Design For Ethical Production: Architecture For Humanity

During the seminar on Ethical Production I was particularly interested in the charitable oragnaisation 'Architecture for Humanity'.

One of their many projects that captured my interest was the Biloxi Model Home Program which focused on the repair and rebuild family homes belonging to those who were affected by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Through this program the rehabilitation of hundreds of partially destroyed housing stock provided a start for long-term reconstruction that addresses the way building are constructed in hurricane prone communities.

The goal of the Biloxi Model Home program is to provide design services and financial assistance for the construction of homes that for families in Biloxi, Mississippi whose houses were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Families are paired with a team of professional designers who work with them one-on-one to design a new home for their property that is not only affordable but is also sustainable and meets the area's new building requirements.

Using the latest in materials research, disaster mitigation and sustainable building techniques, these designs address sustainability not only from a material and energy use stand point but in a community development sense as well. By rebuilding responsible homes in a devastated community families have a real base for contributing to the re-establishment of their community, rather than just getting by until the next disaster. 

This program approaches reconstruction in a mode that facilitates good design solutions by standardising processes and partnership strategies as opposed to standardising design. By this method disaster response programs may be established prior to disaster to allow effective relief in the critical time necessary.

Sources: ArchitectureForHumanity

TED'S TEN 8. Design for Ethical Production.

Today we explored the notion of 'ethical production' in response to our own design disciplines, this means that we explored the social impacts designers and sustainable development can have on a human level; we also examined existing companies:

Fair Trade:

Fair trade is a social and economic movement which promotes international standards of ethical production, labour and environmental policies in the trading of goods or commodities such as cotton. It includes principles such as payment at a fair price and gender equality.  

Where fair trade is a way of doing business, ethical production refers to the production of a textile product and encompasses the whole life cycle of the product from the raw materials, through the finishing processes, to the construction

Unilever:

Architecture For Humanity:

Design is important to every aspect of our lives. It informs the places in which we live, work, learn, heal and gather. We engage all stakeholders in the design process. We believe our clients are designers in their own right.Thoughtful, inclusive design creates lasting change in communities by: 

• Alleviating poverty and providing access to water, sanitation, power and essential services
• Bringing safe shelter to communities prone to disaster and displaced populations
• Rebuilding community and creating neutral spaces for dialogue in post-conflict areas
• Mitigating the effects of rapid urbanization in unplanned settlements
• Creating spaces to meet the needs of those with disabilities and other at-risk populations
• Reducing the footprint of the built environment and addressing climate change