Exactly two years have passed since the unforgettable catastrophe struck Tohoku and took away thousands of lives. We would like to send our condolences to all those affected, and those who are still waiting for their loved ones to be identified.

To commemorate this day, the Ishinomaki office held an event showcasing housing - a continuing issue for those who have lost their homes to the tsunami. We invited four architects from the "Wooden House Network (Mori-no-iezukuri-network") in Tohoku to present affordable ecological housing to override the preconception that architect-designed homes are more expensive and complicated to build than those produced by corporate housing manufacturers.

Architecture for Humanity and the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council Partner to Address School Facility Modernization Needs

Architecture for Humanity announced a strategic partnership with the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) this morning. The announcement comes in conjunction with today’s release of the Center for Green Schools 2013 State of Our Schools Report, which calls for the federal government to commission the first comprehensive study of our nation’s school facilities needs in 18 years.

Architecture for Humanity is collaborating with local design and construction professionals to reconstruct the northern Japan region where the earthquake and tsunami hit on March 11, 2011. Any community would have been devastated by such a disaster – Japan was better prepared than most. However, it is in the event of disaster that communities need assistance in rebuilding. Through our network of local design and construction professionals we are providing technical expertise to help build back better Tohoku.

Naomi Sato introduces the We Are One market and youth center, and the impact it has already created in the community of Kitakami, two years after a devastating tsunami changed the course of many of the town's residents.

It is with great sadness that we share the news that Nathan Jones, one of our design fellows on the Football for Hope program, died on Tuesday in Cameroon where he was helping to build a community center.

The family, with help from Nathan’s colleagues, has prepared a website to celebrate Nathan’s life and achievements.

To share your memories of Nathan on this page, please email us.

Location: Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Start Date: Immediate

Description:
Architecture for Humanity is seeking a Senior Architect to join our team. This is a unique and challenging opportunity to work at our Haiti Rebuilding Center.

This is a exciting opportunity for a senior professional to lead and contribute to participatory design efforts as part of the Rebuilding Center in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

The Senior Architect will engage in diverse activities at all stages of the design process from client liaison and concept design to construction administration as part of a committed design team. In this role you will be responsible for ensuring high quality design standards and documents. You will work closely with the Rebuilding Center’s design team and senior management in leading the work of the architecture and construction studio.

On February 24, 2013, the residents of the fishing village of Maeami-hama, on a secluded inlet on the Pacific coast of Tohoku, gathered to celebrate the opening of its new community house.

Full update at Students Rebuild

On February 23, Students Rebuild and Architecture for Humanity led a student design charrette at the recently completed "We Are One" Market and Youth Center in Kitakami. Students from grades 1-5 came spent the Saturday morning building their visions from all sorts of craft and recycled market supplies, from paints, pipe cleaners and origami paper, to bulk boxes and wood blocks left over from the center's construction.

A special guest designer from America (me) was in attendance to judge the work.