Architects Without Borders » Projects

Call for Volunteers: All skill levels welcome at Kent HfH site

admin — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 05:31:26 +0000

Habitat for Humanity – Seattle/South King County has again invited AWB for Build Days at one of their construction sites. We’ll be working at the Kent 3 site doing site work which may include landscape planting, site drainage, setting pavers and installing fences. Every skill level will be welcomed and no prior experience is required.

Two consecutive Build Days are scheduled: Friday Oct 21 and Saturday Oct 22, 2011. The work hours will be 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. We would like to have 20 volunteers for each day.

If you are interested in signing up or want more information, please contact Kalman Axelrod or you can fill out the Volunteer Form and enter HFH/Kent 3 and the date(s) you can attend in the last box along with any other information you’d like to share.

If you would like more general information about Habitat, you can find it on their website.

This is a great opportunity to make a fast tangible contribution to the community, to families working hard to improve their own lives. And along the way, you may learn some new construction skills that could come in handy. We hope to see you out there.

Call for Volunteers: Haiti Project Manager

admin — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 18:22:21 +0000

AWB-Seattle is looking for an Architectural Project Manager to help initiate a new school project in Haiti. Initial efforts will include client coordination, research and organizing the design team. Do you have a background in school design? An interest in Haiti? Please contact Chantal Stevens.

Role of a Project Manager:

Aurora Bridge fence is nearly finished

admin — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 06:24:06 +0000

More than 230 people have jumped to their deaths from the Aurora Bridge since it was built in 1932 — the most recent a teenage girl who leapt last month from between gaps in the nearly completed barrier fence.

AWB-Seattle worked with the Seattle FRIENDS on a design charrette and community facilitation for this important project.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014166543_suicidefence09m.html

Call for Volunteers

admin — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 07:52:01 +0000

Project Opportunity:
AWB-Seattle is working with Helping Link to design and construct a rooftop landscape at their office in Seattle’s Little Saigon. The landscape will serve as a place for learning, inspiration and reflection where kids, adults and seniors can spend time together and connect with nature. We hope to complete the project by Earth Day, April 22, 2011 and are seeking a project manager and project volunteers to help us accomplish this goal.

Helping Link’s mission is “To empower Vietnamese American refugee and immigrant families to achieve personal and family acculturation and self-sufficiency while nurturing community service and youth leadership.” They help immigrant families integrate fully and successfully into American life by acquiring the language, cultural and technical skills needed for independent living. At the same time, they attempt to honor and preserve what is unique in Vietnamese cultural heritage. More information on Helping Link is available at: www.helpinglink.info/

If you are interested in participating please contact Ben Spencer at bspen@uw.edu. We will organize a kick-off meeting in early January!

Brain Power Needed:
Do you have good ideas and the drive to follow through? Ever wanted to be a part of a “Think tank”? AWB-Seattle needs help with a committee to help plan and implement some of our project ideas. Interested parties please contact David Helton at: dbhelto@aol.com

Project Opportunity:
Do you want to help a food bank? Expertise in interior architecture? Good with a tape measure and AutoCAD? Then this project may be for you. AWB is putting together a small team to help the Tukwila Food Pantry improve their flow and efficiency. Interested parties should contact David Helton at: dbhelto@aol.com

Haiti Recap Event – Sept. 9th

admin — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 06:22:23 +0000

09-2010 Haiti Event flyer

Call for Volunteers – Haiti

admin — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:15:47 +0000

Now calling volunteers for teams 2 and 3 to perform building damage assessments in Haiti! The first team had an incredibly rewarding (and very hot) experience.

Volunteers should be:

architect or designer with ATC training (or other relevant experience). See below for info on training opportunity.
or structural engineer
and ready to rough it

We’re anticipating the next team will be in Haiti the first half of July and the third team for the second half of July.
We are collecting donations to help offset costs for the teams, though be prepared to cover your travel expenses and minimal cost for lodging and food upfront, since it is unknown how much we will be able to raise.

If you may be interested in joining the team please contact:
Rachel Minnery: rminnery@gmail.com (architects)
Scott Douglas: sdouglas@dci-engineers.com (engineers)

Thank you! From the disaster coalition of Architects Without Borders-Seattle, SEAW Disaster Response, and the AIA

HAVEN’T DONE THE TRAINING?: We’ve established a special training day for ATC-20 Post-earthquake Safety Evaluation of Buildings on 6/18; 12:30-4:30pm with Behrooz Emam. Register here: http://www.aiaseattle.org/node/4399

OTHER WAYS TO HELP:

If you can’t join the team, but would like to support the cause, your donation is greatly appreciated:
http://awb-seattle.org/haiti-rebuilding-effort/
If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering in a general capacity, see the link to Hands On Disaster Response: http://hands.org/volunteer/

Helping Haiti Meeting – Feb. 2nd

admin — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 07:23:44 +0000

The AIA Diversity Roundtable is sponsoring a meeting on February 2nd at 4pm at the AIA Seattle offices to coordinate and inform the response to the Haitian earthquake. Anyone interested in participating is encouraged to attend and AWB-Seattle will have representatives there, as well as other organizations.

Details:
When: Tuesday, February 2nd at 4pm
Where: AIA Seattle, 1911 1st Ave. phone: 206.448.4938
For more information click here.

New Orleans Volunteer Opportunity

michaelg — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 03:01:44 +0000

Written by Kevin Daniels

Hurricane Katrina remains the single most destructive impact on our country’s cultural heritage since the Civil War.

As preservationists, we share a common love for the built environment and for all the rich and diverse cultural heritage stories that go along with it. Many of us have been involved in battles to save a piece of architectural heritage that we personally hold dear; most of us have also felt the painful sting of battles that have been lost.

Over the last few years, I have taken a group of preservation-minded volunteers to work in the Ninth Ward in New Orleans with the goal of helping that community preserve, protect, and reuse the thousands of homes that were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Now, over four years later, the immense needs of that community remain. I have personally witnessed a slow rebirth of one of the toughest areas in America (the city’s Holy Cross neighborhood), and all of those who have traveled with me previously to New Orleans have a lot to be proud of. We’ve experienced firsthand the power of community to overcome overwhelming odds. We’ve witnessed the grace of a devastated community and their determination to move forward. We’ve also all been touched by the outpouring of gratitude from everyone in New Orleans – not just those directly impacted by the disaster.

Hurricane Katrina remains the single most destructive impact on our country’s cultural heritage since the Civil War. While it’s easy to ignore the work that needs to be done when the story is no longer on the front page, it doesn’t relieve any of us of our obligation to assist in rebuilding that city.

Our group of volunteers from September 2009.

The rebuilding of the Lower Ninth Ward remains an opportunity that you can participate in. I will again lead a team of volunteers down to New Orleans to work on three houses in the Holy Cross neighborhood, this year between April 5th and April 9th. We welcome all talented people to join us, from those who have strong carpentry skills to those who can push a broom, deconstruct, or paint. Everyone is welcome and needed.

While the costs of travel and accommodations are borne by each volunteer, we can assist in finding inexpensive lodging and/or potential roommates.

As all who have gone before will attest, it is a rewarding experience that will stay with you throughout the remainder of your life.

For more information, please contact me at kevin.daniels@nsco.com. Also, click here to learn more about the National Trust’s ongoing Gulf Coast recovery efforts.

Kevin Daniels is a preservationist and developer in Seattle, Washington. He currently serves on the National Trust’s Board of Trustees as vice chair of the Preservation Committee.

Another way to participate in the Build-a-thon

michaelg — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 06:24:52 +0000

Please support of a great cause – Habitat for Humanity of Seattle/South King County is holding their first annual Build-a-thon between September 19th and October 3rd, and they need our support.

ORA and HyBrid Architects have formed a team that will be working on a Habitat home in Pacific this Saturday September 26, so please consider either making a donation or joining us on site (8:30am-1:00pm), or better yet, both! If you want to participate this Saturday, please sign up on-line to join the ORA/HyBrid team, or email Owen Richards if you want to learn more.

To donate or join the ORA/HyBrid team, please go to: http://www.blueskycollaborative.com/hbat/participantpage.asp?fundid=94&uid=454&fkroledescid=1

If you prefer to write a check please make it payable to Habitat for Humanity and send it to ORA Architects, 1205 E Pike Street #2B Seattle, WA 98122.

Why is this so important? Because only 14% of King County housing is available to households earning below 50% of median income (HDC, 2006).This must change. You can lead the way by sponsoring my volunteer hours with the Habitat for Humanity Build-a-Thon!

If you have any questions or want to talk about participating please give Owen a call at 206 625 0941. If you have any questions about Habitat for Humanity or the Build-a-Thon please visit www.habitatbuildathon.org for more information.

Thanks for your support!

Call for Volunteers – Jua Lekundu Foundation

michaelg — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:19:39 +0000

We are currently working with the Seattle-based Non-Profit Jua Lekundu, an organization working towards the creation of a Neighborhood Center in Arusha, Tanzania. Their long term goal is to create a complex of buildings that would be an anchor for the community, including a solar well, school, medical clinic, teaching farm, and residences for volunteers.

Our task is to develop a schematic design in order to assist them in raising funds for the project. The first phase will consist of developing a package including site planning ideas, sustainable concepts, local construction techniques research, and general programming.

If you are interested in joining the design team, please join us for a kick-off meeting on Tuesday, August 18th at Piecora’s Pizza, 6:30pm. Email Carter Woollen at carter@woollenstudio.com for questions and additional information.