Haiti: The glimmer of an idea in response to crisis

The title of the book, “Glimmer,” by Warren Berger, (the Penguin Press, New York, 2009) refers to the notion of the glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, or in this case, the glimmer of light in a sea of darkness that inspires the creative type to move into action on a particular idea. It is a phenomenon that is, hopefully for the creative type, familiar. It is also often referred to as that “a ha” moment when one grasps an idea that has been hard to assimilate.

Most of what designers do is assimilation. The challenge is in managing the type of information with which one surrounds oneself. If, for example in the current crisis in Haiti following the January 2010 earthquake, all one knows is the humble construction of un-reinforced masonry, and all one has at ones disposal is mud brick and mortar, then one might rebuild a house with the same process by which it was built before. And since there hasn’t been a significant quake on the fault line between the American plate and the Caribbean plate in perhaps 200 years, one might be reasonable to think that the January earthquake was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

If, on the other hand, one has surrounded oneself with a knowledge of building technology, an awareness of materials and processes, one might, in a moment of inspiration, find the glimmer of an idea (in that sea of darkness and despair) that revolutionizes the way of building a home in Haiti. Perhaps, in lieu of a brick and mortar construction, one considers that some new, light-weight material made of recycled polystyrenes and polypropylenes with a simple baling-wire lashing to connect them is a possibility for making a quick, habitable space that is flexible enough to quiver with the earth, and light enough to avoid absorbing the energy of another quake. What is this material? And how does one make this happen?

Of course, one would have to have an education that considered the effects of earthquakes, the causes, the resulting damage, and the means available to avoid damage. One would have to know something about building, a little something about architecture, and a little bit about housing in a tropical climate. Possibly more importantly, one would have to be able to transform ideas into actions, and find solutions in discarded refuse.

In a world where leadership is considered a high-paying job (think of corporate leaders) has anyone organized a charette among the leadership of corporate San Diego to design solutions to the problems in Haiti? Or for that matter, since we students of architecture are learning something about the effects of earthquakes, the causes, the resulting damage, and the means available to avoid that damage, has anyone thought to organize a design charette? We know something about building, a little something about architecture, and a little bit about housing in a tropical climate. What is it that we can do about this crisis?

Being in receipt of an e-mail from Steve Altman, President, NewSchool of Architecture & Design, encouraging students to consider giving to a Haiti charity, I am tempted to wonder, in addition, what else we can do that is more related to our education. The president’s assessment of the situation is helpful and accurate owing to the fact that a significant sum could be contributed with one-days’ lunch money for the student body. I wonder what more we could all learn if we applied a little more effort and created a community response that considered design solutions in addition to lunch money (?).

Could we, for example, utilize some of the funds from the student activity fee to create a design-response-learning-charette that would help us all to learn about creating means of shelter after earthquakes and other disasters? Could we, I don’t know, learn something about Haitian culture that would help us to design solutions to the problems, perhaps inherent, in traditional means of construction on the island (?). Could we have a voice in creating designs and solutions that might address the housing crisis they are about to endure (?). Could we assemble a team of students willing to donate their summer months off to spend time directly affecting the cause of rebuilding in Haiti (?). Could we contribute more, learn more, and build community in the process(?)

Is this, perhaps, the glimmer of an idea?