A Day in the life of Article 25

“The very nature of the art of architecture is to serve humanity”

ALVAR AALTO

 My Crossroads in Architecture

Above: The panel of Sean Griffiths (FAT), Charles Jencks, Winny Maas (MVRDV), Fabien Hecker (Zaha Hadid) and Cameron Sinclair (Architecture for Humanity) at the Barbican Debate. Ethics in Architecture. Image from AJ. 2009

I am at the Article 25 day because like many in my profession I have begun to reconsider what on earth I am doing. The credit crunch has served as a reminder that we are all expendable. In recent months pay cuts, the threat of redundancy and a lack of opportunity to pursue the position I want has led me to wonder what is important. Do I want to facilitate planning applications for faceless corporate sharks or do I want to go back to the source of why we design in the first place- for people.

Above: The relief effort following the Pakistan Earthquake.

It was watching the ever vocal champion of humanitarian architecture, Cameron Sinclair , founder of Architecture for Hummanity, that I began to consider a new field. It is as a result of the credit crunch and the words of Cameron Sinclair that I find myself at the inaugural CPD seminar programme of UK based NGO Article 25. The day was entitled the Architecture of Human Rights, and covered many key issues in a thorough, informative and energetic fashion. The Itinerary ran as follows:

1. Introduction to the Humanitarian Sector
2. Seismic Mitigation in Pakistan
3. Architects and International Development and the Let Kids Smile Children’s Home, Ghana
4. Community Action Planning
5. Mapping Exercise Workshop

 Introduction to Humanitarian Architecture

Above: Favelas, Rio De Jeneiro. Photo by Higbert Istvan, 2002.

You will be surprised to learn that the definition of humanitarianism is not as clear as it would seem. It origin is in fact a definition of how to kill fairly. This is because it originates during conflict. It was championed by Henry Dunant, the founder of the Red Cross, following his visits to the battle field of Solferino.

 In 1948 the United Nations published the universal declaration of human rights. This gave everyone the right to be protected and provided for by their state. Humanitarianism is the action of sustaining human rights and for restoring it where it is lost. This is governed by the Geneva Convention.

 For more on humanitarianism follow the link

 On paper it is very simple but the reality is much more complex when you consider the following: 

• 48% of the world’s population was living in urban areas in 2003, by 2007 this is predicted to have risen to over 50% for the first time in history.
• 4 billion people affected by this shift will be in the developing world with 1.4 billion people living in improvised settlements and slums.
• By 2015, the list of the world’s largest cities will have dramatically changed.
• Urbanisation is worsened by war, drought, famine and refugees.
• Defining the gap (Mind the Gap, RICS report – 2006): the lack of an effective link between relief and development “is not only an internal problem for the countries concerned. It also comes from dysfunctions in the collaboration of international institutions and can be exacerbated by the impact of different or even conflicting strategies of relief and development cooperation agencies, when poorly coordinated by some donor countries strategies countries”

1.4 people living in improvised slums is an Architectural problem. It is a problem that we as potential Architects need to solve. It is thanks to charities like Article 25 that the impetus is provided for Architects to enter these situations and take positive action. As I said in my introduction why would I want to be a facilitator of a corporate shark when I can use the skills I have to enact change for the better for the people that need it.

Above: Focus group, Kyoma East, Uganda. From A25 Flickr pages

For A25 the aim is very simple “to work ourselves out of a job”. What does this mean? It means that A25 enter a humanitarian effort with a long term view. It is not just about the emergency response to disaster, and not just about building shelter, but the empowerment of community to build for themselves. In short they aim for a coherent strategy.

Above: Children, Kyoma East, Uganda. From A25 Flickr pages

A25 will enter a project just like you and I would do any other project along the lines of the RIBA plan of works. It begins with a feasibility study with the aim of avoiding white elephants. The paradox of humanitarian relief is that communities can view an NGO as a cash cow and will produce a shopping list of requirements. The feasibility study will assess what is really required. For example a place where a school or a hospital exist and what is really required is the means to reach them.

This is a brief introduction to A25s methods and the history of humanitarianism. Over the course of the week stay tuned to learn more about the following case studies:

Pakistan Earthquake: Introduction to Disaster Risk and Seismic Mitigation for Non Engineered Structures

Architects and International Development and the Let Kids Smile Children’s Home, Ghana

Community Action Planning

Mapping Exercise Workshop