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
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
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
Service Trips and the Challenge of Cultural Differences
Everyone has heard of, or maybe even been a part of, a service trip that benefited a community in a far off country. They went for adventure, to learn about a foreign place, and to feel a strong sense of achievement and fulfillment from helping those in need. The only problem with this model is that it only looks at working in the developing world through a simplistic, transactional sense, where the volunteer presumes that their work will directly produce a positive outcome.
Why all foreign aid workers should be designers
The Sahel is a ecological zone in Africa that stretches across the widest part of the continent, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. This transitional region is where the extreme conditions of the Sahara Desert meet the dry savanna creating a very dry region that only has rain for up to five months of the year. This vast region has a harsh climate that is difficult to grow food and sustain livestock in. A closer look at this region shows that it is one of the most povert
One Small Step Closer!
It has been three months, almost to the day, since Design Cause was born. In that time we have done a lot of work to realize the goals of the organization and things have been going well. Earlier this week we reached our first fundraising goal of $5,000! Although this amount is less than 7% of our total goal of $75,000 it is a big step in the right direction. Being able to reach this small mile stone tells us that other people are interested in, not only our inaugural project
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
