
Cameroon 101
Recently, I've noticed what a difference it makes to know even a little bit about a topic. There are so many things to know about in this world, things you can research and delve into - and one person can't possibly know it all. But if you know just a little bit about something, it becomes much easier to connect with people who know a lot and have deeper conversations with them and learn things. My goal with this post is to give you a bare-bones education on Cameroon - its hi

5 Reasons Flexibility is Paramount in Humanitarian Architecture
The business world is always talking about the importance of flexibility- can a business be agile and respond quickly to situations that arise? It is seen as one of the calling cards of a successful startup. But does flexibility play a part in humanitarian architecture? As I have mentioned in other posts, I look at nonprofit work as a business. It's really the business of doing good, and because of this I see flexibility as one of the primary factors of success. There is neve

Construction and Cultural Significance of Mud Huts
One of the most common images that comes to mind when Africa is mentioned are mud huts. These simple one room structures made from clay and thatch are extremely common throughout rural parts of the African continent, but little is commonly known about how they are built and used. Although seemingly simple, mud huts are highly variable depending on their use and the region they are built in. Because of this, I'm going to focus on the traditional building techniques in Northern

Blending traditional and modern to create successful humanitarian architecture
Architects have always struggled with how to blend modern and traditional in a structure. Mixing new materials and styles with old is always a challenge. It either goes very well or terribly. When this concept is brought into a humanitarian context the layers of complexity start to build and the risk of failure is intensified. Not only is the constant challenge of blending new and old styles and materials present, but the issues of cultural appropriateness, the presence of lo