Archive for May, 2010

  • softhouse4

    The Haiti Softhouse launches in New York

    Posted on May 28, 2010 | No Comments

    About the SoftHouse:

    The HaitiSOFTHOUSE is a flexible and sustainable approach to shelter that provides immediate transitional housing, community development and reconstruction solutions.

    The Haiti SoftHouse is a flexible and sustainable approach to shelter that provides an immediate transitional solution for short term housing, community development and reconstruction. The shelter is designed to withstand tropical storms and hurricanes with up to 130mph winds, resist earthquakes, and provide a healthy, well ventilated environment. The flexibility of the structure allows for multiple unit combinations, addressing domestic space needs, institutional needs and community needs.

    The design features a lightweight and easy-to-assemble structural steel frame that receives a modern, breathable, high performance fabric with excellent weather capabilities. The structure can be mounted on a concrete slab or integrate into a prefab concrete foundation manufactured locally from recycled concrete rubble. The structure is designed to be assembled with few people in one day or less.

    Given the superior environmental performance and structural stability of the design, this system can be reused in various configurations and sites as needed and the high-performance material can be recycled into smaller applications and integrated into the local economy at the end of the shelter’s life cycle.

    The Haiti SoftHouse project and HiBIscus, have identified a site in Jacmel, Haiti with the assistance of The Rural Haiti Project for the initial construction of prototypes for field testing by June of 2010. In conjunction with the Rural Haiti Project, the Haiti SoftHouse is intended to expand and evolve into the Jacmel SOFTVILLAGE in 2010. The Haiti SoftHouse shall serve as an active case study for implementation of transitional communities and allow time for more comprehensive long term sustainable strategies for permanent reconstruction and development in Haiti.

    The Haiti SoftHouse initiative goes beyond providing a unique and effective design solution by identifying strategies for local manufacture and distribution once the initial prototyping is complete. In this sense, the Haiti SoftHouse, through implementation has the capacity to stimulate the local economy and transfer design and fabrication expertise in a manner that promotes sustainable solutions which transform local communities both environmentally and economically.

    Haitian American Architect and NOMA member Rodney Leon is one of the designers of the Haiti Softhouse, visit  his website: http://www.rodneyleon.com.

    Funders/Designers/Fabricators/Partners:

    Lonn Combs, AIA; Project Director / Principal

    Rodney Leon, AIA and NOMA; Project Manager / Principal

    Mark Parsons; Designer / Principal

    Dragana Zoric, RA, RLA; Architect / Principal

    Jun Pak; Designer

    Consulting Team:

    Robert Otani, PE; Engineer

    Thornton Tomassetti

    Lance Redford; Non-for-Profit Liaison

    Manufacturer:

    Fabric Images, Elgin Illinois

    Marco Alvarez, CEO; Fabric Images

    Sam Lugiano; Architecture & Design

    Fabric Images – New York


    Haiti SoftHouse EVENT Launch:

    Deutsche Bank, the Haitian Roundtable, SIMACT Inc. and The Haitian Fund for Reconstruction invite you to attend the opening reception and fundraiser for the Haiti SoftHouse Project.

    Thursday, June 3, 2010

    • Deutsche Bank
    • 60 Wall Street, New York, NY
    • (Between William St. Pearl St.)
    • 6:00pm-8:30pm

    MUST RSVP for ENTRY: haitianroundtable@gmail.com

    Event Details:

    • 6:00pm SoftHouse Exhibition
    • 6:30pm Program and Remarks by Ambassador Voltaire and Rodney Leon, The SoftHouse Group
    • 7:30pm Cocktail Reception

    Special Guest: Ambassador Leslie Voltaire, Chief Envoy, Permanent Mission of Haiti To the United Nations

    Suggested Donation $100.00

    Checks Payable to: Haiti SoftHouse C/O Rural Haiti Project

    RSVP to haitianroundtable@gmail.com by June 2, 2010

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  • kit-1

    Are You Ready? Prepping for Your Kitchen Renovation Project

    Posted on May 24, 2010 | No Comments

    by Aishah Coleman

    Are you ready for a kitchen remodel? Well, how old are your kitchen cabinets, circa 1980 with yellow laminate countertops and wall paneling?

    Do you have missing drawer fronts and cabinet doors hanging off the hinge? Are you countertops cluttered because you lack storage space?

    Before you take that sledgehammer to those cabinets to achieve that stylish, modern, “energy efficient” dream kitchen, here are a few tips consider if you are ready:

    1. Determine your budget. This is critical. You have to know how much money you have and how much you are willing to spend. This will not only help you to determine the type of kitchen you want, but it will narrow down the type of kitchen you can AFFORD. You might have champagne taste, but working with a beer budget. Kitchen remodeling projects can cost anywhere from $15, 000 to $50,000 with cabinets taking up 60% of the cost, followed by appliances and countertops. Start researching by visiting kitchen showrooms, your local home improvement store or ask family, friends or neighbors who just completed a kitchen renovation. You’ll get a better idea of cost and be able to create a realistic budget. Also working with a kitchen designer will help you narrow down your choices. (we’ll go into more details about designers in the 2nd part of this series)
    2. Set aside additional funds for food. When you start your kitchen remodeling project, you will be eating out, microwaving TV dinners or eating at somebody’s house. The refrigerator may be relocated to another part of the house, but you will be living without a working stove for a while, so be ready.
    3. De-clutter. Do I need to spell it out? D-E-C-L-U-T-T-E-R! This is the time to start throwing out everything in your kitchen that you forgot was there. Just like you clean out your closets of clothes we haven’t worn in 6 months (well I hope that’s what you do), you need to do the same thing in your kitchen. The last thing you want is to bring “junk” into your new kitchen.
    4. Be prepared to have your life turned upside down for at least 1 to 3 months depending on the size of your kitchen. Home improvement is stressful. You have to be mentally prepared for this challenge. And lastly, be prepared for the amount of dust that will be generated. If you or family members have asthma or allergies, you might want to consider staying elsewhere during the demolition process.

    Okay, so do you still think you are ready for your kitchen remodeling project? If you are, don’t start tearing down those cabinets just yet, you have to start designing you kitchen. In the next series, we will discuss the benefits of hiring a kitchen designer; walk you through the process of choosing appliances and what new products are on the market. Stay tuned for part 2 of this series: Designing your kitchen: Benefits of hiring a professional.

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  • Haiti_Small

    Rebuilding a Sustainable Haiti: Symposium – June 4

    Posted on May 24, 2010 | No Comments

    Urgent as the immediate need for shelter and housing is, Haiti’s long-term economic and social welfare depends on a comprehensive approach to planning for a more sustainable future; the rebuilding process must seek to transform the country’s built environment, not just replace it. With the help of many foreign countries, NGOs, and its own rich diaspora community, the Haitian government has developed the outlines of a post-earthquake action plan, the Action Plan for the Reconstruction and National Development of Haiti.Using this plan and its corollary, the Post Disaster Needs Assessment as a starting point for discussion, the Institute for Urban Design is planning a major conference on June 4 focused on long-term and sustainable rebuilding in Haiti.

    IfUD will convene architects, planners, public health specialists, representatives from NGOs, and government officials from both Haiti and the United States to identify specific needs, and develop an action plan to address them. The conference is designed to leverage the incredible experience of the design and planning community in the Northeast, complementing local efforts to rebuild in an innovative and just way.

    Leading this important discussion is Leslie Voltaire, the planner heading the Haitian government’s Reconstruction Team and a UN Special Envoy to Haiti. He will be joined by a panelists with a wealth of experience in the worlds of development, infrastructure, land tenure, education, slum upgrading, and post-disaster planning. They include:

    Ami Desai, Foreign Policy Advisor, Clinton Foundation

    Patrice Nevil, Director of Infrastructure, Partners in Health

    Chris Williams, Washington DC Representative, UN-HABITAT

    Louis Herms Marcelin, Director, Interuniversity Institute for Research and Development Haiti (INURED)

    David Evans, Chief Technical Advisor, UN-HABITAT Sri Lanka

    Steven Lewis, President, National Organization of Minority Architects

    Event Info

    Friday, June 4, 2010
    Rose Auditorium, Cooper Union
    41 Cooper Square
    New York, New York
    1:00 PM – 6:00 PM

    For More Details: http://www.ifud.org/haiti/

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  • Haitian Reconstruction Fund

    Haitian Reconstruction Fund

    Posted on May 12, 2010 | No Comments

    by Atim Annette Oton

    Brazil became the first contributor to the Haitian Reconstruction Fund, managed by the World Bank. This is the first country to fulfill its promise of the $10 Billion promised to Haiti at the International Donors’ Conference.

    WASHINGTON, May 11 (Reuters) – Brazil became the first contributor to a reconstruction fund for Haiti on Tuesday and World Bank President Robert Zoellick urged other donor nations to make good on their aid pledges to help the Caribbean country rebuild from a devastating earthquake in January.

    Brazil, which commands a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti, said it had paid $55 million into the World Bank-supervised fund. In March, international donors pledged $10 billion over a decade to help impoverished Haiti rebuild. See details here:  Reuters.

    The Haitian Reconstruction Fund

    At the International Donors Conference, the Haitian Government reveled an Action Plan for the country. The fund is a means to finance the Rebuilding Plan of the Haitian government after the January 12 Earthquake. According to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, ”This plan represents a renewed commitment by the Haitian Government to define needs and priorities, to step up accountability and transparency, and to improve delivery of services.” The Fund will enable all partners, including bilateral donors, the Inter-American Development Bank and the United Nations to work in a coordinated, transparent and efficient manner taking into account the Government’s priorities.

    The Fund is in part based on Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) of Haiti in January that was carried out by a joint team of national and international experts, who were actively assisted by representatives of NGOs and the Haitian civil society The Haitian Reconstruction Fund is focused on macro-economic projections between now and 2015.

    The Fund is chaired by the Government of Haiti and is governed through a Steering Committee that also includes contributors to the Fund (countries and institutions, including Brazil) and partner entities such as the Inter- American Development Bank, the United Nations and the World Bank. The World Bank serves as the fiscal agent for the Trust Fund, transferring funds for the implementation of programs by a broad range of actors on the ground (such as government ministries, NGOs, the private sector, and UN agencies) at the request of the Fund’s Steering Committee.

    The Action Plan for National Recovery and Development includes actions which are defined in time, over an eighteen month timescale. It is based on four major areas of work which should enable the practical rebuilding of Haiti. The sectoral actions and initiatives are brought together according to the themes of regional, economic, social and institutional reconstruction. The fund will help Haiti achieve some of it specific action plans for each field are organised in the following way:

    • Territorial rebuilding: Reconstruction of the devastated zones and urban renovation, the road network, regional development hubs and urban renovation, preparation for the hurricaneseason and regional planning and local development.
    • Economic rebuilding: Relaunch of national production, restoration of economic and financial circuits, access to electricity.
    • Social rebuilding: Health, food safety, nutrition, water, sanitation, highly labour-intensive activities.
    • Institutional rebuilding: Democratic institutions, restart of public administration, justice and security. See More details here

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  • HAITI RECONSTRUCTION: Accessing Opportunities in the Medium to Long-Term

    HAITI RECONSTRUCTION: Accessing Opportunities in the Medium to Long-Term

    Posted on May 11, 2010 | No Comments

    by Atim Annette Oton

    On a sunny slightly chilly day in Brooklyn, at Borough Hall, the New York U.S. Export Assistance Center, in partnership with the Brooklyn International Trade Development Center, hosted a seminar  for companies interested in learning about accessing the medium to long-term reconstruction opportunities in Haiti. The seminar gave attendees:

    • An understanding of Haiti’s on-the-ground realities from a business perspective;
    • Insights into the process for bidding on procurement opportunities with the U.S. government and international development banks
    • Information on investment financing and political risk insurance;
    • Resources for infrastructure-related feasibility studies and technical assistance
    • Important contacts for accessing future opportunities; and
    • Real world experiences of companies who currently do business in Haiti.

    The eye-opener and key to this seminar was the  Procurement processes and bidding on contracts with not only the U.S. government, but most importantly, the multilateral organizations – U.N., Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank. These three organizations hold the key to accessing work in Haiti that most small businesses – architects, in particular are not leveraging.

    So, if you are interested in work in Haiti, you must register with the UN, Inter-American Development Bank and World Bank

    Additionally, it is vital for businesses to read the Action Plan put together from the International Donors’ Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti. The Plan can be downloaded here. This plan states the vision:

    “ The Haitian Head of State defined the country’s long-term vision for development in the following terms:

    We will rebuild Haiti by turning the disaster on 12 January 2010 into an opportunity to make it an emerging country by 2030. 

    This restructuring will be marked by:

    • A fair, just, united and friendly society living in harmony with its environment and culture; a modern society characterised by the rule of law, freedom of association and expression and land management.

    • A society with a modern, diversified, strong, dynamic, competitive, open and inclusive economy based on the land.

    • A society in which people’s basic needs are met quantitatively and qualitatively.

    • A knowledge-based society with universal access to basic education, mastery of qualifications based on a relevant professional training system, and the capacity for scientific and technical innovation fed by a modern and efficient university system, in order to create the new type of citizen the country needs for reconstruction.

    • All of this, under the supervision of a responsible, unitary state guaranteeing the implementation of laws and the interests of the people with a strong commitment to de-concentration and decentralization.”

    The key to the reconstruction plan are the 3 stages vital to the process:

    • The emergency period, which must be used to improve accommodation for the homeless; to return pupils to school and students to university and vocational training centres; to prepare for the next hurricane season in the summer; to pursue efforts to restore a sense of normality to economic life, especially by creating large numbers of jobs through high-intensity work, by guaranteeing stability in the financial sector and access to credit for SMEs; and to continue to reorganise state structures. During this period, it will be necessary to work on development strategies and plans for selected new economic centres; to pursue action in favour of equipping reception zones for those who have been displaced by the earthquake; and to set up an electoral process to avoid constitutional gaps.
    • The implementation period (18 months), for projects to kick-start the future of Haiti and establish a framework of incentives and supervision for private investment on which Haiti’s economic growth will be founded. As foreseen by various analyses and assessments, private investment in the economy as well as in the social sector will form the backbone of the country’s reconstruction. Among the commitments of donors, support will be given to the private sector to provide it with the capacity required to fulfil this role.
    • The period (10 years) during which the reconstruction and recovery of Haiti will become a reality, in order to put the country back on the road to development, followed by another ten years to make it a real emerging country.

    The plan also details what the role of the Haitian Reconstruction Fund and indicates ways to find resources for projects in Haiti.

    Atim Annette Oton , co-Founder of  BDNN will continue to work on reports on Haiti.

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  • National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) attends Major Summit for Haiti in San Juan, Puerto Rico

    National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) attends Major Summit for Haiti in San Juan, Puerto Rico

    Posted on May 5, 2010 | No Comments

    by Renee Kemp-Rotan

    April 14-19, 2010, The American Institute of Architects/Puerto Rico (AIA/PR) organized a Haiti Invitational Summit to discuss Haiti’s post-earthquake reconstruction. The National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) sent planning expert, Renee Kemp-Rotan, to this high-level conference on Haitian Reconstruction and Master Planning in San Juan.

    Host Chapter, AIA Puerto Rico, sponsored workshops with four Haitian architects/government officials, who provided an assessment of their country’s current condition and shared their insight into the planning, design and reconstruction for Haiti’s future.

    

    Presentations were made by AIA/PR Fellows, two Dominican Republic architects, an AIA US Virgin Island representative along with the AIA Caribbean Regional Director. Florida’s Disaster Assistance Coordinator participated along with AIA National Board Member Erica Rioux Gees, disaster expert in developing countries, serving as tri-lingual conference interpreter. (French, Spanish, English) George Miller, AIA President represented US interest in assisting Haiti with future built-environment issues.

    Over the course of four days, the following Summit goals were realized:

    1) Obtained highly detailed overview of Haiti’s exiting built environment, infrastructure and Haiti’s vision for its future development through the eyes of Haitian design professionals.

    2) Exchanged ideas and gained cultural sensitivity.

    3) Identified strategic areas or issues where AIA, and other groups, such as NOMA, can support Haiti’s design community.

    4) Established possible guidelines for planning and design assistance efforts at local, regional and national level on both urban and architectonic scales.

    The Haiti Summit began with Haitian Architects presenting existing conditions and planning efforts within their specific areas expertise (Architect Leslie Voltaire, Envoy to UN Haiti’s Permanent Mission, Arch. Paul Emile Simon, President of Haiti’s Architecture Society and Ex-Director for Development for Tourism Ministry, Arch. Francois Guignard, Urban Planner, and Arch. Olsen Jean Julien, Ex-Minister of Culture.)

    AIA invitees followed with brief presentations on experiences related to disaster relief, working in developing countries and Omar Rancier, Dean of the School of Architecture for Santo Domingo’s National University closed sharing conclusions and lessons learned from a similar panel recently held at the Dominican Republic.

    The final day 30 invitees were divided into four groups of eight by area of interest and expertise: Housing, Urban Design, Infrastructure, and Historic Conservation. Each group was led by a Haitian architect, an AIA PR Fellow, and an AIA National representative along with the other participants. We envisioned an idea charrette rather than a design charrette where each group discussed general issues and strategies as well as those specific to their field.  After lunch, groups reconvened independently to draft conclusions specific to their topic, which was later presented to all participants followed by a Q& A session.

    As left with an increased understanding of the Earthquake consequences and a more profound sense of direction for future short, mid and long term design, planning and reconstruction initiatives for Haiti. Here, NOMA was given an opportunity to focus on its continued involvement in Haiti ‘s reconstruction at local, regional and national level. Printed proceedings are forthcoming.

    The first quarter of 2010 NOMA via partnerships with AIA, Community Housing Foundation and Architects for Humanity raised more than $10,000 for the purchase of tents for Haiti.

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  • Design Trust Welcomes Three New Board Members: Black Architect, Victor Body Lawson

    Design Trust Welcomes Three New Board Members: Black Architect, Victor Body Lawson

    Posted on May 5, 2010 | No Comments

    Cindy Allen has been with Interior Design magazine since 1996, becoming editor in chief in 2001. She quickly established herself as an essential force there, elevating publication content quality, strengthening its credentials as a design leader, and establishing it as a vehicle of growth and success for the industry it represents. The fruits of her labor have resulted in dramatically increased circulation while garnering many design awards along the way. Ms. Allen serves as judge on many industry awards competitions, hosts various panels, and most recently, hosted Ovation TV’s original series “Design to Die for” week, including Interior Design’s exclusive Design Giants show.

    Cindy Allen, Victor Body-Lawson and Susanna Sirefman

    Victor Body-Lawson is a former Design Trust fellow and the founding principal of Body Lawson Associates, where he directed production of several flagship projects, including the Riverside Church Master Plan, design of a new sanctuary for the Bethel Gospel Tabernacle in Jamaica, New York, and rehabilitation of the 38-building Diego Beekman Project in the Bronx. Mr. Body-Lawson has taught at City College School of Architecture and the Yale University Graduate School of Architecture. He is a professional member of the National Organization of Minority Architects and the New York Coalition of Black Architects. He currently serves as the secretary of the board of directors of the American Institute of Architects, New York City chapter.

    Susanna Sirefman is president of Dovetail Design Strategists, LLC, a firm that formulates and implements competitive strategies to hire the best professionals to design and construct contemporary built environment projects. Trained at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London, Ms. Sirefman is currently contributing editor to Surface magazine and has written six books, including the recent Modern Shoestring: Contemporary Architecture on a Budget, published by The Monacelli Press at Random House. Ms. Sirefman is the recipient of grants from both the National Endowment for the Arts and the Graham Foundation. She has taught architecture at Parsons The New School for Design and the City College School of Architecture.

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  • Crossing Cultures in the Face of Disaster

    Crossing Cultures in the Face of Disaster

    Posted on May 4, 2010 | 1 Comment

    by Bettina Byrd-Giles

    Intercultural consultants[1] often get calls from organizations who have invested a number of dollars and human resources in failed projects that cross cultural lines.  The investor is a benevolent organization that has been planning for natural disasters and extenuating human circumstances.  An international disaster is a chance to share its expertise and generosity with the world.  Its intentions are good, but the organization usually doesn’t share the blame for the failure of the project.  The blame is often placed upon the target country or cultural group for not having the ability to manage the donated resources.  This happens in the for-profit and not-for-profit worlds.  This article is an attempt to advise organizations on preparing for successful ventures across cultural and national lines.

    In the for-profit world, organizations or individuals are looking to do business with another culture for a fee.  A disaster gives them the opportunity to provide a product, service or idea that would transform the lives of the target culture.  From their view, the venture is mutually beneficial.  Somehow when negotiations to sell this product have gone awry, they can’t figure out what went wrong or blame the target culture.  The target culture is labeled as uneducated, unsophisticated or too greedy to understand the benefits of the product or service in question.

    This is sometimes true in a nonprofit situation as well.  Although there isn’t a profit motive, non-profits encounter similar scenarios.  They gather items and basic necessities en masse that are ready and waiting to be delivered to the target culture.  Frequently, they are a collective of organizations founded and funded by benevolent individuals.  The leaders of these organizations build PR campaigns around sharing their resources.  Though these non profits are not profit driven, they are often run on a corporate model.  Success is determined by achieving certain goals derived by metrics.  They have reports to file and audits that determine how their funds were used.  There is a pressure to be successful and deliver promises.  If for some reason the donated goods or funds are not utilized properly from the perspective of the donors, the blame is often shifted to recipients.  The target culture is often portrayed as corrupt, inhumane or unintelligent.

    Though this RARELY happens, if intercultural consultants were included in the planning process, perhaps money and time would not be wasted.  Both the donors and target culture could reduce the chances of a public relations nightmare.  Part of the strategic planning process would not only include inventory and logistics but a plan to navigate cultural differences.  Logistics usually includes an orientation to the target country such as State Department briefings, hiring translators, learning about foods and brief information about the people.  Sometimes limited information about culture is included.  However, navigating culture and creating the right climate to insure the desired results is often missing.

    For the purpose of this article, culture is defined as a group of interacting people who have “agreed” upon a certain set of rules, concepts or beliefs to live by.  Culture is very subjective.  It is nearly impossible for outsiders seeking to offer assistance to learn everything they need to know about a culture.  Even individuals who have lived among a culture for years learn new things.  However, by understanding some basic value structures– one’s own culture and the culture one is trying to address– can be helpful.  Also relying on members of the target culture to help one navigate the culture is absolutely imperative. The following template includes general suggestions for crossing cultures.

    1. Hire an intercultural consultant. Interculturalists can help develop strategies for crossing cultural boundaries.  They are experts in facilitating interaction across cultures and providing general information that can anticipate potential clashes.
    2. Engage team in cultural training.  If there is time, send the team through intercultural training and cultural adaptation training.  This type of training helps participants understand norms, values and communication styles across cultures.  It also helps simulate a totally new cultural context.  This is especially if there is going to be a lengthy stay.  Though not all cultural blunders can be anticipated, some cross-cultural experiences are universal.
    3. Orient team to the target culture through research.  Learn as much about the target culture as possible through reading, documentaries and talking to cultural informants–members of the culture.  Read materials by experts the target culture.  Narratives and first-hand accounts by members of the culture are also helpful.  
    4. Seek out members of the target culture.  Members of the culture can give you first hand experiences and information about being a member of the culture.  In the book, Three Cups of Tea, a mountaineer who vows to build a school in a volatile area on the borders of Afghanistan and Pakistan, allows a local Pakistani to negotiate the building materials, hire the staff, etc.   Make sure you listen to them once you seek their advice and guidance. Try to get as comprehensive a view as possible by finding individuals from different regions and subgroups within the target culture.
    5. Appreciate cultural differences without stereotyping.  Though cultural information is important and usually accurate, it may not apply to everyone that is a member of the culture.  Listen to what people say about their culture and consider diverse opinions.
    6. Build Relationships.  Though your organization has a service to offer, members of the target culture need to know that you have a genuine interest in them.  In addition to impressive credentials, many cultures are concerned with the type of people with whom they are working.  Who you are and your intentions have to be evaluated.  This may take more time than Western sensibilities allow. Perhaps there is an association with a similar mission with whom you can collaborate and begin to build a relationship.  Offer to help and listen to what they believe their needs are.

    Bettina Byrd-Giles is an intercultural consultant with the Byrd’s Nest, LLC http://thebyrdsnestllc.com.

    [1] Intercultural consultants are individuals who facilitate interactions across cultures.

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