Article by Yuka Yoneda, 02/28/10

Photo: Reuters/Eduardo Munoz, via Flickr

Currently, Cameron Sinclair and Architecture for Humanity are leading the way in reconstruction planning, wisely eschewing a build-now, plan-later approach in favor of a long-term initiative. You can read AFH’s seven-point reconstruction plan here.

Long-term planning is essential, but so is short-term relief. Here is a look at some of the more immediate initiatives proposed by the architecture and design community. (If you know of any important programs we missed, please leave a comment below or send us an e-mail with the details.)

Article 25 is a UK based charity organization that believes that all people deserve adequate housing and shelter. It designs and delivers architectural solutions worldwide to those in need. Article 25 vowed to monitor the international response effort to determine the coordination between key agencies to ensure success in the reconstruction of Haiti.

The USGBC pledged its support to “rescue and rebuild” Haiti. In the past, the organization has worked in similar natural disaster zones in New Orleans and Greensburg and now promises similar long-term assistance. In the meantime for immediate aid, those interested are asked to donate through the Clinton Foundation Haiti Relief Fund.

http://www.habitat.org/ is working to address the problem of immediate shelter in Haiti. The organization is removing the rubble of fallen buildings to begin the rebuilding process. Habitat is also working to provide transitional housing for families displaced by the disaster.

http://www.ewb-usa.org/haiti.php is not providing direct relief. But it is rallying support for the cause by seeking out French and/or Creole speaking volunteer engineers to assist in the rebuilding process. Since EWB has several ongoing projects in Haiti, it is also possible to donate through its Web site.

Partners in Health and the Solar Electric Light Fund are joining forces to bring solar-powered lighting to the temporary hospitals that serve the earthquake survivors.
In terms of proposed shelter solutions, a research group from Clemson University – SEED – utilizes shipping containers for housing in the time of disaster. The containers can be cut to provide light and windows, and can withstand hurricanes and other natural disasters. SEED chose shipping containers because there are 30 million unused in the world today. The surplus containers can be utilized immediately. SEED is working to make their project a reality in Haiti.

ShelterBox is a relief organization that immediately responds to disasters by shipping survival boxes to the disaster site. Each is equipped with a tent, tools and supplies to support a family of ten.

For most of the design community, however, the best thing that can be done to help is to raise money for the relief effort. Here is a short list of larger organizations in need of immediate donations: the American Red Cross; UNICEF; Doctors Without Borders; Partners in Health; the William J. Clinton Foundation; the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund; and the Yele Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund.

By Natalie Balthrop
Thursday, January 21, 2010 10:37 am
Original Content: Metropolis Magazine

So what is it about Latino design that makes it so fun and beautiful to wear?

Young Latino design students at The Art Institute of New York City say it’s their culture that is their muse, rich with inspiration in everything from music, dance, language and even bullfights.

Bonnie Assing, a fashion design student, is a mixture of many cultures — Costa Rican, Native American, Caribbean, and Chinese. In her approach to fashion design, she feels the Hispanic influence is the strongest. Bonnie leans toward ruffles and frills, and strong colors, such as red and black. “I think the Spanish influence is sexy, seductive, clingy.” She is sure that some of her background will find its way into her the clothes she will eventually design. “Bullfights, festivals, parades, the swirl of colors will always influence me,” says Bonnie.

Another student, Ivette Fuentes, whose family is from the Dominican Republic, sees a significant difference between mainstream and Hispanic cultures. She points out that Hispanic women are not obsessed with being thin. People accept that women are curvy. Designers work around the curves, emphasizing clothes

The Zimbabwe Institute of Vigital Arts is seeking donations to continue with their work during the celebration of its 10th Anniversary. The college is the only one in Zimbabwe that trains students in Graphic Design, Multimedia, Video Photography/Editing, and prepares them for careers in TV, Film production and InDesign and Advertising. The institute is currently facing an enormous financial challenge. The profits from the fees paid by the students are not enough and fundraising efforts have been unsuccessful due to adverse economical and political situations within the country. Founder, Saki Mafundikwa, is now asking for donations to help raise enough funds for the 10th anniversary celebration on December 8, 2009. If anyone is interested in contributing to the occasion all monetary donations can be sent via money gram or western union:

Attn. Nueman Mafundikwa
Harare, Zimbabwe

Gifts will also be accepted for the celebration and for all of those whom contribute, names will be posted on the school’s site http://www.ziva.org/.
Click here for more information.

It became clear that an entity — a network of sorts — was needed to help facilitate these ongoing
conversations and inspire collaboration around key initiatives. Out of the passion, commitment
and vision of the original summit attendees grew Designers for the 21st Century (D421), a new
professional network focused on the multicultural multidisciplinary design community.

MANIFESTO
Leveraging a hub-like approach, D421 will engage, connect and rally the global community of
multidisciplinary designers-of-color around matters pertinent to their professional and personal
lives.

• D421 Identifying existing programs/activities

• D421 Connecting

• D421 Networking

• D421 Inspiring Growth

Through social networking, story-sharing, example-making, mentoring and advocacy around
critical community issues, D421 will facilitate organic interaction among its local, national and
international members.

. . .not by reinventing, but by connecting professionals, students, and community

D421’s intent is not to re-invent the work of existing professional design
organizations, but to identify opportunities for collaboration and provide
a platform for dialogue and synergistic action.

D421 is not exclusive, and thus seeks to embrace and celebrate all
who share its mission and values.

D421 will share and celebrate the success stories and accomplishments of minority designers.

D421 will help educate students, families and teachers in underrepresented communities about
career opportunities in design.

D421 will help sensitize the greater design industry to the importance of diversity in the creative
design field.

D421 will not have physical chapters, but the members will be encouraged to join existing local
design organizations and/or arrange their own informal “meet-up” sessions.

MANTRA
d421 = creativity + culture + community

Click here to download a PDF copy of this statement.

Boozhoo (Hello)
My name is Aabita Giizhig (Indian name-Half of a Sky) also known as Michael Bridgeforth. I’m an Anishinabe from the Lac du Flambeau Indian reservation in northern Wisconsin. Currently, I reside in Stevens Point, Wisconsin with my wife, Haley and daughter, Emma.

My love for art and design came at an early age when I won my first coloring contest at 7 years old. In high school I took every art class I could which continued to college (Gateway Tech) where I learned how to apply my creativity to not only paper but the digital medium.

With my degree in Graphic Technology, I headed back home to Lac du Flambeau where I worked as the Editor-Designer for a monthly newspaper called the “Youth News”.

http://www.tribalboy.com/Services/services-rates.html

You may also want to read his paper entitled African-American Designers in Chicago: Some Preliminary Findings.

What is Eco-design? provides solid grounding in eco-design principles and practice, making it an ideal starting place for designers interested in exploring and practicing environmentally sustainable design. Design Victoria engaged Centre for Design RMIT University and consulted WSP Environmental and leading industry experts in the development of the kit.

What is Eco-design? — designvic.com/whatisecodesign
Design Providence — designprovidence.com.au

Highlights: This interactive session will share the successful launch of D421, a growing cross-cultural, interdisciplinary network of leaders in design practice and education who are dedicated to building professional and community relationships and activities that support the interests of, and connections to, minority designers. Come learn about the development of the network and how you can benefit from and contribute to D421 initiatives. There will be plenty of insightful dialogue about the needs of the minority design community and opportunities for collaboration and growth.

Speakers: Eric Anderson, President IDSA, and associate professor of Industrial Design, Carnegie Mellon University; Joi Roberts, design ambassador, Motorola Consumer Experience Design.

For more information on this design forum and other activities for designers of color at NeoCon East, click here.

He is asking for interested persons to enter a project(s) from their firm in this competition. In addition to procuring three judges for the award competition, he has also been asked to invite a dozen firms to enter the competition that are a good representation of Design and Architecture that is coming out of this the DC Metro area. This is a highly esteemed award and is a wonderful opportunity for designer/architects and their firms to be put on an international platform.

Below is some additional information on the Awards program and the event. These documents have been translated from Chinese, please excuse the translation…..

Asia Pacific Federation of Architects/Interior Designers (IAI )
(http://www.iai-ap.org/index.php)
International Federation of Art Design Education (IFAE)
Organization Committee of Shanghai International Creative Industry Week

Location: Rm/618, 6/F, No.45 Guangyuanxi Road , Shanghai ,
China
Zip Code: 200030
Tel: +86-21-62820584, 52300496
Fax: +86-21-62820584
Email: iai.award@yahoo.com.cn
Websites: http://www.iai-ap.org

Chinese Style-IAI 2009 Asia Pacific
Interior Design Awards for Elite

Background Introduction

The twenty-first century is generally considered to belong to Asian Pacific. When the world faces a series of unprecedented challenges, such as natural disasters, worse and worse living surroundings and the changing social environment. Especially in 2008 since the outbreak of financial crisis, the world is in an economic recession and panic. The world can not stay out of this drastic
environment, including China. But for decades with the Chinese economic and political status increasing, China has leapt to the forefront of the world. The world has placed more expectations and hopes on China that China will be able to lead the world out of the crisis and leading the world toward the new millennium.

At the same time, as one of the world civilization region, Chinese culture is also increasingly affecting the world. Oriental elements, especially Chinese elements, are respected around the world. In such special background, Asia Pacific Federation of Architects /Interior designers(IAI) will organize an event of “Chinese Style-IAI 2009 Asia Pacific Interior Design Awards for Elite”, hoping
through this kind of Chinese style event, inviting the famous designers all over the world to research the essence of Chinese culture we can carry it forward to benefit our human being. At the same time, IAI will organize a series of theme activities in the Asian Pacific countries to tap the essence of the excellent culture of all the countries and display to the world public, writing a new chapter of “harmonious world” in the field of cultural innovation.

After Asia Pacific Interior Design Biennial Awards(IAIC), as one of the most important event, with the idea of promoting contemporary advanced science technology, environmental protection and energy saving, “Chinese Style-IAI 2009 Asia Pacific Interior Design Awards for Elite”, which theme is Chinese style, will show their value and effects.

“Chinese Style-IAI 2009 Asia Pacific Interior Design Awards for Elite” is organized and hosted by Asia Pacific Federation of Architects /Interior Designers(IAI), and gets the recognition and supports from Hangzhou West Lake Expo and 2009 China (Hangzhou) International Cultural & Creative Industry Expo. Now it is recognized and supported by the most authoritative design organizations of International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers(IFI), Asia-Pacific Space Designers Association (APSDA) and International Council of Societies of Industrial Design(ICSID). In addition, we get the supports and participation from interior design associations of Asian Pacific countries and of America, Germany, Austria, France and so on.

Event’s theme – Chinese Elements
Event exhibition
1. Time: Sep. 17th – Sep. 20th, 2009.
2. Place: 2009 Hangzhou West Lake International Expo(Main venue of 2009 China (Hangzhou) International Cultural & Creative Industry Expo)
3. Exhibition form: The exhibition area of Asia Pacific entries; The exhibition area of international famous teams;

Organizations
Organizing committee of the event: Asia Pacific Federation of Architects/Interior Designers(IAI), the organizing committee of Hangzhou West Lake Expo, the organizing committee of 2009 China (Hangzhou) International Cultural & Creative Industry Expo

Supporting organizations: International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers(IFI), Asia-Pacific Space Designers Association (APSDA) and International Council of Societies of Industrial Design(ICSID)

Contractors: Shanghai Caicos Business Advisory Management Ltd and Hong Kong D&C Design Cunsultants Ltd.

Cooperation organizations: Malaysian Institute of Geomancy Sciences(MINGS), Taipei Chartered Chamber Association of Interior Design and Decoration, Singapore Interior Designer Association, Malaysia Interior Designer Association, Indonesian Interior Designers Association and Korean Interior Designer Association, and so on.

Event agenda
1. Start-up: The event will be held on 23rd March of 2009 in Hong Kong and there will be a press conference, which
will be held.
2. Work collecting – The organizations, including Asian Pacific design associations and institutes, will invite the local influential designers to participate the events with the entries, which should be in line with the event’s theme, from March 23rd 2009 to August 15th. IAI will take responsibility of the domestic entries and confirm which entries is good enough to be invited to the
event.
3. Review – The panel will select the entries and then give the final results durning August 20th to September 30th 2009, which
won’t open to the publich until October 17th 2009.
4. Awarding – During the Opening Ceremony of Hangzhou West Lake Expo and 2009 China (Hangzhou) International Cultural & Creative Industry Expo on October 17th 2009, the awards giving ceremony will be held. The award-giving guests will announce the final results and issue the awards to the prize-winning designers.
5. Exhibitions – The entries will be exhibited during Hangzhou West Lake Expo and 2009 China (Hangzhou) International Cultural &
Creative Industry Expo from October 17th to 20th 2009. At the same time, there will be the activities on spot, such as the activities of communication and remarks of expert on spot.
6. All the entries will published in the domestic and Asian Pacific areas. And the prizing-winning entries will be exhibited around the country as well as Asian Pacific areas.

Entry’s categories:
1. Commerce – Various commercial space, franchised stores, retail stores, cosmetic salon, fitness centers, theaters and cinemas.
2. Restaurant – All kinds of restaurants and amusement districts.
3. Bar – All kinds of bars, including entertainment districts, lobbies of the hotels and so on.
4. Hotel – All facilities related to the hotel, such as business hotel, city hotel, holiday hotel and so on. The hotel must include guest room, hall, coffee room and so on.
5. Residential Unit – All kinds of living space, such as villas, houses, lofts and flats
6.Project – Any types of design projects is OK.

Entry Requirements
1.Completing the registration form in accordance to the requirement
a. The printed design of the works being evaluated the text (A4)
b. The statement of the entries
c. The printed plan (A4)
d. The printed entry’s pictures (A4, up to 10 images)
e. Individual designers or teams digital photos
f. The entries must be made after January 2008. Including the above-mentioned data to JPG format, a CD-ROM in two pictures request of no less than 350 dpi.The design statement should use Word format.

2. Fee of the participants International designers: $150/each Domestic designers: 800RMB/each
3. Designers should pay for fee of transportation and mailing by yourselves.
4. To participate in a regimental is allowed
5. More works provided by one participant are also allowed, but each should include the mentioned materials above.
6. The host organizers will make an examination of forms. The design works which are incomplete, inaccurate or can
not meet our requirements shall be deemed to be invalid. We have the right to disqualify them from the competition.
7. When you submit entries, please select the category belongs to. If it is hard to decide clearly, the job will be done by the judges.
8. Rights and obligations
a. All persons have the equal rights to participate in the activities of awarding, supervision, and give proposal. The organizing
committee has the obligation of supervision, and listening to proposals;
b. All the participants have the obligation to authorize the organization committee to broadcast, to exhibit and to publish all the
products being evaluated;
c. It is not allowed for the participants to request the organization committee to set back the mark or any other data, or any
forms of damages from the host union, support organization and the organizing committee;
d. And if there is no works to satisfy the standards, the organizing committee reserve the right not to issue any prize;
e. The participants have the full responsibility of their entries, if it is found that the entries being evaluated are not eligible for
the contest, the organizing committee has the right to cancel the qualification in any phrase of the contest and recover it from
the award. Any damages or loss caused by those situations will be undertaken by the participant;
f. In addition to this rule, otherwise expressly regulations provided, the submission, exhibitions, publicity, propaganda,
publishing and all other matters of the contest, the organizers are not entitled to any compensation, consideration, payment
and expense for the participants. Also some special rights or intentions to share the revenue and income are not permitted;
g. The participant has the right to decide whether to join this competition, but once they are engaged in any phrases of the
competition, it will be treated as accepting all of the items of the regulation, together with their explanations.

Disputes:
1. If there is any dispute concerning on the evaluation process, the negotiation is the first way out. In occasion that the problem cannot be solved by themselves, the organizing committee can serve as mediation. When it fails again, the parties themselves could seek legal means.
2. As for other disputes proposed by other parties of the works being evaluated, it should be tackled with by participants themselves and undertake all the responsibilities. Once the host reorganization is involved
in the disputes, all the loss and damages should be born by the participant;.
3. All the disputes during the assembly, evaluation,exhibition and promotion process should be negotiated friendly. If no consensus are reached, the issue can be submitted to the local court to proceed a lawsuit.

Validity and Interpretation
1. The power of interpretation and amendment of this regulation shall be vested in the organizers.
2. This regulation will come into effect from 23rd March,2009.

The Scheme of Setting up Awards
1. Three Best Original Design Award
2. Every categories has one gold medal, two silver medals and 3 e cupreous medals in the project .
3. Ten Asian Pacific Rising Star Award
4. Honor Award

Reviewer
President of the Syndicate: Tonghe Xing(National level architectural master, Dean of 2010 Shanghai Expo Research Centre)

Panel: Donna Robertson, Dean Of Architecture; IIT, Chicago, USA Joseph Rosa, Chief Curator, Chicago Institute of Arts, Chicago, USA
Mitchell Obstfeld, Publisher, i4design magazine, Chicago, USA Tonghe Xing (National level architectural master,
Dean of 2010 Shanghai Expo Research Centre); Shashi Caan(IFI election president, the founder of ShashiCaan Collective Association and ex-President of New York Interior Design College in America); PPerry NG (President of Asia-Pacific Space Designers Association-APSDA, which is the most authoritative ) Claude(ex-President of IFI,ex-President of Canada Interior Design Association and President of Asia Pacific Federation of Architects/Interior Designer) Peter Ebner (one of the most influential architects, and Professor of Technical University in Munich)
Micheal Schwarz(one of the most famous architects and professor of Faculty of Engineering in Ajman University of Science and Technology, UAE,)

IAIC-Awards Organizing Committee
Place: Room 618 at No.45 West Guangyuan Road in Shanghai
Tel: +8621-628211286
Fax : 62821128
Email: iai_cs2009@yahoo.com.cn
http: www.iai-ap.org
Liaison persons: Miss Cong, Miss Guo

Mitchell M. Obstfeld, Publisher
i4design Media LLC
Zhou B. Arts Center
1029 W. 35th St.
Chicago, IL 60609
00.1.773.523.0203
www.i4designmedia.com