Founder member of Architecture for Humanity architect Cameron Sinclair “seeks architectural solutions to humanitarian crisis” by bringing design services to communities in need. Through competitions, workshops, educational forums, and partnerships with community organizations and other activities, Architecture for Humanity creates opportunities for architects and designers from around the world to place resources and expertise where skills and finance are scarce.
At university level, architecture and design programmes around the world have used AFH competitions and design criteria as a model for semester-long projects. Sinclair’s mantra is Design Like You Give a Damn – also a publication that offers a history of the movement toward socially conscious design, providing contemporary solutions to urgent needs such as basic shelter, healthcare, and education. Sinclair relays strong criticism suggesting that the architectural profession is guilty of embracing an ideal, where the perception of the role of the designer is seen as a service for the privileged. Through initiatives such as the Open architecture network, which engages an on-line community of designers in pressing social issues, providing access to open source architectural plans. This year they have issued a ‘real’ challenge to architects, designers and others around the world: to develop a proposal for the design and construction of technology centres in 3 regions across the globe that will support the ‘digital inclusion’ of communities in educational, social and business opportunities via the Internet.
