You might remember Wandile Mthiyane from Archinect's recent profile on him, Undoing Apartheid Architecture. In that profile, Wandile talked about a pioneering new program his organization, Ubuntu Design Group, has developed. Called the Ubuntu Architecture Summer Abroad Program (UASA), the new initiative will teach college students a community-centered approach to architecture through a design-build studio course that will be led by Wandile.
Students will experience a unique educational experience to design & build dignified and culturally-influenced homes for resilient families in South Africa. “Students will be designing and building a home for a family that has been affected by apartheid architecture,” Wandile explained. “They will come to South Africa and learn first-hand the role of architecture in systemic racism, it’s history, and what its impacts are today. And they will get to be a part of the solution we are pursuing.”
According to Wandile, partnerships have already been secured with the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) and the American Institute of Architects Students (AIAS). Moreover, in addition to countless individual applications to participate in the program, Columbia University, Notre Dame, and Harvard have shown interest.
Firms can also participate in UASA by sponsoring select students, enabling "as diverse a group as possible" to take part in this educational experience.
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Good that the Ivy's are rushing in.I wish they would have done the same to expand their demographic profile so as their schools reflect underlying social demographics.
Its easy for the Ivy's to Jump into the Ubuntu project because it elevates their global profile ;just like international adoption does to some parents at the expense of local adoption;
but parallel to boosting Wandile's efforts they should do more at the local level.Graduates from their schools who are members of AIA have unfortunately stifled expansion of architecture to be a representative profession by limiting their scope of interns and therefore licensing pipelines.
The Ivy's must be inspired by the Ubuntu model to expand access of architecture to all demographics.
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