I lit a candle tonight to celebrate the fact that I am in the crucible of learning. It is the middle of the night, Thursday AM in fact, and I am struggling with sleep. This is how I know I am in the crucible: I am struggling to sleep on Thursday after getting up Tuesday AM and running some errands, going to school in the morning, working on my studio project for 25 hours straight through, going home for a bath and a 20 minute nap, and going back to school 1-1/2 hours later for another 6 hours; then coming home to drop on the bed in a deep sleep. For 5 hours, I slept; blissfully stationary.
And then it hit me. My mind started racing with thoughts, and thoughts, and thoughts. It amazes me with all the thoughts that race through the human mind, that we have any time to actually speak (supposedly disrupting the racing of thought going on behind the scenes; though in most instances the synapses continue their inevitable processes (see the paragraph below on inspiration)). In my unstudied opinion, what changes when we speak, is this: the incessant drone of thoughts is, by contrast, lulled into a quiet hush by the greater noise of creating vocal tone. It is unfortunate when the only reason some speak is to attempt to hush the inevitable processing of thoughts going on in the background..., and that speaking loses quality due to its quantity and its unfortunate purpose. Talk for talk's sake.
So, gentle reader, what is it that distiguishes talk for talk's sake (the gibberish of the insane, or the quiet pleadings of the marginalized homeless, for example) from blog for blog's sake? I sometimes wonder what distiguishes the midnight blogging of one individual (starved for sleep, if not words) from the midnight talking of someone who talks in their sleep. ...Or further, from the talk of politicians motivated by drowning their sorry racing thoughts into speaking in endless mobius strips of rhetorical filibuster. Is it possible that this "national gridlock" and dearth of ideas of substance is nothing more than the filibustering techniques of political players dominating our conscience while droning on and on; in hopes that we will give in to their thoughts on the matter at hand? ...which, by the way, is what?
For my mind, and specifically my waking thoughts this night, I envision a sort of automated robotic warehouse of various things stored on rolling carts. These carts form a series of walls of information including experiences of the day, visions remembered, ideas considered, and so on. Everything in lifes experience has a place there. It is all in there somewhere; catalogued and ordered by the mind in some such way(s) that mankind has not, as of yet uncovered. (Great mystery, that!) The carts operate with seeming autonomy; rolling in and out of their storage spots in a sort of rythmic dance. Each cart of memories has a spin around the floor in the warehouse, looking for dance partners with which to mix.
Inspiration Strikes
And suddenly with great fanfare and a truly quiet hush of all the other musings, two carts of experience and ideas merge into a unique cart, as if by accident. The robotic ways of the rythmic dance have created an idea (that otherwise comes from nothing). The symbiotic merger of two carts into one creates a taller cart with a mix of seemingly random and unrelated items; reshelved and resorted by the experience of the mash-up. And a new synthesis is formed... a new idea... an awakening... or an inspiration.
And so the process goes, and goes. Altogether too slowly for some, it is for the most part, too quick to notice for many, and sadly too quiet to be heard above the din of talk; the purpose of much of which is to simply mask the seeming chaos of the warehouse of the human mind.
So in the middle of the night, in the middle of my sleepless week, having gone to bed well aware of the notion of being in the crucible of learning, I awaken to the crash of carts of information in my mind. My increasing frustration with the unreality of school projects forces me to think in terms of finding the purpose for each learning endeavor I undertake these days. I have struggled a bit this quarter with the notion of being uniquely able to solve design problems in an effective and measurably better way.
The arbitrary and subjective, almost capricious, way in which architectural design is taught leaves me wondering about my ability. It is not a question of my ability to design that I ask now. It is rather, a question of my ability to endure the arbitary, subjective, and capricious process of learning.
For in the end, there may be no right answer except that which is deemed right, and justified, and subjectively sold to the jury of the moment. And great architecture today seems to be subject to the random mash-up of carts of information. Or is it?
To Be Continued.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Musings at Mid-year (in school calendar)
This is the middle of the middle. For students planning to achieve their B-Arch degree, we are half-way to the goal. Only 7.5 more quarters to graduation (assuming all goes well). The perception of time changes so dramatically as one ages. This time will pass so quickly...
Speaking of time passing, I must write that I am looking forward to my Summer break, 2010. I have attended NewSchool of Architecture & Design fulltime since Summer 2009. So by the time Summer 2010 rolls around, it will have been an entire year. While "edutopia" is a nice experience, I am looking forward to being grounded in reality again. Assuming I can find some work experience in architecture for the summer, I look forward to that change.
Reality is also, perhaps, part of my enthusiasm for the NewSchool Haiti Project as there is no getting around reality there.
One of the fascinating things about the study of Architecture and its applications is practicing a non-linear, matrix-based problem solving approach. This is one unique difference between the study of architecture and the study of structural engineering (for one example). When all the parameters of the project are considered the matrix of information, upon which one draws to solve an architectural design problem, is quite broad. It is this non-linear problem-solving skillset that seems most appropriate to use in addressing the NewSchool Haiti Project. And it is the application of this skill, in an evolving real-world project matrix that is missing in edutopia.
To elaborate, one might consider the economic implications on surrounding businesses of developing a property that houses a farmer's market, the spatial requirements for getting the variety of produce shipment vehicles into and out of the market, the transportation of customers to and from the market, the occupant loading at peak times and the safety of the occupants in an emergency, the means of egress from the space under in an emergency, the code implications (both building codes and land use requirements placed by local government) and all this before one considers the appropriate form and design of a building to house the market, the various required facilities, and so on...
The architectural design of a farmer's market structure is decidedly more subjective and complex than the matter of resolving the forces in the building so that the structure can distribute its weight and the wieght of occupants to the foundation. (I mean no disrespect to the structural engineering profession and remain in awe of the unique understanding and skill possessed. My point is that one process is decidedly more linear, and the other -architectural design specifically- is rarely linear).
It is not that student projects are not real; in fact they seem very real in some sense. Having had plenty of years of working in the design professions in the real world, I believe I can state the difference. It is the difference between a matrix that is stationary, with fixed inputs, and one that is evolving in real time. I guess I like a challenge. Dealing with an evolving, real-time matrix is far more stimulating than one fixed by convention.
In my proposal for the Haiti Project, I indicated a fear that, relatively speaking, the affluence we enjoy in Southern California would make difficult the comprehension and understanding of the circumstances, tectonic opportunities, and solutions in Haiti. (Learning this week about the lack of sewage treatment facilities in most of Haiti is an example of the challenges to be faced). Still, the real-time matrix of the Haiti project is both challenging and intriguing as it is real, and not bound or fixed by convention.
It is sobering to note that the matrix of challenge in Haiti also includes many unfortunate realities; some not directly related to the earthquake. And the challenge of any helper is to make certain that the assistance offered does, in fact, help and not hinder the lives of those for whom help is intended. Most critically, the input of those being helped is required for the matrix of information to be sufficient. Only then does the process of non-linear, matrix-based problem solving really lead to a solution.
Speaking of time passing, I must write that I am looking forward to my Summer break, 2010. I have attended NewSchool of Architecture & Design fulltime since Summer 2009. So by the time Summer 2010 rolls around, it will have been an entire year. While "edutopia" is a nice experience, I am looking forward to being grounded in reality again. Assuming I can find some work experience in architecture for the summer, I look forward to that change.
Reality is also, perhaps, part of my enthusiasm for the NewSchool Haiti Project as there is no getting around reality there.
One of the fascinating things about the study of Architecture and its applications is practicing a non-linear, matrix-based problem solving approach. This is one unique difference between the study of architecture and the study of structural engineering (for one example). When all the parameters of the project are considered the matrix of information, upon which one draws to solve an architectural design problem, is quite broad. It is this non-linear problem-solving skillset that seems most appropriate to use in addressing the NewSchool Haiti Project. And it is the application of this skill, in an evolving real-world project matrix that is missing in edutopia.
To elaborate, one might consider the economic implications on surrounding businesses of developing a property that houses a farmer's market, the spatial requirements for getting the variety of produce shipment vehicles into and out of the market, the transportation of customers to and from the market, the occupant loading at peak times and the safety of the occupants in an emergency, the means of egress from the space under in an emergency, the code implications (both building codes and land use requirements placed by local government) and all this before one considers the appropriate form and design of a building to house the market, the various required facilities, and so on...
The architectural design of a farmer's market structure is decidedly more subjective and complex than the matter of resolving the forces in the building so that the structure can distribute its weight and the wieght of occupants to the foundation. (I mean no disrespect to the structural engineering profession and remain in awe of the unique understanding and skill possessed. My point is that one process is decidedly more linear, and the other -architectural design specifically- is rarely linear).
It is not that student projects are not real; in fact they seem very real in some sense. Having had plenty of years of working in the design professions in the real world, I believe I can state the difference. It is the difference between a matrix that is stationary, with fixed inputs, and one that is evolving in real time. I guess I like a challenge. Dealing with an evolving, real-time matrix is far more stimulating than one fixed by convention.
In my proposal for the Haiti Project, I indicated a fear that, relatively speaking, the affluence we enjoy in Southern California would make difficult the comprehension and understanding of the circumstances, tectonic opportunities, and solutions in Haiti. (Learning this week about the lack of sewage treatment facilities in most of Haiti is an example of the challenges to be faced). Still, the real-time matrix of the Haiti project is both challenging and intriguing as it is real, and not bound or fixed by convention.
It is sobering to note that the matrix of challenge in Haiti also includes many unfortunate realities; some not directly related to the earthquake. And the challenge of any helper is to make certain that the assistance offered does, in fact, help and not hinder the lives of those for whom help is intended. Most critically, the input of those being helped is required for the matrix of information to be sufficient. Only then does the process of non-linear, matrix-based problem solving really lead to a solution.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Hiati Project: Designing Disaster Response gets Green Light from NewSchool of Architecture & Design Student Council
The Haiti Project:
Designing Disaster ResponseExecutive Summary
This proposal for a Disaster Response Design Charrette at NewSchool of Architecture & Design provides students learning opportunities and enables the community to respond to the recent crisis in Haiti.
Problem Statement:
• Seeming conundrum of heavy hurricane-resistant vs light earthquake- resistant construction.
• Vernacular structure and poverty may lead to quick repeat of history.
• Communication of potential dangers of return to existing vernacular buildings is critical.
Proposal:
• Design charrette with students and professionals creates new possibilities.
• Cross-cultural education with industries’ best practices to benefit students and the people of Haiti.
Timeframe:
• Spring Quarter charette at NewSchool benefits students, faculty and the institution, enhances curriculum with real practical problems.
• Four-day NewSchool charrette, beginning April 8, 2010.
• Charrette Thursday, 8 April 2010 through Sunday, 11 April 2010
• Exhibition Friday, Saturday and Sunday 16-18 April 2010
Looking Ahead:
Sponsored teams to build designed solutions in Haiti, possibly in Summer 2010.
Budget Considerations:
Budgeting will be the first priority for newly established committee of the board pending program participation requirements from NewSchool faculty.
Conclusion:
Ultimately, creating real and lasting good to the benefit of the people of Haiti is the goal.
Recommendation:
Commitment of the NewSchool of Architecture & Design Student Council solicited.
Pending the commitment of the Student Council, several factors have been explored that will place this project on a very fast-track. The administration of NewSchool has “given a green light” to explore this process and indicated support for the ideas presented. The Faculty of NewSchool will review this proposal at their meeting on Monday, 8 February 2010 (Coinciding with the Student Council Meeting). The faculty will be considering how it fits into curriculum plans for Spring Quarter, 2010. Initial, informal, faculty and student response has been generally positive including strong positive feedback from members of AIAS.
The Haiti Project:
Designing Disaster Response
Note: Executive summary in bold italics at the beginning of each paragraph.
Introduction:
NewSchool of Architecture & Design students respond to crisis in Haiti.In response to the overwhelming destruction of life and property in Haiti following the January Earthquake there, it occurs that a great opportunity to do real and lasting good is upon us. As architecture students, we at NewSchool of Architecture & Design, located in San Diego, CA, have a unique opportunity to help. Being in a seismic activity zone with similar risk, we are surrounded by architectural design and structural engineering professionals who are experts in the challenges of seismic design suitable for Haiti.
Statement of the Problem:
Vernacular structure and poverty may lead to quick repeat of history.The destruction of property in Haiti was in large part due to a vernacular construction type that is directly counter to modern seismic theory. Inexpensive, un-reinforced masonry buildings of one or two stories are precisely the type of heavy, rigid buildings that absorb the energy of an earthquake and quickly crumble under the strain. This fact, coupled with the lack of earthquake understanding (there hasn’t been a significant seismic event in the collective memory of the last several generations) and the poverty of available means of building, creates an unfortunate opportunity for history to quickly repeat itself. Add to this the frequency of hurricanes in the Caribbean (for which heavy buildings are the proper engineering solution) and a seemingly unsolvable conundrum is created.
Communication of potential dangers of return to existing buildings is critical.
A significant challenge is the communication of information about the potentials for earthquakes and new responses to vernacular building. With precious resources thinly spread, the natural inclination may be for Haitians to rebuild quickly without seeking additional information. Providing information, in easily understandable terms and visuals, about earthquake conditions and other environmental concerns will be an important part of a solution in Haiti. With critical civic infrastructure hobbled by their own facilities being reduced to rubble, assistance with this basic communication need is more critical.
Project Proposal:
Design charrette with students and professionals creates new possibilities.The project I am proposing is a design charrette which would bring together interested NewSchool of Architecture & Design students with affiliated professionals in Southern California, including NewSchool faculty and other advisors to produce a design charrette. This charrette will be a response to the unique conditions surrounding disaster response in Haiti. It is my vision that the design teams would be provided leadership, encouragement and material support through corporate donations / sponsorships and the involvement of captains of industry in Southern California.
Cross-cultural education with industries’ best practices to benefit students.
This project is of educational benefit to the students at NewSchool as it provides a real-world experience, in addition to the opportunities for mentorship and exposure to the architectural design, structural engineering and construction industries’ best practices. The opportunity to work with students on ground-breaking new designs and the opportunity for exposure to the captains of industry will be the primary motivations for the industry professionals. And the opportunity to lead, mentor and learn about architecture and construction while providing a visible response to the crisis in Haiti represents a major PR opportunity for corporate and community leadership.
Timeframe:
Spring charette at NewSchool benefits students, faculty and the institution.This charrette would take place at NewSchool of Architecture & Design during the first two weeks of class in Spring Quarter, 2010, when all students are in attendance. Pending design studio instructors syllabi and intentions, the design charrette could be a part of creditable work for the quarter. It is perhaps no small consequence that NewSchool of Architecture and Design would reap the public relations benefits of a special initiative project not unlike the now infamous Rural Studio work of the late Samuel Mockbee, of Auburn University.
Schedule:
Four-day NewSchool charrette, beginning April 8, 2010.
Beginning on Thursday, 8 April, 2010:
A session titled Culture of Haiti opens the charrette. Participants will be treated to multi-media presentations about the norms, values and conditions of Haitian life, its cultural institutions, and its opportunities and resources. Speakers with significant endeavors in Haiti and citizens of Haiti will be invited to present relevant personal experiences.
Friday, 9 April, 2010:
This Workshop Series will be an opportunity to prepare the participants to understand Haitian vernacular architecture, available technologies and tectonic opportunities, island seismology, and environmental concerns including soil and climate conditions. The presentation of identified sites for various design typologies will be made at this time. At the end of the day, informal teams will be created with an architecture professional, an engineering professional, a faculty member, and students at a minimum.
Saturday, 10 April, 2010:
Design Day participants will work in teams to create design solutions to selected typological problems. Emphasis will be on design ideas and development of design response. Documentation can be in many forms including the typical sketches, drawings and other 2-D media. 3-D media and multi-media will be encouraged.
Sunday, 11 April, 2010:
Design solutions created in the previous day will be presented to the participants. At this time, the designs will be schematic and informally developed (due to time constraints). This session could be organized to evaluate and synthesize information and recommend “best” solutions. Further development of preliminary documentation is possible by student participants prior to exhibition.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday April 16-18, 2010
A Public Exhibition at NewSchool of Architecture & Design (Main Hall and Auditorium). This event would work best with student docents stationed to explain the exhibits and solicit contributions toward construction of the various solutions.
Looking ahead:
Sponsored teams might build designed solutions in Haiti in Summer 2010.While many non-government organizations (NGO) are having difficulty operating missions to Haiti as of this writing, it may be challenging to propose that actually building some of the developed solutions could be the ultimate goal of this process. Further, it may be risky for students to deal with issues of liability and safety of participants traveling to Haiti during the near future due to compromised infrastructure. Still, I would like to propose that the some (or perhaps all) of the design teams’ solutions could actually be funded and constructed in Haiti (ideally by teams of NewSchool of Architecture & Design students, faculty, and interested charrette team members, sponsors and others during the Summer of 2010).
Building charrette results in Haiti would require significant financial and international political support and contributions from NewSchool sponsors as well as cooperation with the team(s) of design professionals already organized in Haiti. This project could represent an opportunity to collaborate with Architecture for Humanity, Habitat for Humanity, and other NGOs. This collaboration might include grant funding and gifts-in-kind from corporations, foundations and other sources. Funds for materials, travel expenditures, and construction costs would need to be pledged and collected during the late-Winter and Spring of 2010 for this to happen. And this project could continue long into the future as further resources are secured to fund the construction of additional solutions in Haiti.
Required Resources:
Basic resource needs will include the following; pending detailed analysis. (in no particular order):
1) Grant writer to secure funding / underwriting / sponsorship commitments from industry, foundations, and other givers
2) Use of IRS designation “501 (3) c” entity status and special banking accounts to secure and manage funds; grant tax-deductible status to contributors
3) Administrative staff time to assist with management of funds, official NewSchool correspondence, public relations and related tasks
4) Location (NewSchool is proposed) suitable for large-group participation with resources for design materials production / reproduction
5) Location and fees for electronic meetings to coordinate, plan and facilitate international communication with Haitian representatives, possibly requiring video
6) Travel / housing expenditures associated with bringing Haitian representatives to NewSchool for the design charrette
7) Travel / housing expenditures associated with sending NewSchool students to Haiti in Summer 2010 to build designed solutions
8) In-kind donations of studio and building materials and resources necessary to complete the charrette and any required modeling
9) In-kind donations of services from architecture and structural engineering and other professionals to assist with design charrette
10) A designated faculty member to provide mentorship and advise students regarding the charrette process, networking with professionals, and corporate sponsorship opportunities
11) Student volunteer time and resources to prepare documentation, secure resources, invite design professionals, solicit donations, record events, create models, build mock-ups, and -pending funding- to construct solutions in Haiti
12) NewSchool faculty participation to teach , coach, and mentor the process and facilitate results, assist with scheduling, and participate in charrette, and lead student construction teams
13) French language interpreters may be required for facilitation of some communications
14) Food and beverages for participants in design charrette, guests at receptions, visitors
Budget Considerations:
Budgeting will be the first priority for newly established committee of the board pending program participation requirements from NewSchool faculty.The primary considerations for this project will be guaranteeing expenditures that are over- and-above proceeds of grants or gifts specific to the project. It is difficult, in advance of approval and creation of acceptable preliminary plans, and determining the number of participants to estimate a budget. Typical expenses might include:
1) Supplies for charrette process (can be donated) including typical studio materials
2) Food and Beverage for charrette participants: Opening reception refreshments, Continental breakfasts, Box lunches for participants, Exhibition Opening refreshments
3) Hospitality and travel arrangements for guest speakers, Haitian participants
4) Digital resources including “Go-to-Meeting” or similar, file-sharing (BIM) and others
5) Video, photographic, and website documentation of process, outcomes
6) Publicity, networking and marketing expenses for press-kits, posters, advertisements, postage for mailers and communication processes, “courtship” of local professionals’ participation, etc…
Conclusion:
Ultimately, creating real and lasting good to the benefit of Haiti is the goal.Design professionals have been meeting, daily, in Haiti since the morning after the earthquake on 12 January 2010. They are working to envision a new Haiti; frankly aware that the old Haiti did not work. This charrette process will be best suited to help the people of Haiti if it also incorporates the culture of leadership of these design professionals. This process might involve some international electronic meeting techniques and if possible, the inclusion of representatives of the Haitian design-professionals community. While the change they envision may be greater than the subject of this project, any steps toward their goals will include providing for the shelter and health safety and welfare of the community at large.
Recommendation and Request:
Commitment of the NewSchool of Architecture & Design Student Council solicited.It is with great enthusiasm and some fear that I present this proposal to the student council for consideration. My enthusiasm for the project is perhaps self-evident. The desire to do real and lasting good comes of my upbringing and my values. It has been my motto to leave each situation I encounter better than I found it. While this encounter with the disaster in Haiti presents a new level of challenge, it is one I believe we can accomplish together. However, it will only be accomplished as a project of the student body, working in conjunction with our institutional support, and the in-kind and financial support and goodwill of a community of professionals and leaders in Southern California.
I ask that the Student Council establish a committee of the board to explore, budget, create process, and solicit participation in The Haiti Project: Designing Disaster Response. I offer my services to the board to chair such a committee and to further develop the communications with the board of the Student Council, the administration of NewSchool, and Faculty as well as the professional communities for which participation will be appropriate.
The challenge of opening this project represents engagement in a culture and a way of life that is quite foreign to our experience of living in Southern California (regardless of our origins). My fear is that we, as students trained in the art and science of architecture, are accustomed to the high aspirations that often accompany exclusive design. We may be, perhaps, blind to this real opportunity to create something new that comes from nothing. This project may require the design of mundane and simple systems and projects, to be built of recycled and reused materials the origins of which many among us may not be able to conceive.
While the interface with industry professionals and community leadership will have its benefits, and the public relations values are important considerations, this project represents far more. Participation with industry best practices will encourage practical application of our knowledge. Engagement in another culture, with a unique history and opportunity, provides a shared experience of cross-cultural learning and architectural practice that is of pragmatic benefit in our increasingly global design industry. Construction of systems and shelters and buildings built of available materials will be a unique tectonic challenge. However, it is ultimately the opportunity to create hope, working with and for the people of Haiti (for whom hope has long been a dream) that provides the real meaning of this project.
Respectfully submitted,
R. Lyle Boatman, ASID, NewSchool of Architecture & Design, B-Arch, Class of 2012
For further information, please contact me as follows:
R. Lyle Boatman, ASID
lyle@boatmandesign.com
Designing Disaster ResponseExecutive Summary
This proposal for a Disaster Response Design Charrette at NewSchool of Architecture & Design provides students learning opportunities and enables the community to respond to the recent crisis in Haiti.
Problem Statement:
• Seeming conundrum of heavy hurricane-resistant vs light earthquake- resistant construction.
• Vernacular structure and poverty may lead to quick repeat of history.
• Communication of potential dangers of return to existing vernacular buildings is critical.
Proposal:
• Design charrette with students and professionals creates new possibilities.
• Cross-cultural education with industries’ best practices to benefit students and the people of Haiti.
Timeframe:
• Spring Quarter charette at NewSchool benefits students, faculty and the institution, enhances curriculum with real practical problems.
• Four-day NewSchool charrette, beginning April 8, 2010.
• Charrette Thursday, 8 April 2010 through Sunday, 11 April 2010
• Exhibition Friday, Saturday and Sunday 16-18 April 2010
Looking Ahead:
Sponsored teams to build designed solutions in Haiti, possibly in Summer 2010.
Budget Considerations:
Budgeting will be the first priority for newly established committee of the board pending program participation requirements from NewSchool faculty.
Conclusion:
Ultimately, creating real and lasting good to the benefit of the people of Haiti is the goal.
Recommendation:
Commitment of the NewSchool of Architecture & Design Student Council solicited.
Pending the commitment of the Student Council, several factors have been explored that will place this project on a very fast-track. The administration of NewSchool has “given a green light” to explore this process and indicated support for the ideas presented. The Faculty of NewSchool will review this proposal at their meeting on Monday, 8 February 2010 (Coinciding with the Student Council Meeting). The faculty will be considering how it fits into curriculum plans for Spring Quarter, 2010. Initial, informal, faculty and student response has been generally positive including strong positive feedback from members of AIAS.
The Haiti Project:
Designing Disaster Response
Note: Executive summary in bold italics at the beginning of each paragraph.
Introduction:
NewSchool of Architecture & Design students respond to crisis in Haiti.In response to the overwhelming destruction of life and property in Haiti following the January Earthquake there, it occurs that a great opportunity to do real and lasting good is upon us. As architecture students, we at NewSchool of Architecture & Design, located in San Diego, CA, have a unique opportunity to help. Being in a seismic activity zone with similar risk, we are surrounded by architectural design and structural engineering professionals who are experts in the challenges of seismic design suitable for Haiti.
Statement of the Problem:
Vernacular structure and poverty may lead to quick repeat of history.The destruction of property in Haiti was in large part due to a vernacular construction type that is directly counter to modern seismic theory. Inexpensive, un-reinforced masonry buildings of one or two stories are precisely the type of heavy, rigid buildings that absorb the energy of an earthquake and quickly crumble under the strain. This fact, coupled with the lack of earthquake understanding (there hasn’t been a significant seismic event in the collective memory of the last several generations) and the poverty of available means of building, creates an unfortunate opportunity for history to quickly repeat itself. Add to this the frequency of hurricanes in the Caribbean (for which heavy buildings are the proper engineering solution) and a seemingly unsolvable conundrum is created.
Communication of potential dangers of return to existing buildings is critical.
A significant challenge is the communication of information about the potentials for earthquakes and new responses to vernacular building. With precious resources thinly spread, the natural inclination may be for Haitians to rebuild quickly without seeking additional information. Providing information, in easily understandable terms and visuals, about earthquake conditions and other environmental concerns will be an important part of a solution in Haiti. With critical civic infrastructure hobbled by their own facilities being reduced to rubble, assistance with this basic communication need is more critical.
Project Proposal:
Design charrette with students and professionals creates new possibilities.The project I am proposing is a design charrette which would bring together interested NewSchool of Architecture & Design students with affiliated professionals in Southern California, including NewSchool faculty and other advisors to produce a design charrette. This charrette will be a response to the unique conditions surrounding disaster response in Haiti. It is my vision that the design teams would be provided leadership, encouragement and material support through corporate donations / sponsorships and the involvement of captains of industry in Southern California.
Cross-cultural education with industries’ best practices to benefit students.
This project is of educational benefit to the students at NewSchool as it provides a real-world experience, in addition to the opportunities for mentorship and exposure to the architectural design, structural engineering and construction industries’ best practices. The opportunity to work with students on ground-breaking new designs and the opportunity for exposure to the captains of industry will be the primary motivations for the industry professionals. And the opportunity to lead, mentor and learn about architecture and construction while providing a visible response to the crisis in Haiti represents a major PR opportunity for corporate and community leadership.
Timeframe:
Spring charette at NewSchool benefits students, faculty and the institution.This charrette would take place at NewSchool of Architecture & Design during the first two weeks of class in Spring Quarter, 2010, when all students are in attendance. Pending design studio instructors syllabi and intentions, the design charrette could be a part of creditable work for the quarter. It is perhaps no small consequence that NewSchool of Architecture and Design would reap the public relations benefits of a special initiative project not unlike the now infamous Rural Studio work of the late Samuel Mockbee, of Auburn University.
Schedule:
Four-day NewSchool charrette, beginning April 8, 2010.
Beginning on Thursday, 8 April, 2010:
A session titled Culture of Haiti opens the charrette. Participants will be treated to multi-media presentations about the norms, values and conditions of Haitian life, its cultural institutions, and its opportunities and resources. Speakers with significant endeavors in Haiti and citizens of Haiti will be invited to present relevant personal experiences.
Friday, 9 April, 2010:
This Workshop Series will be an opportunity to prepare the participants to understand Haitian vernacular architecture, available technologies and tectonic opportunities, island seismology, and environmental concerns including soil and climate conditions. The presentation of identified sites for various design typologies will be made at this time. At the end of the day, informal teams will be created with an architecture professional, an engineering professional, a faculty member, and students at a minimum.
Saturday, 10 April, 2010:
Design Day participants will work in teams to create design solutions to selected typological problems. Emphasis will be on design ideas and development of design response. Documentation can be in many forms including the typical sketches, drawings and other 2-D media. 3-D media and multi-media will be encouraged.
Sunday, 11 April, 2010:
Design solutions created in the previous day will be presented to the participants. At this time, the designs will be schematic and informally developed (due to time constraints). This session could be organized to evaluate and synthesize information and recommend “best” solutions. Further development of preliminary documentation is possible by student participants prior to exhibition.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday April 16-18, 2010
A Public Exhibition at NewSchool of Architecture & Design (Main Hall and Auditorium). This event would work best with student docents stationed to explain the exhibits and solicit contributions toward construction of the various solutions.
Looking ahead:
Sponsored teams might build designed solutions in Haiti in Summer 2010.While many non-government organizations (NGO) are having difficulty operating missions to Haiti as of this writing, it may be challenging to propose that actually building some of the developed solutions could be the ultimate goal of this process. Further, it may be risky for students to deal with issues of liability and safety of participants traveling to Haiti during the near future due to compromised infrastructure. Still, I would like to propose that the some (or perhaps all) of the design teams’ solutions could actually be funded and constructed in Haiti (ideally by teams of NewSchool of Architecture & Design students, faculty, and interested charrette team members, sponsors and others during the Summer of 2010).
Building charrette results in Haiti would require significant financial and international political support and contributions from NewSchool sponsors as well as cooperation with the team(s) of design professionals already organized in Haiti. This project could represent an opportunity to collaborate with Architecture for Humanity, Habitat for Humanity, and other NGOs. This collaboration might include grant funding and gifts-in-kind from corporations, foundations and other sources. Funds for materials, travel expenditures, and construction costs would need to be pledged and collected during the late-Winter and Spring of 2010 for this to happen. And this project could continue long into the future as further resources are secured to fund the construction of additional solutions in Haiti.
Required Resources:
Basic resource needs will include the following; pending detailed analysis. (in no particular order):
1) Grant writer to secure funding / underwriting / sponsorship commitments from industry, foundations, and other givers
2) Use of IRS designation “501 (3) c” entity status and special banking accounts to secure and manage funds; grant tax-deductible status to contributors
3) Administrative staff time to assist with management of funds, official NewSchool correspondence, public relations and related tasks
4) Location (NewSchool is proposed) suitable for large-group participation with resources for design materials production / reproduction
5) Location and fees for electronic meetings to coordinate, plan and facilitate international communication with Haitian representatives, possibly requiring video
6) Travel / housing expenditures associated with bringing Haitian representatives to NewSchool for the design charrette
7) Travel / housing expenditures associated with sending NewSchool students to Haiti in Summer 2010 to build designed solutions
8) In-kind donations of studio and building materials and resources necessary to complete the charrette and any required modeling
9) In-kind donations of services from architecture and structural engineering and other professionals to assist with design charrette
10) A designated faculty member to provide mentorship and advise students regarding the charrette process, networking with professionals, and corporate sponsorship opportunities
11) Student volunteer time and resources to prepare documentation, secure resources, invite design professionals, solicit donations, record events, create models, build mock-ups, and -pending funding- to construct solutions in Haiti
12) NewSchool faculty participation to teach , coach, and mentor the process and facilitate results, assist with scheduling, and participate in charrette, and lead student construction teams
13) French language interpreters may be required for facilitation of some communications
14) Food and beverages for participants in design charrette, guests at receptions, visitors
Budget Considerations:
Budgeting will be the first priority for newly established committee of the board pending program participation requirements from NewSchool faculty.The primary considerations for this project will be guaranteeing expenditures that are over- and-above proceeds of grants or gifts specific to the project. It is difficult, in advance of approval and creation of acceptable preliminary plans, and determining the number of participants to estimate a budget. Typical expenses might include:
1) Supplies for charrette process (can be donated) including typical studio materials
2) Food and Beverage for charrette participants: Opening reception refreshments, Continental breakfasts, Box lunches for participants, Exhibition Opening refreshments
3) Hospitality and travel arrangements for guest speakers, Haitian participants
4) Digital resources including “Go-to-Meeting” or similar, file-sharing (BIM) and others
5) Video, photographic, and website documentation of process, outcomes
6) Publicity, networking and marketing expenses for press-kits, posters, advertisements, postage for mailers and communication processes, “courtship” of local professionals’ participation, etc…
Conclusion:
Ultimately, creating real and lasting good to the benefit of Haiti is the goal.Design professionals have been meeting, daily, in Haiti since the morning after the earthquake on 12 January 2010. They are working to envision a new Haiti; frankly aware that the old Haiti did not work. This charrette process will be best suited to help the people of Haiti if it also incorporates the culture of leadership of these design professionals. This process might involve some international electronic meeting techniques and if possible, the inclusion of representatives of the Haitian design-professionals community. While the change they envision may be greater than the subject of this project, any steps toward their goals will include providing for the shelter and health safety and welfare of the community at large.
Recommendation and Request:
Commitment of the NewSchool of Architecture & Design Student Council solicited.It is with great enthusiasm and some fear that I present this proposal to the student council for consideration. My enthusiasm for the project is perhaps self-evident. The desire to do real and lasting good comes of my upbringing and my values. It has been my motto to leave each situation I encounter better than I found it. While this encounter with the disaster in Haiti presents a new level of challenge, it is one I believe we can accomplish together. However, it will only be accomplished as a project of the student body, working in conjunction with our institutional support, and the in-kind and financial support and goodwill of a community of professionals and leaders in Southern California.
I ask that the Student Council establish a committee of the board to explore, budget, create process, and solicit participation in The Haiti Project: Designing Disaster Response. I offer my services to the board to chair such a committee and to further develop the communications with the board of the Student Council, the administration of NewSchool, and Faculty as well as the professional communities for which participation will be appropriate.
The challenge of opening this project represents engagement in a culture and a way of life that is quite foreign to our experience of living in Southern California (regardless of our origins). My fear is that we, as students trained in the art and science of architecture, are accustomed to the high aspirations that often accompany exclusive design. We may be, perhaps, blind to this real opportunity to create something new that comes from nothing. This project may require the design of mundane and simple systems and projects, to be built of recycled and reused materials the origins of which many among us may not be able to conceive.
While the interface with industry professionals and community leadership will have its benefits, and the public relations values are important considerations, this project represents far more. Participation with industry best practices will encourage practical application of our knowledge. Engagement in another culture, with a unique history and opportunity, provides a shared experience of cross-cultural learning and architectural practice that is of pragmatic benefit in our increasingly global design industry. Construction of systems and shelters and buildings built of available materials will be a unique tectonic challenge. However, it is ultimately the opportunity to create hope, working with and for the people of Haiti (for whom hope has long been a dream) that provides the real meaning of this project.
Respectfully submitted,
R. Lyle Boatman, ASID, NewSchool of Architecture & Design, B-Arch, Class of 2012
For further information, please contact me as follows:
R. Lyle Boatman, ASID
lyle@boatmandesign.com
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