Archinect - News

3D scanning is helping Ukrainians' risky fight to preserve their cultural heritage

2022-04-12T13:06:00-04:00

People in Ukraine are using 3D modeling tech to preserve cultural heritage sites — before they risk being destroyed by the Russian invasion. The project, called Backup Ukraine, was organized by smartphone camera capture app Polycam, which partnered with The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Vice Media Group, Danish non-profit Blue Shield Danmark, Ukraine’s Heritage Emergency Rescue Initiative, and the National Museum of the History of Ukraine.

Ukrainians’ makeshift efforts to hastily secure and protect vital sites across their country have become increasingly important given Russia’s well-documented pursuit of a Total War concept which has put civilian centers under the crosshairs with damage to residential infrastructure and cultural property becoming a frequent if not inherent result.

Users of the Polycam app can upload their scans to Backup Ukraine's project website, which will host the 3D replicas for a period of at least five years. Photogrammetry has been incorporated previously in conflicts like the Syrian Civil War that featured the deliberate targeting of monuments and other cultural relics. The U.S. Army is one prominent proponent. And it has been used recently in less-lethal disputes and the fight against climate change.

Suman Sorg, FAIA forms non-profit design firm to promote social justice through architecture and design

2021-01-28T11:10:00-05:00

Award-winning architect and designer, Suman Sorg, FAIA, founder of Sorg Architects, has formed the non-profit design firm, A Complete Unknown, in Washington, D.C. Its mission is to promote social justice, peace, and unity through architecture and design.

"At this stage in my career, I have turned my sights to projects that advance the basic tenants of humanity, such as compassion, love, and a pledge to nonviolence towards all– humans, animals, and nature," said Sorg, in a statement. "Washington, D.C. – being at the center of the federal government – allows us to play a critical role in affecting and informing policy. There is so much that each of us can do using our energy, experience and talent to support those at risk, both locally and around the world."

Sorg has over 30 years building a successful architectural practice. Some notable projects include the John and Jill Ker Conway Residence for formerly homeless veterans, and the Southern Regional Technology and Recreation Center i...

Non-profit plans to build facility to house 100 South African entrepreneurs

2020-07-28T18:35:00-04:00

RISE International, a U.S. self-funded non-profit organization, is raising $100,000 to design and build an "Enterprise Hub" for unemployed youth in Lesotho, South Africa. The new facility will house up to 100 young entrepreneurs at a time and will be designed and built by local talent as part of the RISE Fellowship Program.

Within the Hub there will be a focus on creative, artisanal, design, and construction education. There will be workshop space with a tool library, sample library, marketplace, co-working space, business coaching, and support services.

Architecture entrepreneurs.

Daniela Gusman, RISE co-founder and executive director, said in a statement: "To make this happen, we need to find 50 forward-thinking architects who are willing to mentor (virtually) a lucky young entrepreneur for just 6 months! To help us raise funds, they will also agree to host an in-person or virtual networking ‘lunch and learn’ with a supplier who will secure the opportunity by donating $2,000 toward...

Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects design efficient spaces for Los Angeles density

2018-08-22T13:05:00-04:00

O’Herlihy’s “same old stuff” is, in actuality, bringing plenty of fresh thinking to the issue of density at a time in which Los Angeles is building up instead of out — a time when changes in zoning, especially along transit lines, is adding more condos and apartments to the skyline, transforming the landscape of single family homes for which the city is known. Over the last 15 years, LOHA has made a name for itself by working on projects that make innovative use of tight urban spaces.

Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects (LOHA) has been designing spaces for 24 years with an array of projects ranging from residential complexes to bus stations. Rather than creating luxury living, the firm has chosen to focus on affordable housing, dormitory, and non profit projects.

Dormitory building for UC Santa Barbara by LOHA. Image: Bruce Damonte/LOHA.

Currently LOHA is working on a project in Los Angeles' Exposition Park to house homeless individuals. As Los Angeles becomes denser, more and more efficient projects like LOHA's are needed to save on space and costs. The firm aims to create affordable housing and public spaces that don't compromise on high quality work.

Extra: Read our interview with Lorcan Read our interview with Lorcan about his approach to architecture and urban design in la and detroit.

AERIAL FUTURES release a new video exploring integration of airports and cities

2018-06-27T14:28:00-04:00

AERIAL FUTURES, a non-profit think tank exploring innovation in the architecture of flight, have created a new film titled Urban Constellations looking at the relationship between a city and its airports. Using NYC as a case study, this video asks how fragmented pieces of infrastructure can be reimagined more holistically, in order to simultaneously improve air travel and urban life.

The film features experts who discuss the challenges and opportunities for the future of NYC’s aerial infrastructure, drawing on the New York think tank’s focus on urban design and digital interfaces.

The next public AERIAL FUTURES event will take place on Thursday, July 19 at the Denver Art Museum. This edition, entitled Constructed Landscapes, will ask how airports influence the future of mobility and transportation.

Architects for Society creates Hex House, a more “dignified emergency shelter”

2017-12-27T15:45:00-05:00

Sallam noted that the average stay in a refugee camp is 17 years, and many displaced people live in makeshift dwellings such as airplane hangars. They may have shelter, but it’s not “shelter with dignity,” Design elements [of the Hex House] include 12-foot ceilings, which give the impression of roominess within the cozy space. Designed to function “off the grid,” [it] also has solar panels, and it’s raised slightly to protect against flooding and to provide some passive cooling, Sallam said.

The Minneapolis-based Architects for Society, a small non-profit group of mid-career architects from around the world, designed the Hex House to find better solutions for providing deployable emergency shelter for people displaced by natural or manmade disasters. The 500-square-foot Hex House is a hexagon-shaped dwelling that includes two bedrooms, a bathroom, a porch, a kitchen, and common areas. So far, Architects for Society has built two prototypes. Although they're still fine-tuning the design, they hope to eventually work with organizations like FEMA to implement their concept.

You get a home! And you get a home! We all get homes.

2017-11-12T01:45:00-05:00

A big obstacle to attracting new recruits is the stigma around working in the public sector. There remains a widely-held stereotype that planning departments are the realm of dusty, tweed-jacketed types, nested in their booths for the last half century. Williams says that when he started at Croydon, a colleague pitied him, assuming he had ended up there because he couldn’t get a job in an architecture practice.

With the explosion of STARCHITECTS collecting major commission after major commission in the same manner children collect toys, a young office in London, Public Practice, has found a niche all to their own — one who's historical stigma only expanded Public Practice's potential and possibilities.

Finn Williams and Pooja Agrawal opened Public Practice as a means to bring a new generation of architects, planners, and local government together with the aim of shaping the public realm effectively, creatively and collaboratively.

“I realized important decisions were happening much further upstream, in the realms of policy, way before an architect would even get involved.” Fin Williams

Finn Williams and Pooja Agrawal. Photograph: Eleanor Bentall/Greater London Authority

Center for Urban Pedagogy accepting applications for inaugural Change in Design Fellowship

2017-03-30T20:18:00-04:00

As many recent surveys have noted, the design world has been slow to incorporate people from historically under-represented communities into its ranks, particularly in leadership positions. While a variety of causes lead to this, and greater efforts are required to address it, we are committed to using our resources to contribute to and catalyze that change in design.

At a time when inclusion is as crucial as ever in the architecture community and beyond, the non-profit Center for Urban Pedagogy in Brooklyn is encouraging designers from historically under-represented communities in the design profession to apply to their inaugural Change in Design Fellowship, a yearlong career training and mentorship program.

The call for applications is open to anyone who identifies as a member of an under-represented community (including but not limited to people of color, people from low-income, immigrant, or LGBTQ communities, formerly incarcerated people, and others), with a strong interest in CUP's work.

The fellowship is probably the best fit for recent design graduates, but applicants aren't required to have a degree. However, applicants will need to submit a portfolio and any evidence that demonstrates their design abilities and proficiency in design software. The fellowship is also a full-time position that includes a monthly stipend and benefits.

The Fel...

Executive Director of Open Architecture Collaborative responds to lawsuit against Architecture for Humanity

2016-07-22T18:04:00-04:00

Whatever the outcome, we will learn from their actions. I am confident that those who committed wrongdoing will be held accountable, and that any malfeasance will come to light. I am also confident that the final story will adequately celebrate all the good that AFH did.

Garrett Jacobs, executive director of the Open Architecture Collaborative, responded to the $3M lawsuit against AFH via a statement on medium, taking care to make clear as crystal the fact that while OAC grew out of AFH, it is "unequivocally an independent organization, a California LLC and Public Benefactor Corporation, and is pursuing our own 501(c)3 federal nonprofit status." As such, OAC won't be affected by the lawsuit.

After AFH shuttered and announced bankruptcy in early 2015, many volunteers felt as if the rug had been pulled underneath them, unsure of what led to such an end. About a year later, the OAC was founded on the basis of the strong community of volunteers who hoped to continue AFH's mission. While the lawsuit may not affect the OAC structurally or its members directly, it could certainly change the way the volunteers regard AFH—potentially compromising its much-lauded reputation as a non-profit focused on humanitarian design.

Related on Archinect:

Architecture for...

Architecture for Humanity is being sued for $3M for mismanaging funds

2016-07-12T13:07:00-04:00

The founders and board members of Architecture for Humanity (AFH), the influential and accoladed non-profit organization, is being sued for $3M for alleged mismanagement of funds, according to an exclusive report published by Architectural Record. The report helps shed light on the circumstances under which the non-profit closed down last year.

Among those named in the lawsuit, which was filed on June 10, are the founders Cameron Sinclair and Kate Stohr, both paid employees, and the 10 volunteer members of the board of directors, including the former head of the American Institute of Architects Clark Manus and architect Toshiko Mori.

According the lawsuit, AFH acted with "gross negligence", misappropriating restricted funds – donations made with specific caveats as to their use – in order to pay overhead such as executive salaries and promotional expenses.

The lawsuit alleges that AFH "completely disregarded the ‘restricted’ and ‘unrestricted’ nature of the funds and began a wholesale ...

Anatomy of a non-profit: dissecting Architecture for Humanity's "death" and future

2016-01-12T17:38:00-05:00

This case study looks at the origins of, and factors that led to, the “death” of the best-known humanitarian architecture organization in the world. However, it will also reveal that AFH is regenerating via its worldwide network of chapters, which it had begun developing around 2004, and which gathered more formally under the name Architecture for Humanity Chapter Network upon AFH’s closure.

To get caught up on Architecture for Humanity's history as a non-profit:

GreenWave's 3D ocean farm initiative wins the 2015 Buckminster Fuller Challenge

2015-10-22T16:04:00-04:00

The non-profit group GreenWave, which won the prestigious 2015 Buckminster Fuller Challenge, is gaining attention for designing reportedly the world's first 3D multi-species ocean farms. Much like the group's marine-oriented initiatives, the ocean farm project aims to restore ocean ecosystems and biodiversity, and work toward a blue-green economy. Another objective is to create more jobs for coastal communities that will turn fishermen into restorative ocean farmers. Restorative aquaculture was a favorite in last year's Fuller Challenge, wherein SCAPE's "oyster-tecture" proposal scored the $100,000 grand prize.

The GreenWave ocean farms are designed as zero-input "vertical underwater gardens" that consist of layers of seaweed, scallops, and mussels that grow on floating ropes, which are stacked above oyster and clam cages. These crops enable the ocean farmers to produce food, fertilizers, animal feeds, pharmaceuticals, biofuels, and other products.

A single acre of the farm would remo...

How an "egalitarian incubator" music venue hopes to revive Brooklyn's art scene

2015-07-28T16:56:00-04:00

Music venue National Sawdust, formerly OMW workshop, slated to open this fall, hopes to revive, even temporarily, the thrill of ‘90s and early 2000’s Williamsburg, a time when anything felt possible and artistic collaboration ruled supreme. The [13,000 sq.foot] space will offer a rare outlet for musicians of lesser appreciated art forms, from opera to experimental jazz, the opportunity to study, practice, perform, and receive mentorship through an in-venue, non-profit program.

Fresh faces for new spaces. Non-profit arts group National Sawdust collaborated with architect Peter Zuspan — founding principal (and classically trained opera singer) of local emerging practice Bureau V — in designing the group's upcoming music performance space. While Brooklyn has become a commodified brand in recent years, National Sawdust and Bureau V hope the new venue will mix things up a bit by "[combining] the historic European concert hall model with the late bare-bones blackbox [theater] model".

Check out more of Bureau V's work on Archinect.

Architecture for Humanity to file for bankruptcy

2015-02-25T15:30:00-05:00

In a letter to "the countless volunteers, supporters, design fellows, and former staff of Architecture for Humanity", Board Chair Matt Charney announced that the organization will file for bankruptcy this week. AfH closed somewhat abruptly this past January. Charney's letter states:

I thank you for all that you gave to this organization over the past fifteen years.

This week, Architecture for Humanity will file for bankruptcy. While we are saddened by the organization’s closure, the mission of Architecture for Humanity is far from ending. Our affiliated international network of designers and allied professionals have resolved to carry on their work at the local level. Over 30 volunteer chapters on five continents, now self-governed, have recommitted to the mission and are emphatically and collectively forging a new path forward. We are overwhelmed by this response, and could not be more proud of those who volunteer their time and expertise to bring design services to where they are m...

Architecture for Humanity to shut down

2015-01-16T16:57:00-05:00

We've just heard from Cameron Sinclair, co-founder and ex-director of Architecture for Humanity, that the organization has "pivoted its mission and is planning to close".

According to John King at the SF Chronicle, "While there has been no official announcement of the organization’s demise, all staff was laid off Jan. 1 by the board and the nonprofit shut its office near Union Square."

Message from Cameron...

Thank you for designing like you give a damn.

We just heard the news that Architecture for Humanity, the organization we started more than 15 years ago, has pivoted its mission and is planning to close. We are deeply saddened by this.

Our hearts are with the staff and chapter members who worked so hard to build a wonderful organization that did so much for communities around the world. We made so many wonderful friends and will continue personally to support your work.

We ran the organization and grew it from just a small circle of volunteers to an international organization with ...

Geniuses, money and monuments: Weekly News Round-Up for September 15, 2014

2014-09-22T20:47:00-04:00

Saturday, September 20

NYC's historic 190 Bowery part of massive buy-up by developer RFR Holdings: RFR plans to spend upwards of $900M on property and land purchases by the end of 2014. One of its recent buys included the former "72-room bohemian dream house" at 190 Bowery.

Friday, September 19

MacArthur Fellow Rick Lowe Reclaims Urban Neighborhoods Through Art: Lowe is currently a resident at Philadelphia's Pearl Street Project, which aims at making dimly-lit alleyways more safe. He is also the founder of Houston's Project Row Houses.
Zaha Hadid launches luxury homeware range with Harrods: Pieces include a £9,999 serving platter, £43 cups and saucers, and £4,860 Field of Towers chess set.
Archinect is at the Salk Institute, covering the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture Conference: The three-day conference focused on topics in neuroscientific research that serve the architecture profession, including advances in mobile brain-computing interfaces and the neurological data behind...

Why is Ikea a Non-profit?

2014-09-15T14:30:00-04:00

IKEA has a little known secret: the company is a non-profit. Ingvar Kamprad the founder of IKEA created the philanthropic Stichting Ingka Foundation whose mission is to “further the advancement of interior design.” IKEA’s bizarre business model looks like this: the nonprofit Stichting Ingka owns a private Dutch Company, Ingka Holdings that owns the majority of individual stores at the franchise level.

Autodesk Foundation established to further support impact-design organizations

2014-03-07T18:16:00-05:00

Major 3D design software company Autodesk recently announced the launch of the Autodesk Foundation to further invest in influential individuals and non-profit organizations who use impactful design to find solutions for various pressing global issues. And to increase contribution to the Foundation's goals, Autodesk will encourage their more than 7,000 employees worldwide to volunteer with or donate to their organizations of choice.

Through the Impact Design Program, the Foundation will collaborate and provide select design-oriented non-profit groups with software, training, and funding to support the group's causes. Some of the Foundation's first grantees include initiatives like KickStart International, MASS Design Group, D-Rev, and the 20K House project from Auburn University's Rural Studio.

The Foundation will also incorporate Autodesk's Technology Impact program. Established during the 2013 Clinton Global Initiative, the Technology Impact program committed to donating $7.5 million...

Cardborigami: Designed to Help the Homeless

2013-07-31T19:25:00-04:00

Tina Hovsepian of global architecture firm Callison was driven by the need to help homeless individuals in Los Angeles when she designed the first prototype for the "Cardborigami" shelter during her fourth year at USC's School of Architecture. Cardborigami, which has grown into a non-profit organization, provides temporary housing for the homeless as part of a process to help them gradually overcome their state of homelessness.

The Cardborigami shelter balances innovative design and functionality. The application of traditional origami techniques onto cardboard gives the shelter a beautiful form. Before its modified origami form, the shelter was originally a re-design of an Air-stream trailer. "The idea is to deploy a trailer to a disaster site where mass shelter is needed, then the trailer expands to 20 times its length and twice its width to provide instant space," Hovsepian explained over email. "The form was then revised and re-scaled to fulfill its potential as a portable...

First cancer treatment center in Rwanda breaks ground

2012-07-24T17:08:00-04:00

...the Butaro center, in the northern part of the country, will be the first to offer comprehensive care — including diagnosis, chemotherapy, surgery, follow-up treatment, and palliative care.

MASS Design Group is partnering with the Rwandan Ministry of Health (MOH) and Partners in Health (PIH) to build the first permanent cancer treatment center in Rwanda. With the help of Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation funding inpatient facilities, the new Cancer Centre for Excellence will be the first facility of its kind to bring state of the art care to Rwanda, provide access to cancer treatments, and host robust training programs through a partnership with Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Facility-based cancer registries in Rwanda revealed a total of 3,430 diagnosed cancer cases between 2007 to 2011, among which 320 were children under the age of 15. Before this year, cancer care was sporadic, with no integrated treatments available without leaving the country. The new center will be the national referral site for cancer, providing a full spectrum of cancer care.

Rwanda has long valued developing comprehensive programs while building infrastructure. Cancer care training start...

MASS Design Group wins Zumtobel Award for Butaro Hospital

2012-07-03T17:04:00-04:00

"The [Butaro] project has a high relevance, since it can be applied as a solution to similar regions with limited opportunities and high risks of infection. [...] Also remarkable is the excellent quality of the buildings that were built exclusively with local workers.”

The Butaro Hospital in Rwanda was praised as innovative and cost-efficient by the Zumtobel Award 2012 jury, ultimately winning in the category of "Built Environment." Over 230 projects were submitted in for the 2012 Zumtobel Group Award in this category. Entries were received from 22 nations while the projects themselves spanned some 30 countries.

The Butaro Hospital in Rwanda was praised as an “innovative [and] cost-efficient [in] technology and design strategy in the category "Built Environment." Over 230 projects were submitted in for the 2012 Zumtobel Group Award in this category. Entries were received from 22 nations while the projects themselves spanned some 30 countries.

The Butaro Hospital is built in the Burera District, which was one of the last two districts in Rwanda to receive a district hospital. The hospital now serves a population of over 400,000 people. Innovative design developed in collaboration with infectious disease specialists from Partners in Health and ...