Happy Boxing Day everyone!
I've written this letter every Boxing Day for the past 12 years, a day to traditionally give back to those in service and the communities they serve. If you believe in building a more sustainable future, please make an end of year contribution to allow us to continue our work. You can sponsor a week, a day or even a meeting of design with one of our building professionals - and if you missed someone on your holiday list you can gift a donation in their name or for an upcoming birthday.
From Haiti to Northern Japan we worked hand in hand with local construction workers and architects to rebuild stronger and more resilient communities. We didn’t just design solution, we built them. I am humbled to work alongside some of the most creative, determined and focused architects, design fellows, chapter members and volunteers and am honored to bring you this letter. Grab a hot drink, curl up on the sofa and spend a few minutes today reading up on projects by our amazing team. (Yes, we really made into a comic book!)
2011 was certainly one for the record books. We broke the two million mark–twice. In 44 countries more than two million people are now live, work, learn, heal and gather in our projects. In response to the March earthquake in Japan, thanks to our partners at Students Rebuild, kids around the world folded over two million paper cranes to raise more than $500,000 to rebuild. Both amazing stats.
This year we have been involved in more than 62 projects.You may have noticed our Twelve Days of Architecture on our website. The work of our chapters has been equally inspiring. In 2010 we formalized our chapters and built the Chapter Network. Today this network connects 5504 professionals from 13 countries. For the first time in 2011, we were able to fund specific chapter projects and gave a total of $76,000 in grants to our chapters. There’s simply not enough space to capture all of our accomplishments this year, but we’ve tried to provide selected project highlights below. These projects are just a sample of the incredible work we’ve been a part of this year. You can also watch a video of how we work or the jobs created in Haiti this year.
On a personal note, in 2012 I want to be able to say "Yes" to more projects. It is heartbreaking to tell dozens of communities we don't have the resources to support them. For this to happen, we need people like you to donate to our annual fund. Architecture for Humanity's goals for 2012 include:
- Grow our Design Fellowship program from 65 to 75 fellowships and create tools for design fellows to provide peer support.
- Raise $100,000 in funds to grant to specific Chapter projects around the world.
- Re-launch Worldchanging (formerly the Open Architecture Network) with improved tools and features
You can help us reach these goals by making a donation this year. As an incentive one of our very generous family foundations has put up a $25,000 end of year match, starting today and ending on December 31st.
Cheers,
Cameron Sinclair
Chief Eternal Optimist and Executive Director
Architecture for Humanity
2011 by the Numbers
2,130,000 people who now live, work, heal or play in 2,250 projects built or developed by our design and construction professionals since 1999
2,000,000 paper cranes were sent to Students Rebuild to support our work in Japan. These birds were folded by children living in 38 Nations and all 50 states.
1,391,753 people who have benefited from 102 completed projects and 7,345 shared projects on Worldchanging (formerly the Open Architecture Network)
$374,732 channeled in grants and support to local architects and building consultants
275,000 children are now in day and after school programs in facilities built by us
100,000 cranes used by artist Vik Muniz used to make a 40’ x 36’ art work
114,430 with access to sports for social change programs through Nike Gamechangers and FIFA/Streetfootballworld [18 more projects underway in 8 countries]
36,745 cups of coffee drunk by our staff in Cape Town, Port au Prince, San Francisco and Sendai
35,000 members on Worldchanging (formerly the Open Architecture Network)
6,000 construction professionals from Haiti that have received construction training through our programming being offered at our Rebuilding Center in Port-au-Prince.
86 teams from 36 countries have already joined our 4th international design competition, [UN]RESTRICTED ACCESS, transforming military sites to civilian spaces.
70 housing units built in Sindh Province, Pakistan
65 Design Fellows and Architects in communities all over the world
53 Local Chapters in 13 countries
32 Full-time staff members
Some Words From Our Clients
"There are many complicated things in building a school and this new building is beautiful. It is not a building, it is a work of art, and Architecture for Humanity did that. Thank you." - Vivianne Vieux, headmistress, École La Dignité, Cayes Jacmel, Haiti
"The design fellow was involved from the very early paperwork stages to the construction oversight, he was always checking the worksite to see if everything was going well.... He was to us like a guide providing quality to the project, also his charisma really connected with the community." - Doria Rosas, director, Maria Auxiliadora School, Ica, Peru
"It is not just about putting bricks to mortar. It is about taking the vision of creating a better world for others and making it into a tangible space. Thank you Architecture for Humanity for giving a damn!" - Auma Obama
Selected Projects From 2011
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Collège Mixte Le Bon Berger – Montrouis, Ouest, Haiti Client: Bon Berger School, the Stiller Foundation, Students Rebuild Design Team: The Haiti Rebuilding Center Program Manager: Eric Cesal & Sandhya Naidu Janardhan Opened December 2011. |
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École La Dignité – Cayes Jacmel, Haiti Client: École La Dignité, Stiller Foundation, Students Rebuild Design Team: Haiti Rebuilding Center Program Manager: Eric Cesal & Sandhya Naidu Janardhan Opened September 2011. |
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Santo Community Development Plan – near Léogâne, Ouest, Haiti Client: Municipality of Leogane, Habitat for Humanity, IDB, FOMIN Design Team: The Haiti Rebuilding Center Program Manager: Eric Cesal & Sandhya Naidu Janardhan Report released and first 150 homes built December 2011. |
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Hikado Marketplace - Motoyoshi-cho, Miyagi, Japan Client: Atsushi Hatakeyama Design Team: Autumn Ness Taira, Yuji Taira, Tomohisa Higashi, Yasunobu Meguro, Yoshihiro Konno, Hidehiko Ishimori Program Manager: Cameron Sinclair & Hiromi Tabei Opened July 2011. |
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Ohya Green Sports Park - Motoyoshi, Kesennuma, Miyagi, Japan Client: Community of Motoyoshi Design Team: Tomoro Aida, Aida Atelier, and Hirohiso Higashi Program Manager: Cameron Sinclair & Hiromi Tabei Opened: December 2011. |
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Manhattan Bridge Skate Park – New York City, USA Client: Steve Rodriguez/5BORO, Nike Design Team: Preeti Sodhi, Steve Rodriguez, Jens Holm, Kay D. Vorderwuelbecke Program Manager: Alix Ogilvie In Design. |
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Una Cancha Muchas Canchas – Guatemala City, Guatemala Client: Various communities of Guatemala City, Nike Design Team: Stefan Benchoam and Christian Ochalta, Buró de Intervenciones Publicas Opened August 2011. |
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San Pedro Apóstol – San Pedro Apóstol, Oaxaca, Mexico Client: Communtiy members of the Valles of Oaxaca, Ayuntamiento Municipal Constitucional de San Pedro Apóstol Design Team: CaeiroCapurso, blaanc borderless architecture, Casa Tierra, Juan Jose Santibañez, Es como vivir afuera In Construction. |
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Maria Auxiliadora School - Los Calderones, Ica, Peru Client: Happy Hearts & ING Design Team: Diego Collazos Program Manager: T Luke Young Opened August 2011. |
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Kimisagara Football for Hope Center – Kigali, Rwanda Client: Espérance, streetfootballworld Design Team: Killian Doherty Program Manager: Gretchen Mokry Completed December 2011. |
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Oguaa Football for Hope Center – Cape Coast, Ghana Client: PlaySoccer, streetfootballworld Design Team: David Pound, Architectural Engineering Services Program Manager: Gretchen Mokry In Construction. |
Selected Chapter Projects From 2011
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Chicago Chapter: Fresh Moves Mobile Market – Chicago, USA Client: Food Desert Action Design Team: Joseph Alschuler, Marissa Brown, Lee Bouchard, Larua Bowe, Katherine Darnstadt, John Joyce, Tom Hagerty, Tina Kress, Thomas Kubik. In Operation. |
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Dhaka Chapter: LUKE water treatment and drinking water bottle production facility - Madaripur, Bangladesh Client: Shahrior Hassan Khan, Ar. Nahas Ahmed Khalil Design Team: Omar Faruque, Md. Imrul Kayes, Shahrior Hassah Khan, Rabeya Rahman. Completed August 2011. |
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Dhaka Chapter: Prefab Retractable Classroom for Jaago Foundation – Dhaka, Bangladesh Client: Jaago Foundation Design Team: Zihad Zaman, Ar. Imrul Kayes, Ar. Rabeya Rahman Program Coordinator: Frederika Zipp Opened July 2011. |
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Karachi Chapter: Pakistan Flood Rebuilding Grant Program - Nodo Baran and Goth Angario, Sindh Province, Pakistan Client: Sindh Province villagers, Karachi Relief Trust Design Team: Mahboob Kahn, Afaan Naqvi, Arup San Francisco Program Coordinator: Frederika Zipp Completed October 2011. |
Events
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Design Like You Give A Damn LIVE! 2 – New York, New York, USA Client: Enthusiastic members of the international design community Design Team: Architecture for Humanity Development Team Held October 21-22, 2011. |
Current Competitions
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2011 Open Architecture Challenge: [UN]RESTRICTED ACCESS – Worldwide Client: Communities around the world affected by decommissioning military bases Design Teams: YOU Registration ongoing. http://unrestrictedaccess.org |
How We Work
Our People
The work of Architecture for Humanity would not be possible without the dedication of a core group of people. We’d like to take a moment to thank them for another incredible year:
Current Staff: Natassia Academia, Tomika Anderson, Sarah Bush Brady, Marvin Cabrera, Eric Cesal, Kevin Gannon, Darren Gill, Dylan Gold, Elizabeth Han, Sandhya Naidu Janardhan, Karl Johnson, Gretchen Mokry, Alix Ogilvie, Jason Olson, Twyla Parks, Cameron Sinclair, Molly Stack, Kate Stohr, Hiromi Tabei, Jonathan Thompson, Ana Vasconcellos, Gaurav Vashist, T Luke Young, Frederika Zipp
Field Staff and Design Fellows: Rolande Augustin, Nick Brown, Diego Collazos, Nathaniel Corum, Carla Dal Mas, Natalie Desrosiers, Bridget Dodd, Killian Doherty, Nancy Doran, Henri Dupont, Elisa Engel, Rick Ehlert, Kate Evarts, Pablo Fernandez, Sergine Francoeur, Audrey Galo, Burtland Granvil, Matt Hughes, Sarika Jhawar, Alina Jeronimo, Stanley Joseph, Nathan Jones, Pouya Khazaeli, George Kinuthia, Jean-Rene Lafontant, Delphine Luboz, Unathi Mkonto, Themba, Mekwa, Luvuyo Mfungula, Jacques Nixon, Zsofia Marton, Ulrick Pierre, David Pound, Gerry Reilly, Alma Ruiz, Frederique Siegel, Ken Smith, Lisa Smyth, Preeti Sodhi, Olivia Stinson, Zac Taylor-Mayville, Martine Theodore, Daniel Viliesid, Mark Warren
Board of Directors: Niama Jacobs, Matthew Charney, Clifford Curry, Paul Gabie, Taylor Milsal, Toshiko Mori, Scott Mattoon, Cameron Sinclair, Narry Singh, Margaret Gould Stewart and Kate Stohr
General Counsel: Steven R. Meier, Jenner and Block LLP
Additional Support: Diana Bianchini, Di Moda Public Relations and Thao Nguyen, Creative Artists Agency
Volunteers: We'd especially like to thank all of the wonderful professionals who volunteered in the wake of disaster in Haiti, Japan and Pakistan; contributed to Design Like You Give a Damn II; and provided critical support to our many projects around the world and in our San Francisco office. Although there are too many to list here, we could not do this work without you and are grateful for your support. You are the heart of Architecture for Humanity.
Community Builders: ARUP, Bezos Family Foundation, Bobby Chang, Clifford Curry, Stacy Frost, Paul Gabie, Margaret Gould Stewart, Niama Jacobs, Jon Kamen, Michelle Kauffman, Scott Mattoon, Taylor Milsal, Damien Newman, Central, New York University Schack Institute of Real Estate, Narry Singh, Delight H. Stone, Yutaka Takiura, Josh Wallach and Paula Wood, Works-in-Progress Funds of the Tides Foundation
Architecture for Humanity's Community Builders are a small circle of strategic thinkers and doers who are committed to helping Architecture for Humanity grow. Community Builders have the opportunity to go on site visits and see the impact of our work first hand. You meet others who share your belief in the power of design. And like us, you learn by doing. Join us.
Architecture for Humanity makes every effort to ensure accuracy in donor and volunteer listings, but on occasion errors may occur. Please contact us at 415.963.3511 with any questions or comments.
Help us provide 365 days of professional design services around the world by donating to support a designer for a day, a week, a month or a year.Donate now.
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