Yesterday, promptly at 10:18 our office manager drilled us on emergency procedure for earthquakes, as part of nationwide Great Shakeout. The office was prepared–in part due to Jason's reminder orientation of emergency kits, routes and off-site meeting area. The procedure's changed since the last time we ran it six months ago–in part because our previous meet-up parking lot is now a condo construction site. Hey, in SOMA, you have to be prepared for everything.

Our Shakeout drill was planned by our Resiliency and Recovery Studio. We're thrilled that this drill dovetails so easily with the grant work being done via ArchitectsRebuild.org, and hope to get similar updates soon from the Grantees. Photos after the break.

Land title and land tenure. Believe it or not, it’s this battle that’s dictating the pace of reconstruction in Haiti–and the issue is hairy. I mean, technical. Architecture for Humanity Design Fellow Frederique “Rickie” Siegel fell into a working group last year bent on addressing the bottleneck on permanent development throughout the country following (but not due to) the 2010 earthquake. Headquarters had an extended conversation with Rickie that, however tempted we are to edit down for running “a bit long,” remains unabridged–with hopes it provides a comprehensive explanation of what it’s going to take to turn the issues of “who owns what where” in Haiti into an accessible system from which permanent construction on “untenable” property can be legally defended. If you can get through it, you'll be eternally rewarded.

Yesterday was Day of the Girl, and we thought it apt to feature solution-finding work done by a group of students from the girls' school Coeur Immacule de Marie (CIM) in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Their workshop last July (a similar one was held for their teachers) helped inform what their main priorities are for their new school design by Architecture for Humanity. Although CIM isn't a Students Rebuild project, we thought this news exciting to share–and show how student work is helping define a better, more sustainable future for this learning community.

Kimisagara Football for Hope Centre was officially inaugurated on October 4th by the Rwandan Minister of Sports and Culture, Mitali Protaiswith with a ribbon cutting and place unveiling ceremony. Several local representatives were present, with some of FIFA and streefootballworld leaders and our former Design Fellow Killian Doherty representing Architecture for Humanity.

Artist Scott Erstad volunteered his incredible talent to paint watercolors of Architecture for Humanity projects SIDAREC Technology and Media Lab and the Sauti Kuu Banda and Community Center in Kenya. These renderings show completed works coupled with the projected future development of each initiative. We are still seeking partners to raise the necessary resources to complete the final phase of each project. Please join us!

The rumors are true. The Football for Hope program is working at full speed. One month after the official start of construction, the game is really on. Foundations are in and walls are going up. Door frames are just in at the South East center in Botswana. Congrats to all the teams.

Three more projects have just gone out to tender and construction is estimated December 1st. Stay tuned for more updates!

On September 21, 2012, hundreds packed into Mill Valley, California’s Sweetwater Music Hall for a lineup featuring over a dozen Youth Rock the Rebuild bands for their first World Peace Day Concert. On stage, a dynamic crew of over forty talented teens took to stage to offer the full house a range of acts, from soft rock solo acts to jazz quartets, classic covers to self-scribed ditties.

Their goal: to rock the crowd, showcase their budding talent and raise awareness for Architecture for Humanity. The result: a sold out show with proceeds supporting Architecture for Humanity's new Green Schools program (which we’ll share more about later this month!) and a dancing audience by the end of the night.

Some of the leading design professionals gathered at this year's annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative, which focused on the theme "Designing for Impact." Issues ranged from design as a tool for ideation to design as a tool for addressing systemic issues such as climate change. At a session focused on "Resilient Cities" a group focused on some of the challenges faced by cities increasingly vulnerable to disaster, both man-made and natural. Small group charrettes developed action plans for six major cities around the world in an effort to explore ideas and approaches to making cities more prepared and able to cope with change.

In partnership with The Center for Green Schools at the United States Green Building Council, Architecture for Humanity invites you to join thousands of people around the world who will take action in their communities in support of healthy, sustainable schools for this year's Green Apple Day of Service.

Green Apple is a global movement to put all children in schools where they have clean and healthy air to breathe, where energy and resources are conserved, and where they can be inspired to dream of a brighter future.