Open Architecture Network

What can you say in 140 characters?

Join Paul Scheer and Rob Huebel (MTV's Human Giant) when they welcome 140 Twitterers from the world of comedy, music, sports, and entertainment to the Upright Citizens Brigade stage to each perform one of their signature tweets in front of a live audience.

140 performers. One night only.

This isn't a bit. This show will have 140 performers.

In a partnership with the Stillerstrong Haitian School Initiative & FUNNY OR DIE all proceeds from the event will go to our work to rebuild and build schools for the children of Haiti.

How Much: $20 (100% of proceeds will go towards Architecture for Humanity)
ADVANCE RESERVATIONS ARE SOLD OUT - There will be a stand-by line for this show.

Architecture for Humanity, Homeless World Cup, Instituto Bola Pra Frente, and Nike are proud to announce the winners of the Request for Proposals for the Homeless World Cup Legacy Youth and Women's Leadership Center in Santa Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The Winner and Design Fellow will be working with community partners Bola Pra Frente and OCAS, and the Santa Cruz community to finalize the design for both Phase One and Phase Two for the Santa Cruz Center in the coming weeks.

Finalists will receive one of the recently unveiled 2010 Brazil National Team Jerseys – made from 13 million recycled plastic bottles. Honorable Mentions will receive one Nike Corinthians Jersey.

Congratulations to all the entrants for your inspiring work and contribution to the greater dialogue of the Homeless World Cup Legacy.

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Our Haiti team has sent us some benchmarking pricing. Haiti has been suffering from inflation for the past several years but the Jan 12 earthquake has exacerbated the situation.

These figures not only reflect the economic seclusion from–despite its proximity to–the United States, but also show how food aid is influencing the cost of some products and not others. Bread costs $1.25, half what it would cost in the United States, while milk, popular cereals and construction materials fetch 2-3 times their price in the United States. Following are observed Haitian vs Californian prices for select goods:

Food and material prices, Haiti and United States (in $US)

Supplies–Haiti/United States

Gallon of water–$1.25/$0.88
Gallon of milk–$12.00/$3.75
Loaf of bread (20oz)–$1.25/$2.50
One dozen eggs–$4.00/$3.19

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Haitian children are languishing in camps or working in menial jobs because thousands of schools in and around Port-au-Prince, the devastated capital, could remain closed for months or never reopen. Markeny Saint Valin, 10, with his grandmother, Luciene St. Louis, washing clothes in Port-au-Prince.

News Article: Among the Ruins, Education Is Also Lost

Photo: Lynsey Addaro for The New York Times

Starting today we will be collecting funds on behalf of the Colegio de Arquitectos to support Chilean professionals endeavors after the 8.8 earthquake.

Formal structural assessment training for volunteers starts in a few hours and almost 700 architects have volunteered at Plataforma Arquitectura plus an additional 300 directly at the Colegio.

Donate directly to the Chile Earthquake Reconstruction Fund

Image of Iglesia Corazón de María de Linares, photo by Daniela Gajardo

Our full Haiti team is currently on the ground and includes two regional program managers. One with considerable post-disaster experience and the other a locally licensed architect. Rounding out the team is a Haitian-American architect and over time they will be joined by two to three design fellows.

The team is meeting up with our on the ground partners and setting up our long term offices. If you are interested in meeting with the team, please contact us at our headquarters in San Francisco and ask for Frederika Zipp.

Additionally we are working with Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group on increasing structural engineering assessments (and training) and mason training programs for reconstruction. In early March we should have french and creole versions of our Rebuilding 101 manual and earthquake resistant housing guides in the field.

Our team is now making their way to Haiti. The team includes two regional program managers. One with considerable post-disaster experience and the other a locally licensed architect. They are accompanied by a Haitian architect. If you are interested in meeting with the team, please contact us at our headquarters in San Francisco and ask for Frederika Zipp.

Around 3.30am this morning a 8.8 quake struck off the coast of Chile. We give our heartfelt condolences to those whose lives have been lost and support for the families confronted by the aftermath of this disaster.

It appears the damage is subsequently less than the recent events in Haiti, this maybe due to the countries record of earthquake preparedness, stronger building codes and location/depth of the epicenter. Regardless our thoughts are with those affected and responding to this tragedy.

For all information on building and infrastructure damage please visit Plataformaarquitectura.cl

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Please join a friend of our organization, Elizabeth Scharpf, Founder and Chief Instigator of Sustainable Health Enterprises (SHE), as she talks about the education programs and local businesses she and her colleagues are helping women start-up in East Africa to ensure that girls and women have access to opportunities for productive lives. Nick Kristof recently recognized SHE in The New York Times as one of the world's most unique and meaningful organizations bridging business and traditional charity.

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The 2009 Open Architecture Challenge 'Classroom of the Future' exhibition opened in Prague, February 10th. A host of volunteers, including exhibition coordinator, Sona Huberova organized the exhibit, which will be on display until March 3, 2010 at the Gallery of National Technical Library. Partners include Namaste Nepal and CCEA (Centre for Central European Architecture). The exhibit is sponsored by Prague City Hall and Architecture for Humanity.

The Porch Dog House, Biloxi sponsored by Architecture for Humanity and designed by our pals at Marlon Blackwell Architects, was celebrated as a design award nominee at the 2010 Brit Insurance Design Awards Exhibition Opening . On display at the Design Museum until June 2010, the exhibition features all 91 nominees in 7 categories. Stay posted for the award winner announcement on March 16.

Our new book on the Biloxi Model Homes, 'Rebuilding After Disaster: The Biloxi Model Home Program' documents the rebuilding effort of a coalition of partners in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The book is dedicated to all the residents of East Biloxi, Mississippi, whose love for the community made this work possible.

It only took 20 seconds to destroy so many bright hopes and dreams in Haiti. The PechaKucha network is joining with Architecture for Humanity to help rebuild Haiti 20 seconds at a time.

On 20th February for Global Pecha Kucha Day for Haiti took place. 20 seconds x 20 images in 130 cities with more than 1500 presentation. All to raise funds for rebuilding Haiti. This represented the worlds' largest distributed conference - no flights, no hotels, no massive carbon footprint - locals standing up together for a global cause.

Total amount raised will be known by the end of the week.

What is Pecha Kucha?

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[Updated: Feb. 18] For those not used to working in disasters the first week is chaotic, filled with stories of heroism and despair. The first responders are not the NGO's or medical personal but the families of those who are injured or lost their lives. It is an overwhelming situation to be in. It is also not the time for architects to show up thinking they can rebuild. People are trying to find their loved ones not think about what their lives will look like in 5, 10 or 15 years.

Trying to keep perspective is extremely hard. We've personally lost colleagues, friends and extremely valuable people in the last few days. On Thursday, one phone call ended with 'they are all gone.' For those of us who are part of the reconstruction effort, we need to think about immediate needs for shelter while planning for the next three to five years of rebuilding.

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A Open Design Competition to Create Low-Impact Access To Trestles

Launch: Feb. 17 | Registration Due: March 17 | Submission Due: April 17

Access to Trestles, one of North America’s most celebrated waves, is under threat due to safety and environmental concerns. Currently, over 100,000 people each year follow informal trails through wetlands and over active train tracks to gain access to the surf breaks at Trestles. These impromptu manmade paths present a safety hazard with passing trains and threaten the fragile ecosystem of Trestles.

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After receiving over 35 qualified proposals for the Homeless World Cup Youth and Women's Leadership Center in Santa Cruz, Rio de Janiero, Brazil, the selection committee is please to announce the following five finalists and five honorable mentions. Thank you for all of the intelligent and beautiful submissions, we recognize good design in all of the proposals.

Architecture for Humanity, Homeless World Cup, Bola pra Frente, and Nike representatives have reviewed all of the entries for the most effective, empowering, integrated, sustainable, innovative, organized and beautiful solution for the Youth and Women’s Leadership Center of Santa Cruz, Brazil.

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Benefit concert to benefit Architecture for Humanity's rebuilding work in Haiti.

In the spirit of 2010 TED Prize winner Jami Oliver the Indianapolis chapter of Architecture for Humanity has been participating in a project dedicated to opening the city's only co-op grocery.

The store, to be known as Pogue’s Run Grocer, will be located in a 3,000-square-foot building at 2828 E. 10th St. It will be managed by Greg Monzel, who brings decades of passion for fresh, healthful, consciously produced foods to the effort. Check it out

Cameron Sinclair, Architecture for Humanity and Dame Barbara Stocking, Oxfam GB: Co-presenting on the humanitarian response to Haiti Earthquake and other disasters.

Join the global 20x20 movement on Feb. 20th and help rebuild in Haiti.

To fully enact our reconstruction plan in Haiti we encourage you to fund raise with us; while many donors gave to us online, you can also organize your own 'lemonade stand' on our behalf. Here are a few of the inspiring ones we know about. We are immensely grateful for everyone who steps up to make good design available to the Haitian community.

Text to Help - via Causecast
Just text AFHBUILD to 85944 and a $10 donation to Architecture for Humanity's Haiti Earthquake Reconstruction will be added to your cellphone bill.

Pecha Kucha 20x20
It only took 20 seconds to destroy so many bright hopes and dreams in Haiti. The 280 city PechaKucha network is joining with Architecture for Humanity to help rebuild Haiti 20 seconds at a time.

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