Structures for Inclusion 10 will be a tenth anniversary celebration hosted by Howard University on Saturday and Sunday, March 27 and 28, 2010. Ten speakers will discuss their unique work from in the field on the theme: “Social Economic Environmental Design: SEED.” How can we build on the success of the Green design movement in addressing critical social and economic issues through design.

The keynote speaker is Francis Kéré, a young architect from Burkina Faso, Africa, who studied in Germany. His motto is “help to self-help.” Only those who take part in the development processes will be able to appreciate their results, to continue, and to save them. Assisted by his friends, during his study he founded the Schulbausteine fur Gando association whose main aims are to create buildings that meet climatic demands, and to support the Burkinabe people in their development. Kéré does not limit his efforts to architecture. With the help of his association he tries to provide the people of his homeland with innovative development projects and with better future prospects thereby. This effort covers adult education, health care, and economic support for women bearing the greatest share of burdens in his home country. In 2004 he won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture one of his projects - a primary school in his home village Gando.

Three panels will cover the following topics:

Design Activism: Don’t wait for the phone to ring -- take action. These activists show how initiative can combine with grassroots organization to realize contributing projects and beautiful design. By working with local partners, the four presenters show that design can be the tool to realize primary goals of communities, providing not just “quality of life” but healthy food on the table and money in tight pockets.

Development as a Change Agent for the Good: Developers have a bad reputation among architects, but is it deserved? In fact, developers create almost all affordable housing in the country. They are also the primary means for an array of federal funding programs to be realized as buildings that match community needs. Developers also show entrepreneurship, undertaking projects from start to finish that combine design with the financial means. They can be both designer and client. This panel will present three types of developers -- for-profit, non-profit and municipal -- who will show how developers' tools can lead to social, economic or environmental change.

Politics and Policy: High Impact Design: Like it or not, design is a political act. Ignoring this leads to design that enforces the status quo, but understanding it allows for design to have wider impact. Three presenters will discuss very different models of design engaging policy and politics.

Registration opens February 1 at www.designcorps.org

For information, contact: Bryan Bell, bryan@designcorps.org