I have always been amazed at how "architecture" is overwhelmingly viewed as something, usually, only the wealthy or powerful can enjoy the employment of.
I am a believer in bringing architecture to the undeserved, whether it is low income housing, community park space, or rehab space for people in need. These are the people that could use the help of architects the most.
What are people's views as to why more firms don't become more involved in these endeavors, or even with community design centers and aid organizations?
Treekiller,
Thanks!! Yes, I am familiar with them. They do wonderful work all over the world.
Gabe,
Thanks as well! Design Corps is great.
+q,
Amazing. Public Architecture is exactly what I was looking for. They seem to have an incedible vision. Do you know of any firms like that on the east coast?
Thanks for the book advice as well!
Gabe, sorry, part of my respone to you got chopped off somehow...
I recently read a book called "Good Deeds, Good Design: Community Service through Architecture". It is a series of essays all about this topic and it was edited together by Byran Bell of Design Corps!
I highly reccommend it.
What you think I have been working on all afternoon....700sf house remodel for a guy hurt in a work related accident. Trying to make life a little better. Earlier today I was fighting with the City about Property improvements on a parcel of land which will kill the job, and
so less jobs will be available to the local market, because the city thinks the answer is to drag another big box store into town and give them tax rebates so us little guys can get kicked in the gut!
Entasis, you can look into Leroy Street Strudio's Hester Street Collective...they are here in NYC.
although, as with public architecture...they are side projects of a more conventional architecture office.
you can also get involved in your local architecture for humanity chapter which will also do work with community design centers, non-profits, and other needy organizations....
as with all of these, though, they don't have money to consistently hire architects...so it doesn't necessarily translate into the sort of money necessary to run an office. good luck with it all.
Entasis, where in the east coast are you? As a Philadelphia native, I feel the same way you do and I'm always looking for different ways to get involved. You should go to The structures for Inclusion seminar in North Carolina this april, sounds like it would be right up your ally.
Snooker, do you work with a firm or on your own? I am glad to hear you are doing these great projects.
Future,
THANKS for the heads up on Leroy Street! I just had a quick chance to look at their website and I am completely in love. The Hester St. collaborative is absolutely something I would like to get involved with.
quixotica,
I am in NYC right now. (I grew up in Allentown, btw) I am waiting to hear from Pratt to see if I stay here. If I don't get in, then I am off to Boston to study at the BAC.
The seminar you mentoned looks awesome. That is through Design Corps, right?
Thank you to all. It is great to see that there is support out there.
Just started working with the CDC (Community Design Collaborative not Center for Disease Control) in Philadelphia. Its great doing pro-bono work, but I do wonder if there are firms that do this kind of work casually - not pro bono. Are our services already too expensive? Or perhaps the value of our services don't correlate well with the value of money?
Yeah Design Corps is running it, Im headed there myself. (9 hour road trip after work that friday) I love the work design corps has been doing, you should check out their fellowship program as well. Philadelphia had a really good community design collab, giving pro bono design and documentation to non profit groups. I agree with you though, I wish there was a full time gig so I could do this for a living and not just as a weekend warrior.
"I have always been amazed at how "architecture" is overwhelmingly viewed as something, usually, only the wealthy or powerful can enjoy the employment of."
Sorry but your argument are a bit dull.
"I am a believer in bringing architecture to the undeserved, whether it is low income housing, community park space, or rehab space for people in need. These are the people that could use the help of architects the most."
People shuldn't be "helped" , they shuld be given the oppotunity of something new and strong, also cheap but best something that involve a bit of engagement to earn the profit of installing modern innovative building core
"What are people's views as to why more firms don't become more involved in these endeavors, or even with community design centers and aid organizations?"
Becaurse no one want to make a mountain of money even the option are there right in front their eyes --- sadly it is not what you see that make you do the right thing and conservatism and backstriving is still ruling intire industries --- what shuld happen is a war against all oldfasion fiddeling and nogood bragging about crafts we forgot generations ago beside technologies we still have not even begun to understand.
Vindpust,
I am not sure I completely understand all of your statements, however, I do agree that community design should always be a learning process for both the architects and the undersevered clients. The community residents are experts on their problems and opportunites. The architect should work with the community as a partner, not a child to lead by their hand.
I hope this addresses what you were refereing to by "People shouldn't be helped."?
This war against all old fashion fiddleing....Can you elaborate? I do not follow you.
I am sorry you view my argument "a bit dull". I find this subject very interesting.
79 I work for myself and I always keep a project on the boards which involves alot more of my time then I could ever be paid for. I believe everyone is deserving.
"People shuldn't be "helped" , they shuld be given the oppotunity of something new and strong, also cheap but best something that involve a bit of engagement to earn the profit of installing modern innovative building core"
translates to:
People shouldn't be merely "helped" but be given something innnovative and affordable as well. An architecture that has been thoughtfully designed incorporating the best (3DH?). These buildings should take advantage of modern innovations.
"Becaurse no one want to make a mountain of money even the option are there right in front their eyes --- sadly it is not what you see that make you do the right thing and conservatism and backstriving is still ruling intire industries --- what shuld happen is a war against all oldfasion fiddeling and nogood bragging about crafts we forgot generations ago beside technologies we still have not even begun to understand."
translates to:
The opportunity to economically profit from current and available innovations are being missed as if people are blind. Sadly, even if one realizes something great this doesn't necessarily translate to pursuing this "right thing". Conservatism and belief in antiquated traditions are prominent and have the most influence on the building industry. I want a revolution against the old fashioned and arrogant displays of irrelevant generations-old techniques, along with technologies that we haven't grasped yet
Quixotica, Thanks for making the drive. I think it will be worth it. Please say hello (Bryan Bell).
By the way, I get paid to do this full time. Design Corps operate as a non-profit which just means serving the public good. For us, it means serving the public good with design. I can't rememeber ever doing pro bono. I just get paid a little less, a little later, and often through grants we write ourselves (just like any other non-profit).
Fifteen years ago when I started, people really thought design was just for rich folks. Now, they get it. I don't know why or how this could change so dramatically but it has. This opens up alot of work opportunities.
All of these options, us, AFH, Public Architecture are all new ideas. God knows what better ideas are yet to come, and hopefully not far off.
that was helpful dammson. if vindpust agrees that you translated him correctly, will you please just translate all his posts before we have to see them and attempt to fight through them?
In Boston we have Archventures, with whom I volunteer with (project pics from a small project I worked on). The BAC also has a community design organization underneath its umbrella. Brandy Brooks is the head there and is worth checking out if you're looking at it for school.
I was reading about small homes last night before I went to sleep, and I had dreams of an affordable (extremely affordable, actually) housing idea. Sometime today I'm going to sketch it out and see....
Yeah, I had some friends from school go down to New Orleans this past spring break and summer with Bryan Bell and fix up a museum that is owned by a popular neighborhood character. They had a blast and said that they really felt like they were helping people out and making a difference.
Thank's Dammson I see you have a better understanding of this than myself.
And no people shuld not be handled at being underserved as just that will act as an exchouse not to ignite the engagement to bring back the qualities of life.
There is plenty of architecture groups doing this kind of work in New Mexico, but not many firms are doing it....my personal feeling is this is due largely in part to a) $ and b) project control - the vision thing.
And thinking that any architecture for the under served must be cutting edge and pushing the limits is a joke. If you feel that way then set the example and give away your knowledge to humanity...but, IO believe people are more interested in making a buck...just look at vindpust comments on people not seeing ways to profit...if anything I see it the opposite...people are always looking for too many ways to profit.
Yeah, well, apparently vindpust's software can create affordable housing, groom your dog, toast your bread, AND save the world - without any input from a designer, and at pure profit with no work invested whatsoever.
Gimme a break.
I agree with jasoncross - too many people looking for too many ways to profit off the backs of others.
No you forget it is just done in a different way, but when so much is done in a compleatly different way it don't mean no need of a designer or someone to put things together in a different way ---- maybe you don't need a bricklayer anymore , but you need one to place what replace the brick. It realy is as challancing as any other design works, you just spend more time where less time was spend before ,I mean this tool make anything also what look exactly as what was before, but it also give you the possibility to do what you could not reach before and in beter quality.
It's like blaming the air-spray paintgun that it requier other skills than a paint brush. It do but frankly the painting of a spray paintgun is acturly finer than what you can do with a brush and quite a lot faster --- now shuld that be a bad thing.
It's like saying an airbrush don't requier tallent, that a paint brush is "better" than an airbrush. And it don't requier skills and is not art ,becaurse it is made with an airbrush not a paint brush.
Now if art can be made stoneage, by stone age tools and it still was art, then we know what just a paint brush and some color will bring. Then as w already know our housesm made from blue prints and bricks, concrete or steel lattrice, then emagine what the computer can make when mastered by the same skills as blowing colors using your fingers as template, painting the finest mona lisa and erecting the masterpiece of the BEST 70' achitecture hero, ---- now turn the world upside down dor a paragime shift and a new architecture as that is what is suggested with 3D-H and before you know it, you can't critic it.
I was very happy to work a little on that project, but can't take credit for it. Patrick Rhodes of Project Locus and some insanely dedicated students (try working outside in New Orleans during the summer) are the people who pulled off the House of Dance and Feathers. Did they "help some people and make a difference" as you put it? I can't even explain how huge it was. This was the FIRST new construction in the entire, destroyed, 9th Ward after the hurricane. Just the sound of a hammer there was significant and drew people every day who were just driving in and wanted to see that something had started to happen. They didn't even have power or water in the neighborhood yet so they ran the power tools by a solar contraption on a trailer.
This project certainly demonstrates how a small design/build project, with some guerilla tactics, can have a big impact. I am happy to say that Patrick and the client, Ronald Lewis, will be presenting (and representing the 9th Ward) at Structures for Inclusion 7.
That's great to hear. Patrick is a great guy and I got to know him a little bit throughout my final year of school and I must say I was saddened to hear that he would not be returning to teach. His passion had a very positive effect on the students, that's for sure.
That conference looks to be very interesting, you guys should have one of those up here in NYC so that I could attend!
Mar 24, 07 10:50 pm ·
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Designing for the underserved
I have always been amazed at how "architecture" is overwhelmingly viewed as something, usually, only the wealthy or powerful can enjoy the employment of.
I am a believer in bringing architecture to the undeserved, whether it is low income housing, community park space, or rehab space for people in need. These are the people that could use the help of architects the most.
What are people's views as to why more firms don't become more involved in these endeavors, or even with community design centers and aid organizations?
$
E-
check out Architecture For Humanity and the open architecture network.
These guys would also be good to look at: http://www.designcorps.org/
See and try to join: http://www.publicarchitecture.org/
Interesting reading:
http://www.allbookstores.com/book/1888931035/Walter_Hood.html
Treekiller,
Thanks!! Yes, I am familiar with them. They do wonderful work all over the world.
Gabe,
Thanks as well! Design Corps is great.
+q,
Amazing. Public Architecture is exactly what I was looking for. They seem to have an incedible vision. Do you know of any firms like that on the east coast?
Thanks for the book advice as well!
Gabe, sorry, part of my respone to you got chopped off somehow...
I recently read a book called "Good Deeds, Good Design: Community Service through Architecture". It is a series of essays all about this topic and it was edited together by Byran Bell of Design Corps!
I highly reccommend it.
What you think I have been working on all afternoon....700sf house remodel for a guy hurt in a work related accident. Trying to make life a little better. Earlier today I was fighting with the City about Property improvements on a parcel of land which will kill the job, and
so less jobs will be available to the local market, because the city thinks the answer is to drag another big box store into town and give them tax rebates so us little guys can get kicked in the gut!
Entasis, you can look into Leroy Street Strudio's Hester Street Collective...they are here in NYC.
although, as with public architecture...they are side projects of a more conventional architecture office.
you can also get involved in your local architecture for humanity chapter which will also do work with community design centers, non-profits, and other needy organizations....
as with all of these, though, they don't have money to consistently hire architects...so it doesn't necessarily translate into the sort of money necessary to run an office. good luck with it all.
Entasis, where in the east coast are you? As a Philadelphia native, I feel the same way you do and I'm always looking for different ways to get involved. You should go to The structures for Inclusion seminar in North Carolina this april, sounds like it would be right up your ally.
Snooker, do you work with a firm or on your own? I am glad to hear you are doing these great projects.
Future,
THANKS for the heads up on Leroy Street! I just had a quick chance to look at their website and I am completely in love. The Hester St. collaborative is absolutely something I would like to get involved with.
quixotica,
I am in NYC right now. (I grew up in Allentown, btw) I am waiting to hear from Pratt to see if I stay here. If I don't get in, then I am off to Boston to study at the BAC.
The seminar you mentoned looks awesome. That is through Design Corps, right?
Thank you to all. It is great to see that there is support out there.
Just started working with the CDC (Community Design Collaborative not Center for Disease Control) in Philadelphia. Its great doing pro-bono work, but I do wonder if there are firms that do this kind of work casually - not pro bono. Are our services already too expensive? Or perhaps the value of our services don't correlate well with the value of money?
Yeah Design Corps is running it, Im headed there myself. (9 hour road trip after work that friday) I love the work design corps has been doing, you should check out their fellowship program as well. Philadelphia had a really good community design collab, giving pro bono design and documentation to non profit groups. I agree with you though, I wish there was a full time gig so I could do this for a living and not just as a weekend warrior.
has, not had.
"I have always been amazed at how "architecture" is overwhelmingly viewed as something, usually, only the wealthy or powerful can enjoy the employment of."
Sorry but your argument are a bit dull.
"I am a believer in bringing architecture to the undeserved, whether it is low income housing, community park space, or rehab space for people in need. These are the people that could use the help of architects the most."
People shuldn't be "helped" , they shuld be given the oppotunity of something new and strong, also cheap but best something that involve a bit of engagement to earn the profit of installing modern innovative building core
"What are people's views as to why more firms don't become more involved in these endeavors, or even with community design centers and aid organizations?"
Becaurse no one want to make a mountain of money even the option are there right in front their eyes --- sadly it is not what you see that make you do the right thing and conservatism and backstriving is still ruling intire industries --- what shuld happen is a war against all oldfasion fiddeling and nogood bragging about crafts we forgot generations ago beside technologies we still have not even begun to understand.
Vindpust,
I am not sure I completely understand all of your statements, however, I do agree that community design should always be a learning process for both the architects and the undersevered clients. The community residents are experts on their problems and opportunites. The architect should work with the community as a partner, not a child to lead by their hand.
I hope this addresses what you were refereing to by "People shouldn't be helped."?
This war against all old fashion fiddleing....Can you elaborate? I do not follow you.
I am sorry you view my argument "a bit dull". I find this subject very interesting.
Don't pay attention to vindpust, you're just wasting your time with him.
As for my own thoughts...
man, I'm too tired to even put a lot of thought into this subject right now, and it's one that I care deeply about.
if you are looking here's a resource
[http://www.rosefellowship.org/]
No problem Slantsix, thanks,
Post your thoughts whenever you can. I always love to hear others take on the subject.
That's a great link, kat. thanks!
Kat...thanks very much. Great link.
79 I work for myself and I always keep a project on the boards which involves alot more of my time then I could ever be paid for. I believe everyone is deserving.
for those baffled by vindpust's words...
"People shuldn't be "helped" , they shuld be given the oppotunity of something new and strong, also cheap but best something that involve a bit of engagement to earn the profit of installing modern innovative building core"
translates to:
People shouldn't be merely "helped" but be given something innnovative and affordable as well. An architecture that has been thoughtfully designed incorporating the best (3DH?). These buildings should take advantage of modern innovations.
"Becaurse no one want to make a mountain of money even the option are there right in front their eyes --- sadly it is not what you see that make you do the right thing and conservatism and backstriving is still ruling intire industries --- what shuld happen is a war against all oldfasion fiddeling and nogood bragging about crafts we forgot generations ago beside technologies we still have not even begun to understand."
translates to:
The opportunity to economically profit from current and available innovations are being missed as if people are blind. Sadly, even if one realizes something great this doesn't necessarily translate to pursuing this "right thing". Conservatism and belief in antiquated traditions are prominent and have the most influence on the building industry. I want a revolution against the old fashioned and arrogant displays of irrelevant generations-old techniques, along with technologies that we haven't grasped yet
Quixotica, Thanks for making the drive. I think it will be worth it. Please say hello (Bryan Bell).
By the way, I get paid to do this full time. Design Corps operate as a non-profit which just means serving the public good. For us, it means serving the public good with design. I can't rememeber ever doing pro bono. I just get paid a little less, a little later, and often through grants we write ourselves (just like any other non-profit).
Fifteen years ago when I started, people really thought design was just for rich folks. Now, they get it. I don't know why or how this could change so dramatically but it has. This opens up alot of work opportunities.
All of these options, us, AFH, Public Architecture are all new ideas. God knows what better ideas are yet to come, and hopefully not far off.
that was helpful dammson. if vindpust agrees that you translated him correctly, will you please just translate all his posts before we have to see them and attempt to fight through them?
In Boston we have Archventures, with whom I volunteer with (project pics from a small project I worked on). The BAC also has a community design organization underneath its umbrella. Brandy Brooks is the head there and is worth checking out if you're looking at it for school.
I was reading about small homes last night before I went to sleep, and I had dreams of an affordable (extremely affordable, actually) housing idea. Sometime today I'm going to sketch it out and see....
you know i think that all threads should have a warning about the inane posting habits of vindpust/per corell....it would save time.
Yeah, I had some friends from school go down to New Orleans this past spring break and summer with Bryan Bell and fix up a museum that is owned by a popular neighborhood character. They had a blast and said that they really felt like they were helping people out and making a difference.
Thank's Dammson I see you have a better understanding of this than myself.
And no people shuld not be handled at being underserved as just that will act as an exchouse not to ignite the engagement to bring back the qualities of life.
There is plenty of architecture groups doing this kind of work in New Mexico, but not many firms are doing it....my personal feeling is this is due largely in part to a) $ and b) project control - the vision thing.
Check out the Adobe Alliance
http://www.adobealliance.org/
And thinking that any architecture for the under served must be cutting edge and pushing the limits is a joke. If you feel that way then set the example and give away your knowledge to humanity...but, IO believe people are more interested in making a buck...just look at vindpust comments on people not seeing ways to profit...if anything I see it the opposite...people are always looking for too many ways to profit.
Yeah, well, apparently vindpust's software can create affordable housing, groom your dog, toast your bread, AND save the world - without any input from a designer, and at pure profit with no work invested whatsoever.
Gimme a break.
I agree with jasoncross - too many people looking for too many ways to profit off the backs of others.
"without any input from a designer,"
No you forget it is just done in a different way, but when so much is done in a compleatly different way it don't mean no need of a designer or someone to put things together in a different way ---- maybe you don't need a bricklayer anymore , but you need one to place what replace the brick. It realy is as challancing as any other design works, you just spend more time where less time was spend before ,I mean this tool make anything also what look exactly as what was before, but it also give you the possibility to do what you could not reach before and in beter quality.
It's like blaming the air-spray paintgun that it requier other skills than a paint brush. It do but frankly the painting of a spray paintgun is acturly finer than what you can do with a brush and quite a lot faster --- now shuld that be a bad thing.
It's like saying an airbrush don't requier tallent, that a paint brush is "better" than an airbrush. And it don't requier skills and is not art ,becaurse it is made with an airbrush not a paint brush.
Now if art can be made stoneage, by stone age tools and it still was art, then we know what just a paint brush and some color will bring. Then as w already know our housesm made from blue prints and bricks, concrete or steel lattrice, then emagine what the computer can make when mastered by the same skills as blowing colors using your fingers as template, painting the finest mona lisa and erecting the masterpiece of the BEST 70' achitecture hero, ---- now turn the world upside down dor a paragime shift and a new architecture as that is what is suggested with 3D-H and before you know it, you can't critic it.
sloring,
I was very happy to work a little on that project, but can't take credit for it. Patrick Rhodes of Project Locus and some insanely dedicated students (try working outside in New Orleans during the summer) are the people who pulled off the House of Dance and Feathers. Did they "help some people and make a difference" as you put it? I can't even explain how huge it was. This was the FIRST new construction in the entire, destroyed, 9th Ward after the hurricane. Just the sound of a hammer there was significant and drew people every day who were just driving in and wanted to see that something had started to happen. They didn't even have power or water in the neighborhood yet so they ran the power tools by a solar contraption on a trailer.
This project certainly demonstrates how a small design/build project, with some guerilla tactics, can have a big impact. I am happy to say that Patrick and the client, Ronald Lewis, will be presenting (and representing the 9th Ward) at Structures for Inclusion 7.
'Design Corps,'
That's great to hear. Patrick is a great guy and I got to know him a little bit throughout my final year of school and I must say I was saddened to hear that he would not be returning to teach. His passion had a very positive effect on the students, that's for sure.
That conference looks to be very interesting, you guys should have one of those up here in NYC so that I could attend!
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