At our weekly Design Open Mic on Wednesday July 20th, we heard presentations from Myriam Kaplan Pasternak on agricultural entrepreneurial opportunities in Haiti, and Brazilian Design Fellow Carla Del Mas, who introduced us to life in São Paolo and then debriefed us on the Architecture for Humanity project she is working on with Nike do Brasil and a local neighborhood association.
Myriam, whose earlier work in Niger with the Peace Corps from 1983-1985 spurred her interest in both international development and the role that agriculture plays in community sustainability, runs Devil’s Gulch Ranch with her family in California and is Co-Executive Director of DG Educational Services. She spoke to us primarily on her role and experiences as a volunteer with Partners of the Americas Farmer to Farmer Program, where she was heavily involved in Education on Rabbit Farming Practices and the development of a collaboration on Haiti Coffee, an initiative to reinvigorate Haiti’s coffee production resources. These experiences have really shaped her perspectives on the successful and productive ways to engage with communities in need. She concluded her presentation by highlighting architectural opportunities through collaborations with agricultural programs.
For Part Deux of Design Open Mic, Carla began her presentation by taking us on an architectural tour of the Avenida Paulista, the core of the city of Sao Paulo, and some of the work of Lina Bo Bardi, an iconic Brazilian modernist architect. She then discussed the Vida Corrida project, its plans, and the community of Capão Redondo, where the project is located. With Nike do Brasil and Associação de Moradores da Cohab Adventista 1, Carla will help construct a community space that emphasizes sports as a tool for empowerment and social change that also incorporates other activities central to community engagement.
Come to our Design Open Mic, every Wednesday here at 848 Folsom Street, San Francisco from 12 - 1 pm. All are welcome. Interested in presenting or have questions? Email us!
