Architecture-in-Development (A--D)
Basic information
Project Title
Architecture-in-Development (A--D)
Full project title
Architecture-in-Development (A--D): Connecting Architects With Self-Build Communities Globally
Category
Prioritising the places and people that need it the most
Project Description
Architecture-in-Development (A--D) seeks to accelerate the development of the most inclusive and sustainable architectural projects worldwide by connecting local self-build communities with our global network of 60,000+ architects, building professionals, and blue chip partners and sponsors.
Through our annual Global Challenge we catalyse adoption of our 'Do-it-Together' (DiT) architectural practice; fast tracking innovation for ESG targets and United Nations’ Sustainable Development goals.
Through our annual Global Challenge we catalyse adoption of our 'Do-it-Together' (DiT) architectural practice; fast tracking innovation for ESG targets and United Nations’ Sustainable Development goals.
Geographical Scope
Cross-border/international
Project Region
CROSS-BORDER/INTERNATIONAL: Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Ukraine, Mexico, Colombia, India, Mongolia, Brazil
Urban or rural issues
It addresses urban-rural linkages
Physical or other transformations
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
EU Programme or fund
No
Description of the project
Summary
Architecture-in-Development (A--D) is a Dutch not-for-profit, active in more than 80 countries. Our vision is a world in which architecture serves the needs of many — not just a privileged few.
In the face of intensifying global social and environmental emergencies, ever more local communities are building much-needed schools, housing and other projects for themselves. However, all too often, they lack access to the right professional architectural expertise, and resources, to realise their project. At A--D, we seek out the most inclusive and sustainable architectural projects worldwide and accelerate their development by connecting local self-build communities with our global network of 60,000+ architects, building professionals, and blue chip partners and sponsors.
“Our purpose at A--D is to bring about a paradigm shift in the way we think about and practice architecture in society — from what a client wants, to what humanity needs”. — Rob Breed, Cofounder, Architecture-in-development (2021)
While each project delivered is multifaceted and highly contextual, we strive to achieve the following core outcomes through the initiative: Improved resource access; Empowerment and capacity building; Enhanced social inclusion; and Sustainable impact. By focusing our resources and efforts on those who have been historically marginalized, we demonstrate our commitment to prioritizing the places and people that need it the most for greater equity and social justice, ultimately creating a more just and inclusive society for all – where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
A--D Global Network: https://architectureindevelopment.org/experts
A--D Grand Challenge: https://architectureindevelopment.org/gcg
A--D Do-it-Together (DiT): https://architectureindevelopment.org/news/157
In the face of intensifying global social and environmental emergencies, ever more local communities are building much-needed schools, housing and other projects for themselves. However, all too often, they lack access to the right professional architectural expertise, and resources, to realise their project. At A--D, we seek out the most inclusive and sustainable architectural projects worldwide and accelerate their development by connecting local self-build communities with our global network of 60,000+ architects, building professionals, and blue chip partners and sponsors.
“Our purpose at A--D is to bring about a paradigm shift in the way we think about and practice architecture in society — from what a client wants, to what humanity needs”. — Rob Breed, Cofounder, Architecture-in-development (2021)
While each project delivered is multifaceted and highly contextual, we strive to achieve the following core outcomes through the initiative: Improved resource access; Empowerment and capacity building; Enhanced social inclusion; and Sustainable impact. By focusing our resources and efforts on those who have been historically marginalized, we demonstrate our commitment to prioritizing the places and people that need it the most for greater equity and social justice, ultimately creating a more just and inclusive society for all – where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
A--D Global Network: https://architectureindevelopment.org/experts
A--D Grand Challenge: https://architectureindevelopment.org/gcg
A--D Do-it-Together (DiT): https://architectureindevelopment.org/news/157
Key objectives for sustainability
A--D revolves around creating lasting and sustainable change within the communities. Our project aims to address the root causes of challenges and promote environmentally sustainable practices, for which the following objectives help guide in our sustainability efforts:
[a] Strengthening Local Capacities: A--D focuses on helping build the capacity of local communities through enabling them to effectively address their own challenges and drive their own development. Through matchmaking of project support, services, resources and knowledge expertise, we enable individuals and communities to collaborate on their own initiatives and sustainably manage shared resources.
[b] Long-Term Impact and Community Empowerment: Our project aims to create lasting change by focusing on strengthening local capacities and empowering communities. By involving local stakeholders in decision-making processes, needs assessments, and project planning, we ensure that interventions are tailored to the specific needs and context of the communities. This ensures that the impact of our interventions extends well beyond the project's duration, fostering sustainable development and resilience with(in) the communities.
[c] Resource Mobilisation: We actively collaborate with local, regional, national, and international organizations to strengthen ongoing partnerships. By forging alliances with organizations that share our commitment to sustainability, we leverage collective resources, expertise, and networks for greater impact. This supports knowledge exchange, sharing of best practices, and learning from each other's experiences, enhancing our project's sustainability efforts.
We aim to serve as a model for promoting long-lasting and environmentally conscious development. Through community empowerment, integration of sustainable practices and strategic partnerships to scale, we strive for a project that embodies sustainability at its core.
[a] Strengthening Local Capacities: A--D focuses on helping build the capacity of local communities through enabling them to effectively address their own challenges and drive their own development. Through matchmaking of project support, services, resources and knowledge expertise, we enable individuals and communities to collaborate on their own initiatives and sustainably manage shared resources.
[b] Long-Term Impact and Community Empowerment: Our project aims to create lasting change by focusing on strengthening local capacities and empowering communities. By involving local stakeholders in decision-making processes, needs assessments, and project planning, we ensure that interventions are tailored to the specific needs and context of the communities. This ensures that the impact of our interventions extends well beyond the project's duration, fostering sustainable development and resilience with(in) the communities.
[c] Resource Mobilisation: We actively collaborate with local, regional, national, and international organizations to strengthen ongoing partnerships. By forging alliances with organizations that share our commitment to sustainability, we leverage collective resources, expertise, and networks for greater impact. This supports knowledge exchange, sharing of best practices, and learning from each other's experiences, enhancing our project's sustainability efforts.
We aim to serve as a model for promoting long-lasting and environmentally conscious development. Through community empowerment, integration of sustainable practices and strategic partnerships to scale, we strive for a project that embodies sustainability at its core.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
While A--D primarily focuses on connecting local self-build communities with our global network for co-addressing needs of marginalized communities, aesthetics and quality of experience are also key objectives for this. This is achieved through the shared access to members of our A--D network, whereby the connection of global and local can yield shared learnings and hybrid forms of construction that are still led by the community and visually appealing, culturally sensitive, and inclusive. This is important as aesthetics, while distinctive, is of place. We therefore seek to enable:
[a] Sensitivity to Local Context: As mentioned, any interventions locally initiated but globally collaborative, and therefore culturally sensitive and considerate of the local context. By working closely with the communities, we gain insights into their cultural values, aesthetics, and preferences, allowing us to design interventions that resonate with their identity and enhance their experience.
[b] Cultural Preservation and Celebration: The community projects cary a distinct cultural diversity and heritage of the communities that participate in the platform and Global Challenge (GC) programme, through which they are enabled to preserve and celebrate local cultures, traditions, and identities and, by extension, the overall quality of experience for the community itself.
[c] Community Engagement and Placemaking: The sense of ownership garnered through the collaborations extend across a diversity of stakeholders; especially local community members, beneficiaries, local consultancy groups, and civil society representatives. Through such active community engagement, a sense of belonging and ownership is fostered that can sustain new projects and ideas and, by extension, new constructions and initiatives that embody the aesthetics of the design processes themselves.
[a] Sensitivity to Local Context: As mentioned, any interventions locally initiated but globally collaborative, and therefore culturally sensitive and considerate of the local context. By working closely with the communities, we gain insights into their cultural values, aesthetics, and preferences, allowing us to design interventions that resonate with their identity and enhance their experience.
[b] Cultural Preservation and Celebration: The community projects cary a distinct cultural diversity and heritage of the communities that participate in the platform and Global Challenge (GC) programme, through which they are enabled to preserve and celebrate local cultures, traditions, and identities and, by extension, the overall quality of experience for the community itself.
[c] Community Engagement and Placemaking: The sense of ownership garnered through the collaborations extend across a diversity of stakeholders; especially local community members, beneficiaries, local consultancy groups, and civil society representatives. Through such active community engagement, a sense of belonging and ownership is fostered that can sustain new projects and ideas and, by extension, new constructions and initiatives that embody the aesthetics of the design processes themselves.
Key objectives for inclusion
By leveraging our digital platform connecting local experts with shared resourcing, we aim to empower our members to collectively build social capital and access a broader global network (Please see uploaded document ‘A--D_Process Stage I Graphics.pdf’). Through our digital connecting, we can maximise the number of participants, thereby enabling optimal inclusivity. We achieve this through:
[a] The Global Challenge program (GC) promotes the best DiT practices and identifies projects where marginalised communities play a pivotal role. Through improved access, we can ensure that these essential services are available to the people who need them the most.
[b] The GC accelerator and ‘On-the-Move’ programs work side-by-side. While the accelerator facilitates online connections, 'On-the-Move' prioritizes in-person connections, bridging regional support networks.
[c] The website is where we continue to build a network of aspiring communities and professionals while documenting the learnings for the DiT knowledge base. We work towards promoting shared learning, helping to create a more cohesive and harmonious society where everyone feels valued and included.
[d] Our programs culminate in live events, recognizing stakeholders and enhancing community teams' access to resources.
To ensure long-term sustainability, we are transitioning A--D into a network-based organisation, empowering our most dedicated stakeholders, particularly educational institutions, to adopt our programs and approaches (As in Section: High potential for transferability and replicability).
Key Links:
A--D GC Finalists: https://architectureindevelopment.org/news/170
A--D GC: https://architectureindevelopment.org/global-challenge
A--D GC Guidelines: https://architectureindevelopment.org/global-challenge-guidelines
A--D Network: https://architectureindevelopment.org/network
A--D Projects: https://architectureindevelopment.org/projects
A--D Website: https://architectureindevelopment.org
[a] The Global Challenge program (GC) promotes the best DiT practices and identifies projects where marginalised communities play a pivotal role. Through improved access, we can ensure that these essential services are available to the people who need them the most.
[b] The GC accelerator and ‘On-the-Move’ programs work side-by-side. While the accelerator facilitates online connections, 'On-the-Move' prioritizes in-person connections, bridging regional support networks.
[c] The website is where we continue to build a network of aspiring communities and professionals while documenting the learnings for the DiT knowledge base. We work towards promoting shared learning, helping to create a more cohesive and harmonious society where everyone feels valued and included.
[d] Our programs culminate in live events, recognizing stakeholders and enhancing community teams' access to resources.
To ensure long-term sustainability, we are transitioning A--D into a network-based organisation, empowering our most dedicated stakeholders, particularly educational institutions, to adopt our programs and approaches (As in Section: High potential for transferability and replicability).
Key Links:
A--D GC Finalists: https://architectureindevelopment.org/news/170
A--D GC: https://architectureindevelopment.org/global-challenge
A--D GC Guidelines: https://architectureindevelopment.org/global-challenge-guidelines
A--D Network: https://architectureindevelopment.org/network
A--D Projects: https://architectureindevelopment.org/projects
A--D Website: https://architectureindevelopment.org
How Citizens benefit
Citizens/community groups have demonstrated benefits from our digital platform initiative for their built projects, throughout which their active involvement and participation has been sustained throughout the project processes. We recognize the importance of engaging them in decision-making as their perspectives, needs and sense of ownership are central to the projects’ success and longevity.
While each project delivered is multifaceted and highly contextual, we serve to foster key components in our project assessment and skills matchmaking strategy to involve citizens and end-users. These include:
[a] Needs assessment: We have conducted surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions with the target groups to understand their specific needs, challenges, and aspirations. This has allowed us to tailor our project activities to address their specific requirements effectively:
[b] Participatory planning/Co-implementation: The local communities have been actively involved in the planning phase of each project, as these are the projects that they propose. Through community meetings and workshops to share their ideas, suggestions, and concerns, this collaborative approach has ensured that their voices are heard and their priorities are taken into account in shaping the project's design and, extendedly, co-implementation through volunteers, community mobilizers, and local coordinators.
[c] Monitoring and evaluation: Citizens and civil society have also played a crucial role in monitoring the project's progress and evaluating its impact. They have been involved in data collection, feedback collection, and analysis. This participatory approach has provided valuable insights and feedback on the effectiveness and relevance of the project, enabling us to make necessary adjustments and improvements along the way.
Their meaningful engagement has not only enhanced the project's impact but has also fostered a sense of shared responsibility and collective action.
While each project delivered is multifaceted and highly contextual, we serve to foster key components in our project assessment and skills matchmaking strategy to involve citizens and end-users. These include:
[a] Needs assessment: We have conducted surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions with the target groups to understand their specific needs, challenges, and aspirations. This has allowed us to tailor our project activities to address their specific requirements effectively:
[b] Participatory planning/Co-implementation: The local communities have been actively involved in the planning phase of each project, as these are the projects that they propose. Through community meetings and workshops to share their ideas, suggestions, and concerns, this collaborative approach has ensured that their voices are heard and their priorities are taken into account in shaping the project's design and, extendedly, co-implementation through volunteers, community mobilizers, and local coordinators.
[c] Monitoring and evaluation: Citizens and civil society have also played a crucial role in monitoring the project's progress and evaluating its impact. They have been involved in data collection, feedback collection, and analysis. This participatory approach has provided valuable insights and feedback on the effectiveness and relevance of the project, enabling us to make necessary adjustments and improvements along the way.
Their meaningful engagement has not only enhanced the project's impact but has also fostered a sense of shared responsibility and collective action.
Physical or other transformations
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
Innovative character
In an ever evolving world, gaps between resources and opportunities continue to persist for individuals and communities who have been historically and systematically disadvantaged in remote or underserved areas. Rather than imposing top-down service provision in resource-constrained areas, we instead connect local community experts with existing resources trans-locally in such a way that the communities take the lead on decision-making; increasing shared resources and opportunities with them.
We achieve this through our annual Global Challenge (GC), through which we catalyse the adoption of the architectural practice that we call 'Do-it-Together' (DiT), where professional architects and building professionals collaborate with self-build communities – a different approach than others in the field. Further to this, our holistic and interdisciplinary approach combines knowledge from different fields/disciplines to address the complex problems we are tackling. Indeed, the problem might be similar in two difference places – but the solution could be different. We also involve the local communities in decision-making and planning to ensure that our interventions are tailored to their specific needs.
While mainstream actions in the field tend to focus on addressing immediate needs, our project incorporates several innovative elements that contribute to more comprehensive and sustainable outcomes. Specifically, A--D is explicitly built on (i) holistic and interdisciplinary approach; (ii) participatory community-driven design; (iii) innovative use of digital through our platform to connect groups at scale; and (iv) longstanding emphasis on feedback loops/shared learnings after construction for sustainability and long-term impact. By going beyond mainstream actions and embracing these innovative elements, we aim to address the underlying causes of challenges, empower communities, and create lasting positive change in the world of architecture ‘in’ development.
We achieve this through our annual Global Challenge (GC), through which we catalyse the adoption of the architectural practice that we call 'Do-it-Together' (DiT), where professional architects and building professionals collaborate with self-build communities – a different approach than others in the field. Further to this, our holistic and interdisciplinary approach combines knowledge from different fields/disciplines to address the complex problems we are tackling. Indeed, the problem might be similar in two difference places – but the solution could be different. We also involve the local communities in decision-making and planning to ensure that our interventions are tailored to their specific needs.
While mainstream actions in the field tend to focus on addressing immediate needs, our project incorporates several innovative elements that contribute to more comprehensive and sustainable outcomes. Specifically, A--D is explicitly built on (i) holistic and interdisciplinary approach; (ii) participatory community-driven design; (iii) innovative use of digital through our platform to connect groups at scale; and (iv) longstanding emphasis on feedback loops/shared learnings after construction for sustainability and long-term impact. By going beyond mainstream actions and embracing these innovative elements, we aim to address the underlying causes of challenges, empower communities, and create lasting positive change in the world of architecture ‘in’ development.
Disciplines/knowledge reflected
The Global Challenge (GC) is a biennial competition organised by A--D that recognises the most sustainable architectural projects around the world, and helps accelerate their development. We enable a diversity of knowledge fields and discipline through our project assessment and matchmaking platform, as it embeds our global network and ambassadors at its core.
To close out the 6-month GC accelerator program for our 2021 finalists, we asked the project leaders and board of experts where the Global Challenge (GC) had helped them the most. These needs were then connected to our global network across a variety of disciplines, regions, resources and skillsets. These disciplines include (but not limited to) : Architecture, Human Geographies, Urbanism, Engineering and Technology, Social Sciences and Environmental Sciences.
All the teams greatly valued the ability to connect to peers and learn from similar initiatives from other regions. Not only the finalists but many A--D’s ambassadors recognised that the network is an important element that added value to their daily practice. Especially for an early-phase initiative such as Rebuilding the Haadibadi Community library (India): through A--D’s network the team connected to a wide range of multidisciplinary partners from an engineering studio to a business advisor who would have otherwise been inaccessible for such a self-build community project. The added value of this interdisciplinary process was the generation of innovative solutions, enhanced problem-solving capacity, and a more holistic understanding of the project's challenges/impacts.
The collaboration of representatives from different disciplines enhanced problem-solving capacity, minimized knowledge gaps, and also facilitated knowledge exchange, learning, and capacity building among the team members, fostering a collaborative and dynamic project environment.
https://architectureindevelopment.org/news/164
https://architectureindevelopment.org/news/175
To close out the 6-month GC accelerator program for our 2021 finalists, we asked the project leaders and board of experts where the Global Challenge (GC) had helped them the most. These needs were then connected to our global network across a variety of disciplines, regions, resources and skillsets. These disciplines include (but not limited to) : Architecture, Human Geographies, Urbanism, Engineering and Technology, Social Sciences and Environmental Sciences.
All the teams greatly valued the ability to connect to peers and learn from similar initiatives from other regions. Not only the finalists but many A--D’s ambassadors recognised that the network is an important element that added value to their daily practice. Especially for an early-phase initiative such as Rebuilding the Haadibadi Community library (India): through A--D’s network the team connected to a wide range of multidisciplinary partners from an engineering studio to a business advisor who would have otherwise been inaccessible for such a self-build community project. The added value of this interdisciplinary process was the generation of innovative solutions, enhanced problem-solving capacity, and a more holistic understanding of the project's challenges/impacts.
The collaboration of representatives from different disciplines enhanced problem-solving capacity, minimized knowledge gaps, and also facilitated knowledge exchange, learning, and capacity building among the team members, fostering a collaborative and dynamic project environment.
https://architectureindevelopment.org/news/164
https://architectureindevelopment.org/news/175
Methodology used
As mentioned, our open access digital platform of Architecture-in-Development (A--D) seeks to accelerate the development of the most inclusive and sustainable architectural projects worldwide by connecting local self-build communities with our global network of 60,000+ architects, building professionals, and blue chip partners and sponsors.
We catalyse adoption of our 'Do-it-Together' (DiT) architectural practice; fast tracking innovation for ESG targets and United Nations’ Sustainable Development goals. We achieve this through our (now) biennial Grand Challenge (GC); an annual competition we prototyped in 2021 and 2022 that identifies and showcases the most impactful, inclusive and sustainable architectural projects worldwide, accelerating their development. This follows a comprehensive and participatory methodology with key ingredients of each GC:
[a] Needs Assessment: A thorough needs assessment to understand the specific challenges, priorities, and aspirations of the communities’ knowledge of their local challenge areas and project potential.
[b] Collaborative Design: We adopt a participatory approach in the project's design phase. This involves working closely with local communities and our A--D global network to co-design interventions that are contextually appropriate and responsive to their social, economic, environmental, and cultural needs.
[c] Capacity Building and Empowerment: Our approach emphasizes capacity building and empowerment of local communities. Through resource mobilisation, we aim to capture and mobilise shared learnings to track progress, measure impact, and learn from our experiences.
A--D_AD: https://www.archdaily.com/969701
A--D News: https://architectureindevelopment.org/news/157
GC2021_a: https://youtu.be/XXNVEYgqJbE
GC2021_b: https://youtu.be/5evnuDQ1usA
GC2022: https://youtu.be/XwSWAuhjf2I
We catalyse adoption of our 'Do-it-Together' (DiT) architectural practice; fast tracking innovation for ESG targets and United Nations’ Sustainable Development goals. We achieve this through our (now) biennial Grand Challenge (GC); an annual competition we prototyped in 2021 and 2022 that identifies and showcases the most impactful, inclusive and sustainable architectural projects worldwide, accelerating their development. This follows a comprehensive and participatory methodology with key ingredients of each GC:
[a] Needs Assessment: A thorough needs assessment to understand the specific challenges, priorities, and aspirations of the communities’ knowledge of their local challenge areas and project potential.
[b] Collaborative Design: We adopt a participatory approach in the project's design phase. This involves working closely with local communities and our A--D global network to co-design interventions that are contextually appropriate and responsive to their social, economic, environmental, and cultural needs.
[c] Capacity Building and Empowerment: Our approach emphasizes capacity building and empowerment of local communities. Through resource mobilisation, we aim to capture and mobilise shared learnings to track progress, measure impact, and learn from our experiences.
A--D_AD: https://www.archdaily.com/969701
A--D News: https://architectureindevelopment.org/news/157
GC2021_a: https://youtu.be/XXNVEYgqJbE
GC2021_b: https://youtu.be/5evnuDQ1usA
GC2022: https://youtu.be/XwSWAuhjf2I
How stakeholders are engaged
At A--D, each project is engaged based on the needs identified by the local community. After building an ongoing database of global network collaborators (now 60,000+ architects, building professionals, and blue chip partners and sponsors: https://architectureindevelopment.org/network), we launch our biennial Grand Challenge for projects — as distinct from our wider database of shared learning, insights and precedent project inspirations (Please see filter in: https://architectureindevelopment.org/projects)
Each selected project was then resource-connected based on their community-identified needs and stage of development. This included stakeholders at the local, regional/national, and International levels, each contributing unique perspectives and resources to enrich the project's outcomes:
[a] Local stakeholders: Local community members were actively involved in the project. They had a participatory role in the design phase, sharing their insights, needs, and aspirations. Their involvement helped shape project activities that directly addressed their specific context and challenges.
[b] Regional/National stakeholders: Regional/National authorities, local/central government organizations, and relevant NGOs provided support, guidance, and resources to facilitate effective implementation. The added value of their engagement was ensuring regional backing and support, and prospectively facilitating potential scaling up or replication of successful interventions.
[c] International stakeholders: As mentioned, our global network networks were also involved in the projects through consultations, project reporting, evaluations, and participation in conferences and events. This engagement helped enhance the projects’ credibility, visibility, and recognition, facilitating cross-learning and collaboration.
https://architectureindevelopment.org/2022-global-challenge-partners
https://architectureindevelopment.org/2022-global-challenge-sponsors
Each selected project was then resource-connected based on their community-identified needs and stage of development. This included stakeholders at the local, regional/national, and International levels, each contributing unique perspectives and resources to enrich the project's outcomes:
[a] Local stakeholders: Local community members were actively involved in the project. They had a participatory role in the design phase, sharing their insights, needs, and aspirations. Their involvement helped shape project activities that directly addressed their specific context and challenges.
[b] Regional/National stakeholders: Regional/National authorities, local/central government organizations, and relevant NGOs provided support, guidance, and resources to facilitate effective implementation. The added value of their engagement was ensuring regional backing and support, and prospectively facilitating potential scaling up or replication of successful interventions.
[c] International stakeholders: As mentioned, our global network networks were also involved in the projects through consultations, project reporting, evaluations, and participation in conferences and events. This engagement helped enhance the projects’ credibility, visibility, and recognition, facilitating cross-learning and collaboration.
https://architectureindevelopment.org/2022-global-challenge-partners
https://architectureindevelopment.org/2022-global-challenge-sponsors
Global challenges
In the last century, modern building knowledge, techniques and mass-produced industrial materials have dominated the production of space. Just as any modern society of efficiency, the world of professional architecture is organised by clear roles and responsibilities - clients, designers, advisors, managers, and contractors who collaborate according to contracts and financial means.
Today, professional and vernacular architecture seem like two arrows moving away in opposite directions. Professional architecture develops into different specialisations, as they become more and more specific, they move further away from the ordinary needs of people. As Paul Polak once stated, 90% of the world’s designers spent all of their time addressing the needs of the richest 10% of the world’s customers. Even though the global poverty rate has since dropped, that ratio hasn’t changed much. The majority of trained professional architects continue to serve mainly the privileged few.
‘Do-It-Together’ (DiT) architecture provides a testing ground where modern meets grassroots, formal meets vernacular, professionals meet self-builders. People bring different skill sets, sociocultural backgrounds, and life experiences together on a physical site. Confronted with major social, humanitarian and ecological challenges in a rapidly globalizing world, DiT might be a reason and answer for those searching for new meanings and values of togetherness and a sense of place – mobilised through projects with key focus areas for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) targets and United Nations’ Sustainable Development goals.
By providing localized solutions to these global challenges, our project recognizes the importance of starting at the local level to contribute to the larger agenda of achieving sustainable development for global impact.
https://architectureindevelopment.org/about
https://architectureindevelopment.org/news/157
https://architectureindevelopment.org/news/161
Today, professional and vernacular architecture seem like two arrows moving away in opposite directions. Professional architecture develops into different specialisations, as they become more and more specific, they move further away from the ordinary needs of people. As Paul Polak once stated, 90% of the world’s designers spent all of their time addressing the needs of the richest 10% of the world’s customers. Even though the global poverty rate has since dropped, that ratio hasn’t changed much. The majority of trained professional architects continue to serve mainly the privileged few.
‘Do-It-Together’ (DiT) architecture provides a testing ground where modern meets grassroots, formal meets vernacular, professionals meet self-builders. People bring different skill sets, sociocultural backgrounds, and life experiences together on a physical site. Confronted with major social, humanitarian and ecological challenges in a rapidly globalizing world, DiT might be a reason and answer for those searching for new meanings and values of togetherness and a sense of place – mobilised through projects with key focus areas for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) targets and United Nations’ Sustainable Development goals.
By providing localized solutions to these global challenges, our project recognizes the importance of starting at the local level to contribute to the larger agenda of achieving sustainable development for global impact.
https://architectureindevelopment.org/about
https://architectureindevelopment.org/news/157
https://architectureindevelopment.org/news/161
Learning transferred to other parties
At A--D we aim to ‘Do-it-Together’ in practice, whereby our platform can serve as an exemplar for extending, transferring and scaling best practice and shared learnings across sectors, regions and projects globally. For example, we now have built an extended network (https://architectureindevelopment.org/network) and database of 400+ self-build community projects from around the world (https://architectureindevelopment.org/projects). All challenge projects exemplify the practice that we call Do-it-Together (DiT), where architectural professionals collaborate with self-build communities to help them realise their ambition.
After considerable time developing our network initiative and moving from ‘0 to 1’, we are now at a stage where we can formalise learning outcomes and feedback loops from, in and between the projects and network members. This content, as well as its structure itself, incorporates elements that can be replicated or transferred to other places, groups of beneficiaries, and contexts. These elements include, but not limited to:
[a] Participatory Design Approach and Interdisciplinary Collaboration: The participatory processes approach we employ can be replicated in other locations and with different groups of beneficiaries; an approach ensuring that interventions are contextually relevant and tailored to the specific needs of the target communities and comprehensive solutions with social, economic, environmental, and cultural factors.
[c] Lessons Learned and Best Practices: The lessons learned from our project, along with identified best practices, can be transferred to other projects and contexts. This includes documenting and sharing the knowledge and experiences gained throughout the projects’ implementation. These learnings can inform future projects, guiding decision-making, and avoiding potential pitfalls. Disseminating best practices allows for the replication of successful approaches.
After considerable time developing our network initiative and moving from ‘0 to 1’, we are now at a stage where we can formalise learning outcomes and feedback loops from, in and between the projects and network members. This content, as well as its structure itself, incorporates elements that can be replicated or transferred to other places, groups of beneficiaries, and contexts. These elements include, but not limited to:
[a] Participatory Design Approach and Interdisciplinary Collaboration: The participatory processes approach we employ can be replicated in other locations and with different groups of beneficiaries; an approach ensuring that interventions are contextually relevant and tailored to the specific needs of the target communities and comprehensive solutions with social, economic, environmental, and cultural factors.
[c] Lessons Learned and Best Practices: The lessons learned from our project, along with identified best practices, can be transferred to other projects and contexts. This includes documenting and sharing the knowledge and experiences gained throughout the projects’ implementation. These learnings can inform future projects, guiding decision-making, and avoiding potential pitfalls. Disseminating best practices allows for the replication of successful approaches.
Keywords
Community
Resource Mobilisation
Inclusion
Network
Equity
