Why are we Ignoring this in Humanitarian Education Work?
In the last decade education in North America has undergone a transformation. This transformation has been centered around the buildings that comprise educational institutions across the continent, from elementary schools to universities. Educational institutions are now just as focused on the design of each space and how it will affect each student as they are on the location and size. Studies have shown that various components of architectural design can have a positive or
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
Battling Stereotypes of Africa
Africa is a huge continent, made up of over 54 countries. The landscape ranges from desert to beach to jungle to savanna to subarctic mountain, and everything in between. As such, it should go without saying that Africa is an incredibly diverse continent, both in terms of landscape and culture. Despite that fact, many people often get the same images in their heads when they think "Africa": -Safari animals -Mud huts -Tribal music/ drumming -Corrupt, violent governments These
Participatory Design- the way of the future or just a fad?
Participatory design is very hot in humanitarian architecture right now and it seems every project is boasting about their collaborative approach, but why has it all of a sudden become so popular? Participatory design is an approach to the design process which actively incorporates all individuals involved in the final structure. This means that designers and architects are now working with teachers, students, and communities to design schools, and working with doctors, nurse
Differing Perspectives - the Tourist, the Volunteer, the Expert, and the Local
Traveling is a passion that runs in my family – my grandparents have been to every continent (including Antarctica), my sister is currently living in Spain, and my aunt had an amazing destination wedding in England. As for myself, I've studied abroad, gone on volunteer trips, and been a tourist in countries all over the world. I have to say, though, that out of all the different traveling experiences I’ve had, being a tourist was actually my least favorite means of exploring
An Open Letter to Architects
Anyone that knows a thing or two about architecture has heard about Le Corbusier, a world-renowned Swiss architect who changed the face of architecture in the early 20th century with architectural gems such as the Villa Savoy and Unité d'habitation. His five points of architecture rocked the industry and lead to massive changes in the way spaces were created and the materials that were used. In almost every way Le Corbusier was a trailblazer and a master architect, which is w
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
Designing Spaces that Promote Education
There is no one right way to improve education. Education has been a widely discussed topic for decades now; the reason being there is always room for improvement and more discoveries happening on how to get there. When it comes to impacting education, the design of the learning space itself is often overlooked. Perhaps the very first need is to create a space where people can congregate and learn. This typically includes some kind of covered structure that protects the inhab
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
Climatically and Culturally Responsive Architecture
Unless this is your first visit to our blog you probably know by now that Design Cause believes that architecture has a greater role in society than just creating beautiful buildings. Architecture has the power to solve real problems and impact how people go about their daily lives. When dealing with developing countries and limited resources there are two main considerations that need to be well thought out in order for the design to be truly impactful; how the building resp
