund raising campaign, called Colombia Humanitaria that has seen the support of local acting organizations, private sector, individuals, and the international community. Their website (2), regularly updated with information regarding the disaster, informs those who are interested in helping, getting involved, and donating where they can do so. The government has also created the "Committee of Ethics and Transparency" that will be focused on enforcing open and transparent processes in order to avoid the typical financial black holes historically found in local government programs.

With a general understanding of the magnitude of the disaster, the questions of what should be done and how to do so have been raised. The vastly spread crisis makes a common centralized relief plan impossible. Each region has to be seen as a project within itself, and local solutions need to be planned, evaluated, and executed. The involvement of national and international multi-disciplinary organizations with disaster response experience in all the three stages of the process will be the correct step in the decentralization of the reconstruction plan that has to reach almost every state. The country now needs NGO's and governments with disasters relief experience to stand out, get involved, approach the nation, and make themselves be heard by the local government who should be eager to learn from others' experiences, and willing to allow them to apply proven open collaborative community inclusive reconstruction processes, aimed towards a rapid and successful long term recovery.

Aside from a general evaluation of what is left and can be saved, the country must also understand the reconstruction process as an opportunity to:

• Revitalize underused transportation systems like trains and rivers.

• Relocate cities in strategic areas where they can live close to water resources, but far from danger.

• Equip new settlements with passive energy mechanisms allowing them to be virtually self-sufficient.

• Build houses following vernacular and regional traditions, but innovating in sustainable and technological aspects.

• Create job opportunities for the victims by involving them heavily in the reconstruction programs.

• Seek fresh economic initiatives geared towards micro-agricultural refinancing programs that will motivate farmers to return the country side and reduce the amount of homelessness in cities.

• Evaluate the current water resource management and reestablished it under sustainable and ecologically conscious principles.

The reconstruction process of the Nation will only be able to set off once the rain has stopped. At least one more month of harsh weather is expected followed by 3 months of mild rains, delaying many of the actions that can be taken, but also forcing authorities to invest the time in thoughtful strategizing. If well planned, the disaster could be a breaking point in the Nation's history, and an example of global multi-organizational commitment for disasters to come. The reality that the disaster has hit the vast majority of the country also means that a national campaign to create a sustainable awakening throughout society will necessarily impact all of its geography, shinning a light on the possibility of restructuring the country as a pioneering sustainable nation, and making the reconstruction campaign not only a necessity, but also (with the right amount of national and international experienced organizations) a community-conscious sustainable solutions laboratory.

*Organizations capable and interested in being involved please contact Colombia Humanitaria
http://wsp.presidencia.gov.co/ColombiaHumanitaria/prensa/Paginas/ColombiaHumanitariaEnglish.aspx

Images by: Troskiller/Flickr cc licensed
Additional Images: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-12006885

(1). Numerical data taken from: National Disaster Prevention and Attention System (www.sigpad.gov.co)

(2). Colombia Humanitaria: http://wsp.presidencia.gov.co/ColombiaHumanitaria/prensa/Paginas/ColombiaHumanitariaEnglish.aspx

Written by Daniel Feldman, Architecture for Humanity, Bogota, Colombia.

Driver and Architect: The Hurdles of Rebuilding Haiti

2010-12-03T12:04:49-05:00

Driver and Architect?

It's been nearly a year since the earthquake that struck Haiti and many people are wondering: What's going on? A cholera outbreak and hurricane near misses haven't eased tensions. Last week's outbreaks of violence are symptom of the struggle for survival. For all the aid money that has been donated, some complain it's hard to point to tangible progress.

Everybody's got someone to blame. With the elections approaching finger pointing is well under way. An article in the Wall Street Journal pointed out that the cholera epidemic has unleashed a backlash against the non-governmental organizations working in country. The government has been blamed for being slow to remove the rubble. So has The Interim Haiti Recovery Commission, the inter-disciplinary committee charged with approving projects to be potentially funded by the trust fund set up by donor nations after the disaster.

After working on the ground for the better part of a year now, we at Architecture for Humanity have got our own theory. Summarized by the image at the top which the girlfriend of our design fellow, Dave Hampton, came across.

Architect Tommy Stewart teaching camp volunteers about safe and sustainable design for a women's clinic platform in Port-au-Prince

The blame lies -- if there is any -- with the people who are not in Haiti. Or, at least, not anymore. In other words, the missing middle class. Teachers, doctors, lawyers, journalists (Well, actually, that's kind of under control. Check out TeleGhetto, administrators, engineers (more on that in a minute), and in our world architects.

In March we started a Rebuilding Center with the goal of funding local professionals to do the kind of community based planning and design that is so desperately needed in places like Delmas 32. This week, the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, which is working to support long-term reconstruction and job creation in Haiti, provided a grant to support the Rebuilding Center and expand its services to help local design and construction professionals better compete for contracts. They are few and far between.

There are so many shocking statistics about Haiti, but perhaps the most quietly telling concerns the exodus of the middle class. An estimated 1 million people left Haiti between 1957 and 1982. Since 1982, ex-migration has continued to steal the best and brightest. Census figures suggest that in the United States alone there are an estimated 800,000 Haitians. Another 100,000 Haitians live in Canada and an estimated 1,000,000 in the Dominican Republic. The Haitian community in France numbers about 80,000, and up to 80,000 Haitians now live in the Bahamas.

After disaster, it's typically a nation's military with its operational readiness and manpower that leads rubble removal efforts. Haiti had no standing military. In the absence of a national guard, there was no one with the logistical capacity to clear the streets.

The lack of trained, organized labor makes safe construction especially difficult. We have a mandate of only hiring locally owned and led firms. We couldn't understand why bids were coming in twice as high (or frighteningly, impossibly low) from local firms as from firms based in the Dominican Republic or Jamaica or even Miami. A lot of it has to do with supply chain issues (most materials are imported.) But the other issue is the small pool of professional, skilled labor. Small contractors that are established enough to respond to bids have a limited workforce to draw on for back office operations. So does everyone in the procurement chain—and it's a long chain with many middlemen—pushing prices higher. Warehouses are looted. Trucks are stolen. Difficult terrain increases the costs of transporting goods. We've heard it all before.

As local firms take on more work, they have to hire and train workers -- a slow process at best. No sooner are they trained, than a higher paying job beckons. (Yes, usually with a non-governmental organization.) Trustworthy security guards and drivers make as much as trained nurses and inventory managers.

On one of our first jobs, we arrived on the job site as the school was nearing completion only to discover that the builders had cut the ring beam to install a shaft. If you are a structural engineer or an architect reading this, you probably just gasped out loud. For those of you who are not, tearing out and rebuilding the ring beam is costly and time consuming. It can require taking off the roof.

How did this happen? The contractor didn't instruct his masons to do it. Well, it turns out the community partner and the funding partner both had "engineers" on the job site, ostensibly to oversee the work. Walking around Haiti you'll find you'll meet "engineers" all the time. At first our natural response was to ask, "Oh great, civil, structural, mechanical or electrical?" We learned that that's not the right question. The right question is, "Oh, so what do you do exactly?" Generally we'd discover that the person was smart and capable but had little or no engineering expertise. The kind of work they were doing would be more akin to a cost estimator or a jobs foreman.

It's only partly a case of lost in translation. For lack of true professional resources, engineers are often the best resource at hand. They lack professional training. Some times making errors that require (or should) ripping out work. These errors compounded by procurement issues eat into small firms profits, forcing Haiti's contractors to charge more on the next job, and ultimately making them less competitive. It's slow going.

However, with some hands-on, job-site training, these engineers will get the country rebuilt -- and rebuilt safely. Along with Architecture for Humanity, groups like AIDG and Build Change are turning masons into engineers, and engineers into trained construction managers.

Design rendering for a proposed school building in Port-au-Prince [Rendering by: Karl Johnson, Architecture for Humanity]

We're making progress. Architecture for Humanity has helped design and build an emergency clinic, completed dozens of assessments and has more than seven schools underway as part of our Haiti School Initiative with Students Rebuild, one nearing completion and the others ready to tender. (You can see a list of our projects here.) Groups like Concern, Digicel, Habitat for Humanity, Save the Children and others are doing their part. We're partnering and sharing information as best we can. The World Bank is funding urban planning work with the firm SODADE -- a local firm in Delmas 32.

So that's where the rebuilding effort stands. We're in a phase that can best be described as workforce development. What's needed in Haiti is not just patient capital, but patient clients. With the support of the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, we hope we can be that patient client, at least for the design and construction sector. Connecting financing to community, and helping local design and construction firms compete for, and win, reconstruction contracts.

It's easy to take skilled workers and professionals for granted. These are the folks who assess property values, or schedule garbage pickups or monitor water supplies. They do so many of the thankless tasks that make our cities and communities run.

In Haiti's case, you can try to hold anyone you want accountable for the slow recovery.

If only there were more skilled workers and professionals to blame.

Building up to MENA

2010-10-24T20:29:22-04:00

WEF MENA is the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa and this year's Forum is set in the heart of Morocco and it took quite a journey to get from Savannah to Marrakech (stops in Charleston, NYC and Casablanca). This is my sixth forum event and while not the pizzazz of the Annual 'main event' in Davos, Switzerland, the MENA Forum allows attendees to deep dive into regional issues. This includes risks such as oil price volatility, water scarcity and migration as well as opportunities in development and technology readiness.

We arrived to find the hotel we are staying at in the last throws of construction. Final touches and details hurriedly being completed seems almost symbolic for the constant changes happening in the region. I'm interested to find out if this level of constant change is encompassing all of society or if more needs to be done to create an inclusive vision of a better future.

Tomorrow sees two pre-events a session on education and a gathering of the Young Global Leaders. I will presenting at the later to update attendees on the progress of reconstruction in Haiti and to present a Gaza rebuilding manual we developed with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) and the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). Then on Tuesday I will participate in a meeting on urban planning for longevity and prosperity. After the boom and bust of the global construction industry, it'll be interesting to see if folks have taken stock and have ideas and direction for creating holistic approach to development, inclusive of all citizens.

I'll be blogging a report for the next three days.

My Tea With Tutu

2010-10-07T19:32:30-04:00

Many, many moons ago, long before I decided to dedicate my life to humanitarian work I got through life thanks to a couple of talents. One of them was singing. A skill and a change meeting that led me, then ten years old, to unknowingly have tea with Tutu. A moment that may have had subconsciously changed the course of my life. His announcement to retire today reminded me of that chance meeting.

In the early 80s my family had moved to the United States armed with green cards and a dream of a better life. Coming from South London, that wasn't hard. I was good at two things -- drawing and singing. Thankfully, the former paid off in the long run. My parents, trying to adjust me to life in the States, put me in a choir where I sang weekly. As a ten year old I slowly made my way to the front of the singers and ended up singing solo.

One day a man came to speak to our church, and for the first time in months I was wide awake and focused during the sermon. Coming from Europe I hungered for international news. Here was this man, small in stature yet larger than life, pushing a moral sense of urgency about injustice and equality. He opened up, first quietly, then with restrained passion, then with conviction I had never seen before. "If you see something, say something" was his refrain again, again and again. I didn't hear a passage, a gospel, nothing. This was a moral compass pointing to an issue happening at this very moment. He let rip about issues I'd only read about -- injustice, suffering and the need of immediate solutions. This was global, this was a collective, we are all part of these issues. I looked around to see people relaxed, listening as if the nightly news were on but for me, this scrawny kid with a funny accent, THIS was the most important thing I'd ever heard from an adult.

The service ended and people shuffled out the back. I, with a sweet tooth, made a b-line for the post-service coffee and biscuits. To my amazement I saw him sitting alone, quietly tucking into homemade cookies. Thinking to myself "if you see something, say something," I went up to him and started talking, telling him I was from the UK, had missed what was really happening and started firing rapid fire questions like a pint-sized Bob Woodward in the basement of a DC car park. "Why?" I kept asking. Before I knew it he leaned down slowly and rested his hand on my shoulder and he said, "My child, it is because we are all one family."

A few weeks after this tiny and small moment in my life, I was still thinking about him. This man left alone after giving the most powerful speech I'd ever heard. What was wrong with my town, what was wrong with the people that attended my church. Was their something wrong with me? Wack. The New York Times hits the breakfast table. It's him, the guy. He's on the cover. I'm met him, he put his hand on me and told me we were a family. The headline proclaimed "Tutu wins Nobel Prize." Wow I thought, he must have known what he was talking about, and for years he was left dormant in my memory. As I went from one episode to the next in my journey of life I was left with a reminder, "if you see something, say something."

Last year I was at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The group I am a part of, the Young Global Leaders, was holding an event on dignity with Desmond Tutu. After the event we met again very briefly. I didn't tell him the story. I didn't introduce myself. I, now taller, put my hand on his shoulder, bent down and said thank you.

This is just my personal story -- take it for what it is. However, in a time of great need, more than ever if you see something, just say something. Happy retirement Archbishop Tutu, you've touched a lot of lives without even knowing it.

Ted Prize Wish Granted With an App That Gives a Damn

2010-10-06T18:47:37-04:00

Today is a very big day for my 2006 TED Prize.

Thanks to this. It's granted. Done. Finito. Complete.

Four-and-a-half years ago I stood up on the stage at TED with a crazy idea to create an open-source platform to improve the living standards of communities around the world. Thanks to the support of a rag-tag group of believers, the site, the Open Architecture Network, launched in February 2007 and has since become the largest online repository of humanitarian projects, with more than 27,000 members.

The heart of the site is a project management system that has been used to manage the construction of thousands of homes, community centers, schools and health clinics. Additionally, more than a dozen open-source design competitions have been hosted, from the classroom of the future to low-income LEED certified housing in New Orleans. Yet two key pieces were missing -- to enable crowd transparency and accountability for projects and the ability to push projects and embed them in sites (think YouTube of sustainable design).

There are a million ideas to change the world, but unless we build them it doesn't matter. Unless we can see real progress, it doesn't inspire. Therefore it is not only important that projects get completed, but are readily seen.

Crowd Transparency Becomes Real
Last month we rolled out the latter through a new slideshow mechanism (above), and the former was released today -- an iPad application that will inevitably change the way the world looks at design and building for communities in need. The app is the first of its kind, a tool built for designers and community groups in the field that connects with donors and supporters around the world. Already more than 2,500 Creative Commons licensed projects are in the app, and it's growing every day.

Tell Your Momma, You're in MoMA
As it was being built, the iPad app was previewed at the 2010 Clinton Global Initiative and the USAID Science and Technology Forum before being included in the Small Scale, Big Change: New Architecture of Social Engagement exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art (until January 2011). Anyone with a project on the Open Architecture Network with six or more images and geo-data will now be on display in MoMA. So yup, you can tell your momma you made it to MoMA.

Putting Credit Where It Is Due and Finding Innovation Deserts
All the proceeds of the application are being placed towards projects that are improving lives and selected through a virtual credit system by app owners. The first three projects to be funded will be a youth technology center in the slums of Nairobi, housing for those displaced by floods in Pakistan and a cultural center in New Orleans. As each project is funded, Architecture for Humanity will build those buildings, and additional structures will be added to the app, creating a unique ability to support and track projects in real time. Think Farmville, but you are actually supporting farms that are feeding real families! Think SimCity but you can rebuild after Godzilla has wrecked havoc!

As important it is to see where work is being done, it is just as enlightening to see where work is not being done and how we can respond to innovation deserts around the world. Now anyone can see projects in real time, creating a new paradigm of crowd transparency as a mechanism development and disaster response accountability. We are now looking to scale this idea to other agencies.

140-Character Collaboration and Crowd Funding
The application originated when I connected with O2 Creative Solutions through Twitter and, after being turned down by foundations, we seed funded the idea with dozens of individuals through Kickstarter. This online collaboration shows the ability to use online social networking to build an innovative product in less than a month.

After four-and-a-half years I'm proud to say, wish granted. Thank you to all the crazy believers and supporters.

Now it's time to build a better world. Together.

House of Rain: Kenya's First Net-Positive Sports Facility (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

2010-10-05T15:38:24-04:00

In early 2009 the St. Joseph Mahiga Primary and Secondary School in rural Kenya requested help for a small sports facility and community center. Fast forward 18 months and, thanks to the gamechangers sports micro-venture fund*, they are now home to the Mahiga Rainwater Court. The structure is Kenya's first net-positive structure supplying water to the nearby community and will soon generate enough energy to run the village high school.

More than a game
Thanks to the insight and vision of Joseph and Samson Mutongu, a simple basketball court has morphed into a community center, multi-purpose sports facility and the rainwater catchment system for hundreds of children that attend schools located on the campus. The collaborative design process was led by Architecture for Humanity design fellow Greg Elsner, who worked in partnership with the Nobelity Project and the entire community. In early discussions, water was the major issue facing the region, as it was barely surviving due to a three-year drought.

Project Instigators Joseph and Samson Mutongu

Collaborative Building
Greg and the team lived in the village for a year as the building took shape and eventually as it broke ground. Built with local labor, the building acts as an economic anchor training community members and giving them financial support as they develop new skills.

The design is a full-court basketball court with an integrated rainwater collection and UV purification system with solar panels for the water system and night lighting in areas without electricity. The full-court configuration has a 4,850 sq. ft. playing surface covered by metal roof and guttered to collect an estimated 90,000 liters of water per year. The building incorporates 30,000 liters of rainwater storage, with UV purification.

Between the enclosed storage tank/equipment areas, a small stage faces the court, with a permanent, hard-wall backing designed as a movie projection screen. The structure is designed to serve multiple functions for the school, providing a sport facility, purified drinking water, a covered performance space for local music and theater, an outdoor/covered classroom and dining area. It will also provide the area's only community meeting space, a covered farmer's market and more.

The Rainwater Court can transform this community, and is a key component of the new Mahiga Hope High School. The local community has two primary schools with approximately 400 students each. With all boys and girls admitted to the schools without tuition charges, there is an even mix of boys and girls. Education in the area currently ends at 8th grade.

Local contractor smile on completion of areas largest catchment facility

Mahiga Hope High School, a partnership between The Nobelity Project, the Kenyan Regional Education District, and the people of Mahiga now provides a full 12-year high school education for every child. In the video, filmed by Nobelity Project co-founder Turk Pipkin, you can get a sense of the collaborative nature of the project and how a holistic response can positively impact an entire community.

No Ego, No Logo
This structure was designed and built with the community, it is important that the community has full ownership of the building. This is the main reason we do not put logos on buildings. At the end of the construction phase the original community team came together and named the building "The House of Water" for the Village of Mahiga. Alas "House of Rain" didn't make the cut.

Hundreds turn out for the finest game in Kenya

And then the heavens opened
This weekend saw the opening of the court. More than 1,000 people came out, and the party went on for hours. Pro teams came and played the court, local tournaments saw crowds swarm the facility, more than 2,500 books were stacked in the new library and OLPC computers filled the computer room.

The next morning, as if someone heard the good news, the heavens opened up and it started to pour with rain. More than 12,000 liters of fresh water was collected in the first hour giving the village its first taste of clean water in years.

Project Designer Greg Elsner welcomes rain to Mahiga

Special thanks to the village of Mahiga, Nike Social Innovation, Nobelity Project, Greg Elsner, Cristina Tapper, Michael Jones, Willie Nelson, Boslika Building Contractors, Dick Clark Architecture, Elaine Uang, Mazingira & Engineering Consultants and others for their support and dedication.

*There are still ten $25K grants available to upgrade, repair and build sports for social change facilities. Interested? Apply for a grant from the gamechangers sports micro-venture fund

Hope Floats: The Community Rafts of Northern Pakistan

2010-09-08T17:54:22-04:00

On Sept. 4 and 5 the Karachi chapter of Architecture for Humanity continued post-flood assessments in partnership with the Karachi Relief Fund. On Sunday, the team was surveying a potential site at Fizagat, which is approximately 3-5 km from Saidu Shaif. They were stunned by what they found. A village that has designed their way out of the floods and into economic recovery.

Chapter leader Mahboob Khan explained:

The Swat riverbed extends over 300m at this point, with both sides of the river supporting large populations. During our trip we stumbled across an ingenious series of handmade rafts that were made from tire tubes and bamboo by local villagers. At least 50 of these rafts were seen crossing the water with a number under construction.

This "found" project is a clear example of a local innovation working without international aid and communities working collaboratively to build a better future. For all the talk on "design for change," it is those who are on the ground and challenged every day that prove that creativity is an instinctive trait in the human ability to survive. For those of us who fund and support projects, it is our role to embrace and support this natural instinct and not crush it with the weight of predetermined international response.

When we take the time to look and listen, the quiet heroes emerge.

First-hand reporting by Mahboob Khan, Architecture for Humanity Karachi. Architecture for Humanity is actively supporting a number of initiatives in the rebuilding of rural communities affected by the recent floods. Paypal is covering all fees for Pakistan donations, allowing 100% of funds to reach communities on the ground. Thanks to Causecast you can also text AFHBUILD to 85944

$50B Infrastructure Plan: Make it Open Source and Transparent

2010-09-06T16:12:01-04:00

Today, President Obama announced a massive $50 billion plan for improving and building new infrastructure across the United States. This plan includes laying enough road to circle the world six times and coast-to-coast rail.

Part of the president's rallying cry was to note that this plan "will change the way Washington spends your tax dollars." Given it is our tax dollars, I want to make a very simple request -- let's have an online system of transparency through which the government can clearly articulate success to the broader population. Additionally, let's hope a small amount of this funding will be set aside for jump-starting innovative and green-construction technologies, and if it is, let's hope that taxpayers will have access to adopt the solutions found. But let's get back to that suggestion on transparency.

Online Transparency

We live in a digital world. So no monster-sized white papers, micro-type spreadsheets or fancy scientific charts -- use photos to document each project in development and at milestones. Every site foreman and engineer has a camera phone or digital camera. Have them take regular photos and upload them to an accessible project-management system. This would allow anyone to look a project in their neighborhood and comment on progress made. It is amazing the positive response that happens when you actually find out what is being done.

This has been happening in the humanitarian and development field for the past few years. Through the Open Architecture Network, more than 3,000 projects have been uploaded to the system and range from low-income housing, health and education facilities, public-gathering points and transit nodes. Every project is held under a Creative Commons license allowing others to adapt and share innovative ideas. In less than a month, the system will launch a geo-based mobile app that will allow anyone to find local solutions or discover ones from afar. All managed by a handful of people.

Given it is public funding that is jump-starting the "new, new deal," let's make it transparent and open for mass-adaptation, enabling state and city agencies to share in lessons learned and best-case practices. I'm all for putting our tax money to creating new jobs, but let's also create smart systems to facilitate these projects.

---

A few projects from the system

Post-Katrina Housing in Biloxi, MS
by Marlon Blackwell Architects, Fayetteville, AR with Architecture for Humanity

Low-impact Public Access Point in San Clemente, CA
By Co-Lab Design Office

Navajo Elder Housing, Navajo Nation, AZ
by Nathaniel Corum, Indigenous Community Enterprises

Community Center and Youth Sports Facility in Khayelitsha, South Africa
By ARG Design, Cape Town, South Africa with Architecture for Humanity

Freret Street Community Transit Shelter, New Orleans, LA
by Design Corps, Raleigh, NC