As the Milan furniture fair begins, Alice Rawsthorn previews this year’s event in the New York Times and compares the design industry’s fortunes to previous years. Read the story. See all Dezeen’s stories from Milan 2011.
Dezeenwire: the Neues Museum in Berlin by architect David Chipperfield has won the 2011 EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award.
See all our stories about David Chipperfield. Here’s the press release from prize organisers the European Commission:
Berlin Neues Museum wins 2011 EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award
BRUSSELS, 11 April – The Neues Museum in Berlin is the winner of the 2011 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award, the European Commission and the Mies van der Rohe Foundation announced today. The building is a reconstruction, blending old and new, by UK architect Sir David Chipperfield. The ‘Emerging Architect Special Mention’ award goes to Ramon Bosch and Bet Capdeferro for the Collage House in Girona, Spain. The award ceremony will take place on 20 June at the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion in Barcelona.
Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, said: “My congratulations to our winners who have created two exceptional buildings. The Neues Museum brings the past and present together in an stunning mix of contemporary architecture, restoration and art. The Collage House in Girona is another remarkable renovation which fuses old and new materials in a harmonious whole.”
The original Neues Museum, designed by Friedrich August Stüler, was built in the mid-19th century. The building was severely damaged in the Second World War and reconstruction began in 2003, with the aim of restoring the site to its former glory. David Chipperfield, who worked on the project in collaboration with fellow British architect Julian Harrap, adopted a dynamicapproach in his restoration. Rather than attempting to conceal the difference between the old and new elements, the past and present are beautifully combined to create an unforgettable building with multiple layers.
David Chipperfield, Principal of David Chipperfield Architects, said: “The reconstruction of the Neues Museum is a testament to the collaborative process undertaken in a demanding climate of public opinion. The result is evidence not only of the efforts of the professional team but of the commitment of the client and the city authorities to engage in this rigorous and articulated process.”
Mohsen Mostafavi, Chair of the jury, said: “The rebuilding of the Neues Museum is an extraordinary achievement. Rarely have an architect and client succeeded in undertaking a work of such historic importance and complexity; especially one that involves both preservation and new building. The project raises and addresses many aesthetic, ethical, and technical issues. It is an exemplary demonstration of what collaboration can achieve in the context of contemporary European architectural practice.”
Lluís Hortet, Director of the Mies van der Rohe Foundation, said: “The decision of the jury was an extraordinary challenge due to the high quality of all the finalist projects. The Neues Museum by David Chipperfield is a very important statement of how a contemporary architectural intervention contributes to the re-use of our heritage by improving its functional qualities and introducing outstandingly designed new architectorial elements for its museological purpose.”
Dezeenwire: Swiss architect Peter Zumthor has been commissioned to design this year’s Serpentine Pavilion in Kensington Gardens, London, according to publications including The Independent, confirming earlier rumours. Zumthor will be the 11th architect to design a temporary summer structure in front of the Serpentine Gallery.
Update: see images and text about the pavilion here.
See all our stories about Peter Zumthor
More stories about the Serpentine Pavilion and the Serpentine Gallery
Dezeenwire: Israel is considering a plan to build an artificial island off the coast of the Gaza Strip to encourage tourism and act as a transit point for goods, according to The Guardian. Read the story
Dezeenwire: Portuguese architect Eduardo Souto de Moura is the 2011 Pritkzer Prize laureate, the prize organisers have confirmed after details of the winner were leaked ahead of schedule. Read the full announcement below: Portrait is by Francisco Nogueira.
More about the Pritzker Prize on Dezeen »
Here are some more details from the prize organisers:
Portuguese Architect Will Be Presented the 2011 Pritzker Architecture Prize in Washington, D.C.
Los Angeles, CA—Eduardo Souto de Moura, a 58 year old architect from Portugal, is the jury’s choice for the 2011 Pritzker Architecture Prize, it was announced today by Thomas J. Pritzker, chairman of The Hyatt Foundation which sponsors the prize. The formal ceremony for what has come to be known throughout the world as architecture’s highest honor will be in one of Washington, D.C.’s finest classical buildings, the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium.
In announcing the jury’s choice, Pritzker elaborated, “This marks the second time in the history of the prize that a Portuguese architect has been chosen. The first was in 1992 when Alvaro Siza was so honored.”
The purpose of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, which was founded in 1979 by the late Jay A. Pritzker and his wife, Cindy, is to honor annually a living architect whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built environment through the art of architecture. The laureates receive a $100,000 grant and a bronze medallion.
Pritzker Prize jury chairman, The Lord Palumbo, spoke from his home in the United Kingdom, quoting from the jury citation that focuses on the reasons for this year’s choice: “During the past three decades, Eduardo Souto de Moura has produced a body of work that is of our time but also carries echoes of architectural traditions.” And further, “His buildings have a unique ability to convey seemingly conflicting characteristics — power and modesty, bravado and subtlety, bold public authority and a sense of intimacy —at the same time.”
As a student, Souto de Moura worked for Alvaro Siza for five years. Since forming his own office in 1980, Souto de Moura has completed well over sixty projects, most in his native Portugal, but he has designs in Spain, Italy, Germany, United Kingdom and Switzerland. The projects include single family homes, a cinema, shopping centers, hotels, apartments, offices, art galleries and museums, schools, sports facilities and subways.
His stadium in Braga, Portugal was the site of European soccer championships when it was completed in 2004, and gained high praise. Nearly a million and a half cubic yards of granite were blasted from the site and crushed to make concrete for the stadium. Precise explosions of a mountain side created a hundred foot high granite face that terminates one end of the stadium. Souto de Moura describes this coexistence of the natural with the man made construction as good architecture. In his own words, “It was a drama to break down the mountain and make concrete from the stone.” The jury citation calls this work, “…muscular, monumental and very much at home within its powerful landscape.”
Another of his projects, the Burgo Tower, completed in 2007, constructed in the city where he lives and works, Porto, Portugal, is described by the jury as, “…two buildings side by side, one vertical and one horizontal with different scales, in dialogue with each other and the urban landscape.” Souto de Moura commented that “a twenty story office tower is an unusual project for me. I began my career building single family houses.”
Souto de Moura has designed numerous residences, one of which, House Number Two built in the town of Bom Jesus, was singled out by the jury for its “uncommon richness throughout the subtle banding in the concrete of its exterior walls.” Souto de Moura’s comments on the project: “Because the site was a fairly steep hill overlooking the city of Braga, we decided not to produce a large volume resting on a hilltop. Instead, we made the construction on five terraces with retainer walls, with a different function defined for each terrace– fruit trees on the lowest level, a swimming pool on the next, the main parts of the house on the next, bedrooms on the fourth, and on the top, we planted a forest.”
Another project in his native city, Porto, is the Cultural Center completed in 1991, which the jury describes as “a testament to his ability to combine materials expressively.” He used copper, stone, concrete and wood.
A convent and monastery in a mountainous terrain near Amares, Portugal, called Santa Maria do Bouro was a project for Souto de Moura from 1989 to 1997, in which he converted the centuries old structure into a state inn. He recalls the walls were over four feet thick. Originally built in the 12th century, the jury declares in their citation that Souto de Moura “has created spaces that are both consistent with their history and modern in conception.”
Souto de Moura, in describing another of his projects, has said, “After the painter Paulo Regio chose me as her architect, I was lucky to be able to choose the site. It was a fenced off forest with some open space in the middle. On the basis of the elevation of the trees, I proposed a set of volumes of varying heights. Developing this play between the artificial and nature helped define the exterior color, red concrete, a color in opposition to the green forest. Two large pyramids along the entrance axis prevent the project from being a neutral sum of boxes.” The Paulo Regio Museum completed in 2008, is cited by the jury as “both civic and intimate, and so appropriate for the display of art.”
Often described as a “Miesian architect,” the jury acknowledged this influence with the words, “He has the confidence to use stone that is a thousand years old or to take inspiration from a modern detail by Mies van der Rohe.”
Upon learning that he was being honored, Souto de Moura had this reaction: “When I received the phone call telling me I was to be the Pritzker Laureate, I could hardly believe it. Then I received confirmation that it was actually true, and I came to realize what a great honor this is. The fact that this is the second time a Portuguese architect has been chosen makes it even more important.”
The distinguished jury that selected the 2011 Pritzker Laureate consists of its chairman, The Lord Palumbo, internationally known architectural patron of London, chairman of the trustees, Serpentine Gallery, former chairman of the Arts Council of Great Britain, former chairman of the Tate Gallery Foundation, and former trustee of the Mies van der Rohe Archive at the Museum of Modern Art, New York; and alphabetically: Alejandro Aravena, architect and executive director of Elemental in Santiago, Chile; Carlos Jimenez, professor, Rice University School of Architecture, principal, Carlos Jimenez Studio in Houston, Texas; Glenn Murcutt, architect and 2002 Pritzker Laureate of Sydney, Australia; Juhani Pallasmaa, architect, professor and author of Helsinki, Finland; Renzo Piano, architect and 1998 Pritzker Laureate, of Paris, France and Genoa, Italy; and Karen Stein, writer, editor and architectural consultant in New York. Martha Thorne, associate dean for external relations, IE School of Architecture, Madrid, Spain, is the executive director of the prize.
In addition to the previous laureates already mentioned, the late Philip Johnson was the first Pritzker Laureate in 1979. The late Luis Barragán of Mexico was named in 1980. The late James Stirling of the United Kingdom was elected in 1981, Kevin Roche in 1982, Ieoh Ming Pei in 1983, and Richard Meier in 1984. Hans Hollein of Austria was the 1985 Laureate. Gottfried Böhm of Germany received the prize in 1986. Robert Venturi received the honor in 1991, and Alvaro Siza of Portugal in 1992. Christian de Portzamparc of France was elected Pritzker Laureate in 1994.
Frank Gehry of the United States was the recipient in 1989, the late Aldo Rossi of Italy in 1990. In 1996, Rafael Moneo of Spain was the Laureate; in 1997 the late Sverre Fehn of Norway; in 1998 Renzo Piano of Italy, in 1999 Sir Norman Foster of the UK, and in 2000, Rem Koolhaas of the Netherlands. Australian Glenn Murcutt received the prize in 2002. The late Jørn Utzon of Denmark was honored in 2003; Zaha Hadid of the UK in 2004; and Thom Mayne of the United States in 2005. Paulo Mendes da Rocha of Brazil was the Laureate in 2006, and Richard Rogers received the prize in 2007. Jean Nouvel of France was the Laureate in 2008. In 2009, Peter Zumthor of Switzerland received the award. Last year, two Japanese architects were honored, partners Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA, Inc.
The field of architecture was chosen by the Pritzker family because of their keen interest in building due to their involvement with developing the Hyatt Hotels around the world; and because architecture was a creative endeavor not included in the Nobel Prizes. The procedures were modeled after the Nobels, with the final selection being made by the international jury with all deliberations and voting in secret. Nominations are continuous from year to year with hundreds of nominees from countries all around the world being considered each year.
The site for this year’s ceremony, the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium was erected between 1932 and 1934, and is part of a large nine-building office complex called the Federal Triangle. At the time of its construction, it was the largest government owned assembly space in the city, and considered as one of the most magnificent settings for government ceremonies. It was designed by San Francisco based architect Arthur Brown, Jr. Originally called the Departmental Auditorium, it was renamed in 1987, the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium.
Citation from the Jury
During the past three decades, Portuguese architect Eduardo Souta de Moura has produced a body of work that is of our time but also carries echoes of architectural traditions. His oeuvre is convincing proof of mod- ern idiom’s expressive potential and adaptability to distinct local situations. Always mindful of context, understood in the broadest sense, and grounded in place, time, and function, Souto de Moura’s architecture reinforces a sense of history while expanding the range of contemporary expression.
Already in his first works, undertaken in the 1980s, Souto de Moura had a consistent approach that never ad- opted the trends of the moment. At that time, he was intensely out of fashion, having developed his individual path during the height of postmodernism. As we look back today, the early buildings may seem normal, but we must remember how brave they really were back then.
The versatility of his practice is evident in the variety of commissions he has undertaken with success. He is capable of designing from domestic to urban scale. Many of his early works in the 1980s were single-family houses and remain among his seminal works. However, the scope of his work has expanded: the Braga Mu- nicipal Stadium, Portugal, designed in 2000 is muscular, monumental and very much at home within its pow- erful landscape; the Burgo Tower, Portugal, designed at the beginning of the 1990s and built a decade later, consists of two buildings side by side, one vertical and one horizontal with different scales, in dialogue with each other and the urban landscape; the Paulo Regio Museum, completed in 2008, a grouping of volumes interspersed in the trees at its site in Cascais, Portugal, is both civic and intimate, and so appropriate for the display of art.
In their apparent formal simplicity, de Souto de Moura’s buildings weave together complex references to the characteristics of the region, landscape, site, and wider architectural history. Often simple geometries are underlined through interplay of solid and void or light and shadow. The restoration and adaptation of the Santa Maria Do Bouro Monastery into a hotel has taken a building from ruble to reinterpretation. Souto de Moura has created spaces that are both consistent with their history and modern in conception. The effectiveness of his works usually stems from the juxtaposition of elements and concepts. His unique capacity to embrace reality while employing abstraction creates an architectural language that transforms physicality into the metaphysical.
Souto de Moura is an architect fascinated by the beauty and authenticity of materials. His knowledge of construction and skill with materials are always visible in his buildings. He has the confidence to use stone that is a thousand years old or to take inspiration from a modern detail by Mies van der Rohe. The thoughtful use of copper, stone, concrete and wood in the Cultural Center in Porto, completed in 1991, for example, is a testament to his ability to combine materials expressively. By modifying pavements, textures, pathways and public spaces for the subway system of Porto, he has granted new significance to public spaces. House Number Two, built in the town of Bom Jesus, Portugal, in 2007, has achieved an uncommon richness through the subtle banding in the concrete of its exterior walls.
Eduardo Souto de Moura’s architecture it is not obvious, frivolous, or picturesque. It is imbued with intel- ligence and seriousness. His work requires an intense encounter not a quick glance. And like poetry, it is able to communicate emotionally to those who take the time to listen. His buildings have a unique ability to convey seemingly conflicting characteristics—power and modesty, bravado and subtlety, bold public author- ity and sense of intimacy—at the same time. For architecture that appears effortless, serene, and simple, and for the care and poetry that permeates each project, Eduardo Souta de Moura receives the 2011 Pritzker Architecture Prize.
The Jury
Chairman: The Lord Palumbo, Architectural Patron, Chairman of the Trustees, Serpentine Gallery Former Chairman of the Arts Council of Great Britain Former Chairman of the Tate Gallery Foundation Former Trustee of the Mies van der Rohe Archive at the Museum of Modern Art, New York London, England
Executive Director: Martha Thorne, Associate Dean for External Relations IE School of Architecture Madrid, Spain
About Eduardo Souto de Moura
Eduardo Souto de Moura was born in Porto, Portugal in 1952. His father was a doctor (ophthalmologist) and his mother a home maker. He has one brother and one sister. The sister is also a doctor and his brother is a lawyer with a political career – formerly he was Attorney General of Portugal.
Following his early years at the Italian School, Souto de Moura enrolled in the School of Fine Arts in Porto, where he began as an art student, studying sculpture, but eventually achieving his degree in architecture. He credits a meeting with Donald Judd in Zurich for the switch from art to architecture. While still a student, he worked for architect Noé Dinis and then Álvaro Siza, the latter for five years. While studying and working with his professor of urbanism, Architect Fernandes de Sá, he received his first commission, a market project in Braga which has since been demolished because of changing business patterns.
After 2 years of military service he won the competition for the Cultural Centre in Porto. The beginning of his career as an independent architect.
He is frequently invited as a guest professor to Lausanne and Zurich in Switzerland as well as Harvard in the United States. These guest lectures at universities and seminars over the years have afforded him the opportunity to meet many colleagues in the field, among them Jacques Herzog and Aldo Rossi.
He is married and he has 3 daughters: Maria Luisa, Maria da Paz e Maria Eduarda. His wife, Luisa Penha, and the eldest daughter are architects, the second is a nurse and the third is on the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Oporto for the 3rd year.
Along with his architecture practice, Souto de Moura is a professor at the University of Oporto, and is a visiting professor at Geneva, Paris-Belleville, Harvard, Dublin and the ETH Zurich and Lausanne.
Often described as a neo-Miesian, but one who constantly strives for originality, Souto de Moura has achieved much praise for his exquisite use of materials — granite, wood, marble, brick, steel, concrete — as well as his unexpected use of color
Souto de Moura is clear on his view of the use of materials, saying, “I avoid using endangered or protected species. I think we should use wood in moderation and replant our forests as we use the wood. We have to use wood because it is one of the finest materials available.”
In an interview with Croquis, he explained, “I find Mies increasingly fascinating… There is a way of reading him which is just to regard him as a minimalist. But he always oscillated between classicism and neoplasticism…You only have to remember the last construction of his life, the IBM building, with that powerful travertine base that he drilled through to produce a gigantic door. Then on the other hand, he arrived in Barcelona and did two pavilions, didn’t he? One was abstract and neo plastic and the other one was classical, symmetrical with closed corners…He was experimenting. He was already so modern he was ‘post’.”
Souto de Moura acknowledges the Miesian influence, speaking of his Burgo Tower, but refers people to something written by Italian journalist and critic, Francesco Dal Co, “it’s better not to be original, but good, rather than wanting to be very original and bad.”
At a series of forums called the Holcim Forum on sustainable architecture, Souto de Moura stated, “For me, architecture is a global issue. There is no ecological architecture, no intelligent architecture, no sustainable architecture — there is only good architecture. There are always problems we must not neglect; for example, energy, resources, costs, social aspects — one must always pay attention to all these.”
Dezeenwire: London firm AL_A have won a competition to design an extension to the Victoria and Albert museum in London.
The project is expected to take five years and will include a new entrance to the museum from Exhibition Road, a public courtyard hosting a cafe and installations, and a new gallery for temporary exhibitions below ground.
Models of each shortlisted proposal are on show in the V&A’s Sackler Centre for arts education until 3 April. More information on the seven shortlisted projects in our earlier story »
See also:
V&A launch competition for Exhibition Road Extension »
V&A launch shortlisted architects for Exhibition Road Extension »
V&A at Dundee proposals unveiled »
The details below are from the V&A museum:
Amanda Levete Architects has won the V&A’s Exhibition Road competition and will go on to develop their team’s concept design as part of the FuturePlan strategy for the museum.
The ALA scheme will transform the remaining undeveloped quadrant of the V&A’s London headquarters and create an exciting new relationship with Exhibition Road and the surrounding South Kensington area.
Paul Ruddock, Chairman of the V&A Board of Trustees said;
‘This new development will transform the way the V&A is able to present its major exhibitions and will enable us to reveal and restore the magnificent south courts. Amanda Levete Architects’ proposal will create a wonderful new space that cleverly combines the elegance of the V&A’s Grade l listed buildings with contemporary design.’
ALA will now work with the V&A to develop a more detailed design. The project – which will create new galleries, a public courtyard for installations and events and a new entrance from the newly landscaped Exhibition Road – is expected to take five years from the design stage to completion and has a total budget of £35m.
Dezeenwire: UK architects will be required to pay statutory minimum wage to students on placements as of 1 July, according to new RIBA rules:
RIBA President Ruth Reed takes action against unacceptable low pay for students
The President of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Ruth Reed today announced an important change in the RIBA’s Chartered Practice criteria, which will commit every RIBA Chartered Practice to paying the statutory minimum wage to those students undertaking work that is eligible to count towards their PEDR requirement.
The decision was taken following recommendations from the RIBA’s Pay and Conditions working group, which was established by Ruth Reed in November 2010 to address significant concerns over pay and conditions for architecture students completing fee-earning work in practices, and unanimously endorsed by the RIBA’s Professional Services Board. The Institute currently publishes guidelines outlining recommended rates of pay for architecture students completing their PEDR experience, established in collaboration with architecture student body ARCHAOS, however this is the first time that RIBA Chartered Practices will be required to adhere to minimum rates of pay.
The change to criteria will be made with immediate effect, and will be applicable to all RIBA Chartered Practices from 1 July 2011.
In addition, a series of in-depth consultations will take place throughout 2011 with students of architecture, RIBA Chartered Practices and other key stakeholders to consider appropriate rates of pay for students and graduates that are higher than the statutory minimum wage, whilst taking into consideration factors such as regional variances.
Speaking today, RIBA President Ruth Reed said:
‘Whilst all appreciate that trading conditions are extremely difficult for practices at the moment, the financial position of students is particularly severe and about to get considerably worse when fees treble next year. The requirement for adherence to the National Minimum Wage will assist students in completing their education and go some way to alleviate the effects of the education cuts on the flow of talent into the profession. The future of architecture depends on a succession of talented designers and we must do all we can to prevent them being deterred by the spiraling cost of education. Further investigation into pay levels will be undertaken which will help to provide a level playing field for job costs and fee bids for chartered practices.’
RIBA Council Student member Alex Scott-Whitby said:
‘This move is fantastic news for students and has been a long time coming; it is great to see the RIBA taking the first step towards better remuneration for both students of architecture and qualified architects. The practices adhering to the RIBA’s kitemark scheme recognise the important contribution that students make, and are supporting the profession in a vitally important way at this time.’
Dezeenwire: the latest RIBA Future Trends Survey reports growing confidence among UK architects.
More RIBA Future Trends Surveys »
The information below is from the RIBA:
Latest RIBA Future Trends Survey reveals growing confidence amongst practices
The latest results from the Royal Institute of British Architects’ (RIBA) Future Trends Survey reveal that architecture practices are growing in confidence about their future work prospects.
In the February 2011 results, the number of practices expecting their workload to increase rose 5% from 27% in January to 32% in February, and those practices expecting workloads to drop fell to 25%. Employment prospects for salaried architects remained constant, with 7% of architects expecting an increase in staff. The number of practices expecting staff levels to drop remained constant at 15%. Levels of underemployment dropped for the first time since November from 29% to 25%.
In terms of sector predictions, the commercial sector demonstrated the strongest growth in confidence for workload prospects, whilst the private housing and public sector painted a mixed picture. The number of practices expecting commercial sector workload to grow rose from 17% in January to 22% in February; the number of practices expecting workload to drop in this sector fell modestly to 18%, compared to 19% last month.
10% of practices expected a rise in public sector work in January compared to 5% in January, although 33% of practices expected workload to drop compared to 31% in January. The private housing sector saw a drop in figures, with 25% of practices predicting an increase in work, compared to 28% in January; the number expecting their workload to drop fell from 17% in January to 15% in January.
The statistical analysis of the survey enables the RIBA to regularly report on two key confidence tracking indices relating to future workloads and staffing levels. For February 2011, the RIBA Future Trends Workload Index is +7 (compared to +1 in January 2010) and the RIBA Future Trends Staffing Index remains at -8.
Adrian Dobson, RIBA Director of Practice said:
‘For the third consecutive month, the RIBA Future Trends Workload Index has increased in February 2010 to +7, up from a balance figure of +1 in January 2011. Larger practices (50+ staff) in particular appear to be growing in confidence about their future work prospects, returning a balance figure of +40 in February 2011 compared with +14 in January 2011. Smaller practices (1 – 10 staff) also remain positive overall with a balance figure of +7 this month. Medium sized practices (11 -50 staff) are least confident about future workloads (balance figure -3). In terms of geographical analysis, Northern Ireland remains the least optimistic part of the United Kingdom with a balance figure of -50 for the future workload prediction, whilst confidence levels are highest in London (balance figure +31)
‘The RIBA Future Trends Staffing Index for February 2011 is -8, and illustrates that despite the recent sustained improvement in predictions for future workloads overall confidence levels are still not sufficient to make practices feel comfortable about increasing their staffing levels. This situation applies across all sizes of practice. At present practices generally seem unwilling to take on additional staff even on a temporary basis.
Given a slow recovery in the UK, many practices are looking abroad for medium term growth potential. However, the proportion of work in progress which is on overseas projects has actually been falling amongst the practices in our survey. It is now 3%, compared with 9% when we started the RIBA Future Trends survey in January 2009, and this must be of concern if international work is to form a significant component of future workloads.’
Dezeenwire: non-profit organization Architecture for Humanity are calling for help to support local Japanese professionals in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Sendai last week.
More about Architecture for Humanity »
Make a donation »
Here’s the letter in full:
Greetings,
The tragedy that has unfolded in Japan is unprecedented. We are all moved by the images and stories of those affected. Here at Architecture for Humanity we have received an outpouring of emails, calls and donations from concerned folks who want to help. We thought we would send you an update letting you know how we are responding.
We are in contact with design professionals and Architecture for Humanity volunteers in Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo. We are working with them to identify needs and next steps in the short- and long-term. We will continue to update you on the needs as we work to develop partnerships and projects.
If you would like to aid this effort, please consider donating. If you have already made a donation, thank you. In the near term, these funds will support local Japanese professionals as they provide damage assessments during the emergency and transitional phase. Further down the road, funds will go toward aiding local agencies in providing housing and the reconstruction of social and cultural infrastructure, such as schools, clinics and cultural centers.
You can also organize a fundraiser in your community. Contact us to find out how.
Please note: at the moment we will not be sending sponsored volunteers to Japan but will focus our efforts on supporting local professionals. However, if you’re interested in volunteering, there are plenty of opportunities at our headquarters in San Francisco and with our chapters.
On behalf of all those affected and our colleagues in Japan, thank you for your support.
Very best,
Architecture for Humanity
More updates on the Architecture for Humanity website.
See also:
Earthquake movie filmed inside Sendai Mediatheque by Toyo Ito »
“Please help Japan” – Tokujin Yoshioka »
Help Japan Poster by Wieden + Kennedy »
All our stories about Japan »
Dezeenwire: here’s a movie filmed inside the Toyo Ito-designed Sendai Mediatheque during last Friday’s earthquake in Japan.
Can’t see the movie? Click here.
Found via Los Angeles Times – more context in their story.
See also:
“Please help Japan” – Tokujin Yoshioka »
Help Japan Poster by Wieden + Kennedy »
All our stories about Japan »
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