Dream Soccer Academy: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Thesis 2017 with Journeyman International by Sophia Liu

DREAM SOCCER ACADEMY THESIS

with Journeyman International and California Polytechnic State University

SOPHIA LIU Bachelor of Architecture 2017

To JI, for giving me a purpose that inspires me to pursue humanitarian work. To the kids at Dream Soccer Academy, for teaching me what it means find joy in the face of poverty, and hope in the face of discrimination.

Table of Contents Introduction Context Precedents Design Process Final Design Premilinary Construction Drawings On Social Responsibility Citations

9 21 43 60 93 133 155 173

INTRODUCTION

Letter from the Designer Last summer, I worked for an architecture firm that specializes in hospitality and resort design. Working under some of the wealthiest people in the world, the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s projects focused on using luxurious materials to furnish five-star hotel chains and international beach resorts. Sustainability wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t much of a consideration, nor was saving resources to create efficient places for people to live. It was about the facade, the glamour, the ostentatious lavishness.

youths in need, because they are our future. To make a difference in the world, not by designing the next tallest skyscraper, but by helping out a small group of people, who deserve a roof over their heads and a place where they can be educated.

I am very grateful for that internship experience, for I loved working with international clients on real projects that were meant for people who live so differently than I do. When it came time for me to think about my own thesis project, I wanted to turn the tables and think about another group of people who are very different from me. I believe architecture isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t being showy and excessively innovative. Sometimes the best outcomes lie in the most simple solutions.

Journeyman International (JI) is a platform that connects volunteer Architects, Designers, Engineers and Project Managers with humanitarian project needs around the world. I believe working on a humanitarian project would be the best platform to demonstrate the importance of my thesis concepts in environmental and social architecture to provide for those in need.

I sought to work on a humanitarian project for a non-profit organization, so I looked to Journeyman International.

I wanted to contribute my skills to the world, in whatever small way I can. I wanted to create something that can change the lives of 11

I want to...

...reduce waste. Embrace a â&#x20AC;&#x153;do more with lessâ&#x20AC;? idea and reduce waste in a multi-use environment in terms of materials, resources, and space. This is essential in adherence to limited budget of a non-profit organization in a developing country.

I want to...

...think practically. By rejecting ostentatious architecture and outdated conventions, I seek to design something practical based on the userâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs and modern ways of living. Whether it be an orphanage in Nepal or a school for homeless youths in Uganda, I want to work on something that caters to the way the inhabitants live.

I want to...

...make sustainability playful. Educate the resident community to adopt sustainability as a fun, playful way of living that requires contributions from architects and occupants. I seek to develop and expand sustainable and self-sufficient rural communities that reduce poverty through education.

Journeyman International With social responsibility as my main focus for my thesis project I sought to work with Journeyman International, a platform connecting volunteer Architects, Designers, Engineers and Project Managers with humanitarian project needs around the world. Volunteers must have a skillset that adds a professional value to the project, and be willing to dedicate the appropriate amount of time necessary to produce a quality product. JI provides resources in the form of professional mentors and JI alumni. My mentors were RRM Design Group in San Luis Obispo and BAR Architects in San Francisco. Thank you Paige, David, Michelle, and Justin for all the help throughout the months. I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have done this project without your encouragement, support, and professional guidance. JI project teams also consist of an architectural engineering student, who designs structural systems for our building, and a construction management student, who generates cost estimates and project schedules. I had the pleasure of working on this project with Simon Ng (ARCE) and Gary Hohbach (CM). Doing a project with a real team that relied on each other was very rewarding. We worked together towards one goal, and the project felt so official and refreshingly real. What an experience. 19

CONTEXT

About Dream Soccer Academy DSA Cameroon, is a non-profit, non political, religious and non governmental Organization, with its registered office in Mamfe Manyu Division South West Region Cameroon. DSA Cameroon is a football academy and a football for development organization. Football has become the most popular and most participated sport in the world today, and this has provided a greater audience. Today everywhere and almost everybody loves the game of football. DSA Cameroon operates in two forms: we identify, develop and expose talents in football and also as a catalyst to bring development (we use football to educate, fight against diseases, sensitize HIV/AIDS prevention and care for PLWHVA, vocational skills, empower youths and women, give hope, bring peace, inclusion, give joy) to the lives of youths, especially girls the most vulnerable in the society the less privileged, street children, orphans, disabled, and economically and socially disadvantage communities/ indigenous people.

The Facility Dream Soccer Academy is a center that uses soccer for education and development. They provide daily soccer training and life skills topics to the students who are children ages 10-21. The staff consists of qualified sports and physical education teachers, as well as trained educators in the field of sports for development. The center is aimed at providing quality education to build responsible citizens while providing vocational training so that they can employ themselves after leaving the center. They also seek to provide a platform for youths with talents in soccer to excel and live out their dreams. Currently, the soccer academy rents an office and uses a school facility for their indoor activities, which happen outside normal school hours.

The Dilemma The increasing number of street children, orphans due to HIV, tribal wars, boko haram terrorism, poverty and high birth rate has called for the need of this project. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s high discrimination and stigmatization as result most of these kids end up on the streets and dropping out of school. The organization uses football as a tool for reconciliation, but also to facilitate life skills training and education for youth in Mamfe, Cameroon.

Oduak is from a family of 6, being the only boy. His parents are farmers; his mom sells vegetables in the market. He is currently a student in Government secondary school Egbekaw, after completing his primary school education in Government primary school Egbekaw.

Name: Oduak Jefter Arrey Age: 13 Birthplace: Mamfe

He is smart and intelligent in school, a good artist and writes very well. His hobby is soccer and he is the most talented in soccer amongst his age group. He is as of now the all time best player and also best player in his school. He dedicates most of his time soccer rather than his studies. If he is not training with the academy, he is either playing soccer in the streets or playing a soccer video game. His day begins by assisting his mom to the market and during the weekends he sells vegetables to raise money for his school.

A day in the life of a student 5:30am: Prayers (similar to many families) 6am: House chores (clean house, wash dishes, cook, carry water) 7:15: Breakfast (if available) 7:30: Leave for school - either walk or take commercial bikes 8am-3pm: School Monday to Friday (Thursday school ends at 1pm, have general sports at 4pm) 10:50: Recess 3pm-6pm: Return home, have lunch and rest. Many students may go to farm to look for food. Others go out to sell food. 8pm: Dinner (if available) 9pm: Bedtime

Name: Amadou Aminu Age: 41

Amadou is a former player and now one of the members of the board. He is now an African fashion wear designer. He is married with two kids. He works as a tactical coach bringing training tactics for technical soccer skills (e.g. dribbles, shots on goals and cross balls.) He works three times a week and in collaboration with the other coaches. On Mondays, he comes to work at noon and sits with the coaches get their weekly objectives and brainstorm to implement them on the training session. He goes back to his designers shop at 2:00pm and same thing happens on Wednesday and Saturday respectively, but ends his Saturday at 5:30pm on the field as he try to evaluate the kids on the trainings of the week to see if the desired objectives are attained. He has been head coach of our senior team and won a lot of tournaments and championships, the most current being the Mayorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cup in December 2016 with the senior boys.

A day in the life of a coach 12:00: Prepare session for the day, outline objectives and themes Arrive at center, gather materials/equipment needed for training 3pm: Arrange field for training outlining various sessions 4pm-5:30pm: Training (include several water breaks) 5:30: Submit remarks at technical directorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office 6pm: Go home

The Vision A community development center. We need an office building with six rooms, a dormitory about 25m long, a refectory,a multipurpose hall for indoor games, gym, a health center, 7 classrooms of 6m long each, conference room about 10m long, a kitchen, store room, small health post. The sports facilities, including 3 soccer fields, 1 basketball and hand ball plus a running track, and a parking lot.

The Objectives To design a low-budget project using easily accessible materials that adhere to standards of sustainable design for a tropical climate, and serves around 200 students (age 10-21) and faculty and staff

Mamfe, Manyu, Cameroon

Mamfe is a city and capital of the Manyu A Division of the Southwest Region in Cameroon. It is located 60 km (37 mi) from the border of Nigeria, on the Manyu River. It has a population of 20,300. The Mamfe Rural council area is made up of 11 autonomous villages grouped into four clans. Mamfe town which is the head quarter of manyu division has extended from Small Mamfe as the main village to parts of Bessongabang and Egbekaw Villages. The tribes moved into this area to practice farming attracted by the fertile soil. They contribute highly to the agricultural output of some of the villages and most have intermarried and interact in many social and economic 35

Demographics There is freedom of worship in the Mamfe municipality. Christianity is the dominant religion making up to 71% while there exist islam 9% and local traditional religion 20%. Economic activities in the municipality fall within three main sectors. These sectors are:

The area is richly watered by the Badi and Manyu rivers and their tributaries. The Badi and Manyu rivers are prominent rivers that join to make up the ‘‘Cross River’’ that flows into Nigeria. Some streams do exist in the area like the Monyen and Baku streams. A waterfall exists in Bachou Ntai. Swamps exist in Bachou Ntai, Lala quarters (Mamfe town), towards Egbekaw village and another towards the Catholic Mission in Mamfe town. Three main types of soil exist in this municipality: the sandy soil, humus or top soil and the red clay soil. 36

Brendan van Son Photography

1. The primary sector defined by natural resource management activities such as agricultural, animal rearing, fishing and forest exploitation. 2. The secondary sector is defined by mining and industrial activities . 3. The tertiary sector is characterized by the production of service such as transportation and banking

Climate Mamfe is generally hot and the weather consists of dry and rainy seasons. The rainy season is June to October. The Mamfe municipality falls within the Equatorial Climate Zone. It has the Equatorial Rain Forest Climate, which is characterized by two distinct seasons; the rainy and the dry seasons. The dry season runs from October/November to March and is characterized by elevated temperatures (30°c-32°c). The rainy season begins from March/April and ends in September/ October with an annual average rainfall ranging between 3500mm – 4000mm, and peak periods in the months of July and August. Generally, the Equatorial Rain Forest occupies the area and it also falls within the Tropical Evergreen Forest Type of Cameroon. It is also part of the Guineo-Congolian Floristic Region with altitude ranging from 90m-500m above sea level. We have the primary and secondary vegetation types in the area. The variation in the above-mentioned characteristics causes the existence of two unique types of vegetation in the municipality. The vegetation types are the Lowland rain forest and the Mid-Altitude Forest. Forest Resources include Timber, Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs), Wildlife. No data on the quantity of timber in the area exist but it is estimated that over 80% of the area is covered by forest. Meanwhile a good quantity of NTFPs and Wildlife do exist in the forest. The winds blow from the Southern section of the site.

CLIMATE

Average High

Dec

Nov

Oct

Sep

89˚F

Aug

May

Apr

Mar

Jan

Inches 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0

Feb

75˚F

Jul

Average Low

Jun

TROPICAL MONSOON This tropical moise forest biome has dry and rainy seasons

Average Yearly Precipitation 39

The Site A rural forest about 5 hectares on the outskirts of Mamfe, Manyu Division South West Region, Cameroon, Africa by the Manyu River

Foot / bike path connects main road to site

Level land with a couple of streams that flow into the Manyu River

Bumpy roads, not in best condition

Forest of trees Soil sticky during rainy season

5°45’42.1”N 9°18’45.9”E Located in Egbekaw community, 9 km from the main town Topography: level area, with streams flowing around that empty into the Manyu River

PRECEDENTS

Kimisagara Football for Hope Centre The primary building functions are contained within a simple block to minimize costs, whilst a generous shading roof with an extended canopy gathers the overlapping activities, defining new communal outdoor spaces demarcating play areas for the school, and activating the edges for both planned events and haptic social encounters. In addition to organizing external functions the roof harnesses all rainwater. Bi-annual wet seasons present the opportunity to a significant amount of water from the roof. Once captured, the water from the roof is stored and filtered for drinking. The football pitch water is used for flushing toilets, washing clothes and irrigation. Through this low-tech system we hope to capture 2.6 million litres of water and demonstrate a water security resource that can be easily replicated.

FIFA football for Hope Centre in Besongabang, Mamfe

The ultra-modern FIFA Football for Hope Centre in Besongabang near Mamfe in Manyu Division went operational on March 21st, 2014. The NGO, United Action for Children chose Besongabang to host the modern Centre, which is a jewel and somewhat of a tourist site in Besongabang, Mamfe and Cameroon at large. The Besongabang FIFA Football Centre was one among 20 centres that were earmarked for Africa by FIFA under its Football For Hope program. The Centres are created to improve the game of football in local communities but also for education and public health. “Football has become a vital instrument for hundreds of social development programs run by NGOs and community-based organizations around the world……. These programs are providing children and young people with valuable tools to actively make a difference in their own lives. In support of these programs and as part

of its corporate social responsibility, FIFA initiated the Football For Hope program in 2005 to offer funding, equipment, training and more visibility, as well as a platform for discussions and collaboration.” Though launched in 2005, Africa only became part of the FIFA for Hope project in 2007, during the run-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The aim of the “20 Centres for 2010” was to create 20 Football For Hope Centres for education, Public Health and football across Africa. When children would be attracted to come and play football on the ultra-modern synthetic football turf they would be rallied, taken into the lecture halls at the centre and given education on how to surmount common social challenges that they encounter on a daily basis.

The Humanitarian Works of Shigeru Ban

Pritzker Laureate Shigeru Ban may be as well known for his innovative use of materials as for his compassionate approach to design. For a little over three decades, Ban, the founder of the Voluntary Architects Network, has applied his extensive knowledge of recyclable materials, particularly paper and cardboard, to constructing high-quality, low-cost shelters for victims of disaster across the world - from Rwanda, to Haiti, to Turkey, Japan, and more. Paper Log Houses - Kobe, Japan, 1995 The foundation consists of donated beer crates loaded with sandbags. The walls are made from 106mm diameter, 4mm thick paper tubes, with tenting material for the roof. The 1.8m space between houses was used as a common area. For insulation, a waterproof sponge tape backed with adhesive is sandwiched between the paper tubes of the walls. The cost of materials for one 52 square meter unit is below $2000. The unit are easy to dismantle, and the materials easily disposed or recycled. 48

Cardboard Cathedral - Christchurch, New Zealand, 2013 The February 2011 Christchurch earthquake (magnitude 6.3) inflicted crippling damage on the Christchurch Cathedral which was the symbol of city. In response to this situation, we were asked to design new temporary cathedral. Paper tubes of the equal length and 20 ft containers form triangular shape. Since geometry is decided by plan and elevations of the original cathedral, there is a gradual change in each angle of paper tubes. This cathedral, which has a capacity of 700 people, can be used as an event space and a concert space. There was a media conference in Christchurch on 31st of July, 2011.

Handmade School / Anna Heringer + Eike Bangladesh is a fertile alluvial land in the Gulf of Bengal and the land with the highest population density in the world. On average nearly 1000 people live in every square kilometre and over 80% of the population live in rural areas. Much of the vernacular built tradition uses earth and bamboo as a building material. The projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main strategy is to communicate and develop knowledge and skills within the local population so that they can make the best possible use of their available resources. Historic building techniques are developed and improved and the skills passed on to local tradesmen transforming in the process the image of the building techniques.

METI aims to promote individual abilities and interests taking into account the different learning speeds of the schoolchil- dren and trainees in a free and open form of learning. It offers an alternative to the typical frontal approach to lessons. The architecture of the new school reflects this principle and provides different kinds of spaces and uses to support this approach to teaching and learning. On the ground floor with its thick earth walls, three classrooms are located each with their own access opening to an organically shaped system of ‘caves’ to the rear of the classroom. The soft interiors of theses spaces are for touching, for nestling up against, for retreating into for exploration or concentration, on one’s own or in a group. 51

Puertos Escobar Football Club / Torrado Flexible, and variable transparencies providing shaded areas.

Soccer Clubhouse in Auckland Comprised of predominantly lightweight, prefabricated elements, the building has a sense of lightness which increases in accordance with its greater transparency at the northern end. The clubhouse is designed to centrally connect a series of proposed pathways, forming the circulatory center of the park complex. The architects said that â&#x20AC;&#x153;the shape of the roof was initially inspired by the notion of a leaf floating over the park and coming to rest. From that idea, the form evolved not only in response to economic and functional requirements, but also from the wish to capture the ethos of the club and its aspirations.â&#x20AC;? The building rises gently from the fields, and its softness fits appropriately within the quiet, residential suburb of Mt Roskill.

Tropical Climates / Building Design Considerations Movement of air is an important Open up houses as much as possible Use lightweight materials for the walls and roof So they do not store much heat and shed heat quickly ie steel or timber stud frame with metal, timber or fibre cement claddings Avoid Heavy mass products, such as brick and block Such mass re-radiate the heat they have stored during the day, which keeps the house hot after sunset If must use, ensure they are well shaded Windows should be shaded from the sun and protected from rain The roof and/or ceiling should be insulated and roof space is well vented Living room + bedroom has at least two openings The building should be engineered to withstand cyclones Develop a long, thin floor plan with as many rooms as possible having windows or openings on at least two walls to achieve maximum cross-ventilation Provide covered external living areas that are positioned to catch the prevailing breezes in both the wet and dry seasons Insulate the eastern and western walls Using lighter, more reflective colours on roofs and walls Raise the ceiling height to greater than 2700mm or using sloping ceilings with a minimum height of 2400mm Choose windows that catch the breeze and can be left open in wet conditions, ie louvres, casements or awning windows Use awnings to shade windows and provide rain protection Put high level windows or vents in all rooms, to let out the hot air and draw in cooler air However it is important that windows or vents can be closed in storms Avoid shrubs and dense planting up to 2100mm high that will block breezes, make internal rooms darker, and provide breeding areas for mosquitoes and other pests 54

Design for Natural Ventilation Use the breeze for cross ventilation through openings in opposite walls and internal partitions Maximise the area of windows (e.g. louvres) that can be opened Orientate house to catch the breeze (whilst still minimising sun on east and west walls) A long narrow floor plan catches the breeze best. Trees and shrubs act to cool the air passing through the house. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t use exposed concrete on ground immediately outside the house as it heats the air. Roof space ventilation draws the heat out. Dirty flyscreens block more breeze. Consider using openable/removable flyscreen shutters Minimum Insulation Standard Light coloured well ventilated roofs: foil/sisalation Other roofs: R1.5 batts and foil/sisalation Full shading of wall is much more important than wall R-value. Unshaded, masonry walls store heat and release it well into the night. Shelter windows with louvres, canopies, shutters or fixed overhangs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; then you can enjoy the cooling effect of rain. Source: http://design490.org/tropical-climate-building-design-considerations/ 55

Vernacular Construction in Mamfe, Cameroon

DESIGN PROCESS

Programming Study

DESIGN ITERATION #1

Initial Idea: Using buildings themselves to frame soccer fields and serve as bleacher seating. Dormitories will serve double purposes, as living quarters by night and soccer field bleachers by day.

DESIGN ITERATION #2

Developing through section: Dorm units will stack on top of one another to create double loaded bleachers seating and views. Large roof system will cover stadium seating.

DESIGN ITERATION #3

Bottom Floor 70

Top Floor

Figuring dimensions and scale of dormitory units and how they stack to create bleacher seating. Lobby and balcony area will be between units.

Feedback: Focus on a main concept for the dormitory building. A â&#x20AC;&#x153;large houseâ&#x20AC;? for all students seems like a homey communal space for orphans. A large roof covering that covers the atrium but also allows heat escape would be a great addition.

DESIGN ITERATION #4 My design concept for the boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; dormitory buildings is creating a home for its occupants. The large interior atrium is a gathering space for kids to bond and interact like a family. Units surround and enclose large atrium.

Bottom Floor

Top Floor

Unit plans and bathrooms for 10 students per room. An open floor plan kitchen/dining/lounge space makes up the atrium.

Feedback: -Create more defined public, semi-public, and private spaces in the entry experience for various people. -Allow for more exterior space for students to get away from crammed forms. -Have multiple entrances into dorm building for kids coming from school versus soccer practice. -Master plan design needs a clear concept.

More to consider: 続 Roof system 続 Balconies and overhangs 続 Shading, rain cover 続 Passive cooling strategies

DESIGN ITERATION #5

Refined L-shaped units fit 12 students. Interior is divided up into public, semi-private, and private spaces. More entrances / exits added to rear of building.

DESIGN ITERATION #6

Implement Design Rules 1. All dorm units must have a view of at least one soccer field. 2. Every room in every building must have openings that allow for natural cross ventilation. (How much air exchange?) 3. Windows should never fully be in direct sun. Walls should never fully be in direct sun for more than 4 hours. 4. Dorms will not be seen by the public unless invited. 5. Gathered groups of more than 50 people will never be more than 100 meters away from dining complex. 6. Every building must have covered outdoor spot to retreat (i.e. porch, terrace, gardens) 7. There will be bike paths that lead to every building/sports field on the site. 8. Every soccer field will have formal and informal seating spaces. 9. Trees will create informal various shaded outdoor spaces. 10. Kids living at orphanage will go through three levels of security to exit site. 1. Dorm building warden. 2. Long paths (can be seen by administrators). 3. Security at site entrances.

Feedback: -Building feels too enclosed, need to open up to breeze. -Sketch perspective views from the site to figure out how other buildings will look in elevation as students walk along path.

FINAL DESIGN

Client: A soccer academy and development organization for underprivleged teens. Dahiru Manaja, the client, says a successful Dream Soccer Academy facility will educate and empower youths and the community of Manyu, provide a safe and conducive learning environment, and reduce the high rates of street and homeless children. Most importantly, this organization and its resources provide a sense of hope for those in need.

Architecture as social responsibility is more than simply providing shelter and a workplace. It fulfills a social role in society by providing that society with a platform to develop and evolve. In the 200,000 population rural agricultural town of Mamfe, Cameroon, the most important cultural needs are housing, education, and health. This community center / orphanage will provide shelter, a home, and a purpose for kids in the soccer academy. My design objectives are to use available resources and local materials to create facilities that respond to the climate and serves as a practical and functional project for this non-profit organization. It will serve 200 students, ages 10-21, and faculty/staff. My focus of the project is developing the master plan and the dorm facilities, using design to enhance community. 95

100â&#x20AC;&#x2122; buffer away from river

Programming on site

Lay out building blocks and locations

FINAL MASTER PLAN DESIGN The concept is to create a natural, playful, free-flowing informal outdoor spaces that juxtapose formal rectilinear buildings. The buildings have long, narrow floor plans with as many rooms as possible having windows or openings on at least two walls to achieve maximum cross-ventilation. Students will go through three levels of security to exit site (dorm building warden, long paths, security at entrances.)

Add roads and paths

Add landscaping

PROGRAM 1. Student Dorms

Distanced site entrances and public view Separate blocks for boys and girls (15,200 s.f.) Eight 12-person student units Two 2-person staff units Lobby for assembly, prayer, study Shared bathroom and locker rooms

2. School

Four 30-person classrooms (1000 s.f.) South-facing for maximum breeze Two 30-person halls for vocational training Health center (2130 s.f.)

3. Dining

Kitchen for dining and catering Placed centrally on site as gathering space Covered outdoor dining hall (6800 s.f.) Catering room by bleachers

4. Administration

Administration office (2600 s.f.) Security room Administration booth at second entrance (290 s.f.) Placed with direct access to circulation and supervisory views of students

5. Conference Halls

Block of four halls of varying sizes (4350 s.f.) Located between soccer fields with views 200 person capacity

6. Sports Fields

Main soccer field for big games Track and field track Two practice soccer fields Indoor gym for fitness training (4730 s.f.) Basketball court Handball field

7. Seating

Bleacher seats for main field (3875 s.f.) For the public during soccer games 2000 person capacity Locker rooms on both sides for athletes

The main road turns into the foot/ bike path that leads to the entrance of the site. The red soil becomes very sticky during rainy season. Bike paths onsite allow for access to every building and sports field.

The site is located in a forest area. The vegetaion types are lowland rain forest and the mid-altitude forest. Existing and new trees will create informal shaded outdoor spaces.

5 3 2

Pedestrian Entrance

Main Entrance

Farmland

100

The site section shows the flow of public to private spaces. From the left, existing buildings in the villages lie across the street from the site. As we enter, we approach the large public practice soccer field. The dormitory buildings are far from the site entrance. Finally, a lush forest resides on the bank of the Mamfe River.

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102 MAIN ENTRANCE SITE

The entrance into the academy features an open gate that allows for the entrance and exit of vehicles and pedestrians. The vehicle road extends to a roundabout in front of the dining complex, where trucks can drop off food. After the roundabout, the path is accessible to bikes and pedestrians, and leads up to the kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; playground between the dorms.

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104 MAIN SOCCER FIELD + TRACK

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106 PLAYGROUND KIDSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

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DORMITORIES

Many times, orphanages seem aloof and cold. My design concept for the boys’ and girls’ dormitory buildings is creating a home for its occupants. The large interior atrium is a gathering space for kids to bond and interact like a family. Each unit is its own individual building that can be occupied before others are built. My design uses a “kit of parts” method to provide the “parts” needed to construct each unit before the entire building is assembled. This is a practical way for the organization to slowly build as they raise funds for the entire facility.

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1. Building block for 100 residents

2. Atrium opening to maximum assembly space and easy entrance

110

3. Add walkways & private outdoor balconies

4. Sloped roof to keep out rain, provide shade and ventilation

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To school/cafeteria

To fields

Entrance

LOWER FLOOR

112

Opening south-facing for maximum breeze. Every room in building has openings that allow for natural cross ventilation.

UPPER FLOOR

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The atrium space is a semiprivate shared communal live/play/study space for the buildingsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; residents. The shaded open air allows for natural ventilation and ease of access.

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Every dormitory unit has view of at least one soccer field.

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L-shaped dorm units include two corners with three bunkbeds and beds each to accomodate 12 students per room.

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CONNECTORS (see callouts)

STEEL TRUSSES 8’ APART

CONCRETE COLUMN BOND BEAM BLOCKS

WINDOW SYSTEM SILL

SOLID GROUT

CONCRETE FLOOR SLAB (5”)

REINFORCEMENT

CONCRETE BLOCK MASONRY 120WALL (6”)

As a humanitarian project for an orphanage in a tropical area of Cameroon, costs and material selection are important factors to consider in addition to passive cooling strategies. Double roof buildings are common in Africa, as they keep out heat and create more shade. My living unit and roof system blocks follow distinct phases of construction that allow for units to be inhabited before the building itself is completed. The steel trusses will be welded together, and screwed onto bolts cast into the masonry walls and concrete beams.

TRUSS CONNECTION DETAIL

Materials & Construction Concrete Framing Masonry Infill Walls Steel Trusses

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Kit of Parts The most unique part of my design lies in its construction versatility. Five separate small buildings make up each dormitory facility. As funds are raised for this project, a various number of small buildings can be completed at different stages. Ultimate, they come together to form an atrium, which will then be covered the last part of the roof.

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Cost Estimate Division 1 General Conditions Division 2 Site Work Division 3 Concrete Division 4 Masonry Division 5 Metals Division 6 Carpentry Division 7 Therm./Moist. Protect Division 8 Doors/Windows Division 9 Finishes Division 10 Specialties Division 11 Equipment Division 12 Furnishings Division 13 Special Construction Division 14 Conveying Systems Division 15 Mech. Work Division 16 Electrical Total

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Housing Unit 1

Housing Unit 2

$86,640 $57,182 $77,976 $40,432 $92,416 $0 $25,992 $23,104 $46,208 $13,285 $12,130 $13,285 $2,888 $5,776 $29,458 $50,829 $577,600

Main Soccer Field $58,800 $101,640 $25,200 $21,000 $58,800 $37,800 $12,600 $8,400 $0 $21,000 $37,800 $0 $0 $0 $16,800 $20,160 $420,000

Soccer Fields $32,000 $82,400 $20,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $6,000 $30,000 $0 $0 $2,000 $9,600 $18,000 $200,000

Dining Cafeteria $40,460 $33,320 $28,560 $16,660 $23,800 $7,140 $3,570 $7,140 $21,420 $4,760 $7,140 $1,190 $2,380 $2,380 $17,850 $20,230 $238,000

Conference Rooms $25,883 $21,315 $18,270 $10,658 $13,703 $4,568 $2,284 $4,568 $8,374 $3,806 $6,090 $3,806 $0 $1,523 $12,180 $15,225 $152,250

Indoor Gym $28,144 $21,522 $19,866 $11,589 $13,244 $0 $2,483 $4,967 $7,450 $4,139 $18,211 $828 $0 $1,656 $16,555 $14,900 $165,550

Health Center $28,350 $20,475 $18,900 $11,025 $14,175 $4,725 $3,938 $6,300 $9,450 $5,513 $3,938 $788 $1,575 $1,575 $12,600 $14,175 $157,500

Classroms (6) $21,866 $15,435 $18,008 $9,004 $13,506 $3,859 $3,859 $5,145 $6,431 $4,502 $643 $643 $0 $1,286 $11,576 $12,863 $128,625

Admin/ Security $13,007 $9,181 $10,711 $5,356 $6,886 $2,295 $1,913 $3,060 $4,208 $2,295 $1,913 $383 $0 $765 $6,886 $7,651 $76,510

Parking & Walkways $23,800 $116,200 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $140,000

Grand Total: $2,833,635

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ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

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Social Responsibility in Architecture Allison Bettencourt Jeremy Nguyen Ryan Michka Sophia Liu Viviana Sanchez

Social Architecture As both the primary driver for social progress and tangible record of societal habits since the formation of the first human settlement, architecture holds the important distinction among professions of simultaneously guiding, cataloging, and responding to the contemporary needs of humanity. Architecture thus acts in the dynamic role of providing a platform for people to interpret and use both independently and as a collective body; guiding social interaction, acknowledging the evolving nature of how people perceive and use space, and allowing the built environment to adapt to the changing spatial and social requirements of a community. More than simply providing shelter and workplace, architecture faces the crucial task of fulfilling a social role in society and providing that society a platform with which to develop and evolve. This role can take many forms and follow different strategies, but ultimately the goal is to use architecture as the base from which the health of a given community and the individual members within that community can grow. In the context of this book, socially responsible architecture is defined as the use of the built environment in the interest of improving and stimulating communal, environmental, and individual health, and in providing a platform for social discourse within a community; in effect, acting as the living heart of a community. A series of socially driven projects within a city have the opportunity of providing a network connecting all members of a given society, regardless of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or affiliation to various sub-cultures. Social responsibility in architecture is the wellspring from which intercultural or intergroup understanding, dialogue, and long-term environmental sustainability derive.

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Two-Way Process â&#x20AC;&#x153;Urban spaces are created by people, and they draw their character from the people that inhabit them. As people live and work in urban spaces, they gradually impose themselves on their environment, modifying and adjusting it, as best they can, to suit their needs and express their values. Yet at the same time, people themselves gradually accommodate both to their physical environment and to the people around them. There is thus a continuous two-way process, a socio-spatial dialectic, in which people create and modify urban spaces while at the same time being conditioned in various ways by the spaces in which they live and work. Neighborhoods and communities are created, maintained, and modified; the values, attitudes, and behavior of their inhabitants, meanwhile, cannot help but be influenced by their surroundingsâ&#x20AC;Ś At the same time, the ongoing processes of urbanization make for a context of change in which economic, demographic, social, and cultural forces are continuously interacting with these urban spaces (Knox, 3).â&#x20AC;? Architecture can thus be used to catalyze the process by which the user comes to change their environment while at the same time the evolving environment enacts change upon the user. In the context of a city, social architecture which allows layered socialization can help initiate positive change and inter-group interaction in a way that is defined by the user but guided by the architecture. Cities can then act as a living organism, with the architecture providing the means by which people can improve overall group health, the coevolving relationship between residents and their city being a fluid process. Architecture should be seen as a social responsibility in the interest of bridging the gaps between individuals and creating community even within the context of a big city. Historical Perspective To understand the nature of social responsibility in architecture, how it relates to the context of contemporary community infrastructure and health, it is useful to understand how it has manifested itself and changed over time. Just as society changes over time, so too does the social nature of architecture, each period of architectural history a window into the way people lived. The public square is the arguably the first social gesture towards forming a communal public realm in the built environment. The agora in ancient Greek cities formed the heart of the community and can be regarded as the archetype from which the traditional public square developed. What the agora initiated was a space for assembly and business transaction. It was the heart of democracy and social

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stimulus in the city, an open, accessible place where the community would come together to further the collective consciousness. As the birthplace of democracy, the Greek agora (above) signified an early manifestation of public life and a symbol of self governance. The Roman forum followed, and built on the idea of agora as an integral and essential part of the community, so much so that the forum was located as the center of power and civic life within the city. In addition to being an open public space, the Roman forum (above) also consolidated civic institutions (market hall, courts, basilica). It is here that daily life and community centered. It provided a place for people to socialize, learn, hold assembly, hear news, and conduct business. “Meanwhile, much information was dispensed in the forum; election posters, sale contracts, adoption notices. It was, in short, a media center (Herzog, 14).” The Roman forum was an intellectual progression of Greek ideas, and gave way to the medieval marketplace in following centuries. Rather than a single consolidated civic center, medieval cities had a network of public open spaces in front of churches or town halls, and as the center of trade. The locations of these public spaces, in adjacency to other religious, civic, and economic institutions, meant that they were logical gathering places, and spaces that people would inhabit or pass through on a daily basis. This public realm was the center of community life. The Renaissance saw more spaces for people to inhabit within the urban fabric, outside of the public square. Theaters, cafes, universities, and libraries began to populate the social realm. The industrial era signaled a downward trend in socialization of cities. Public life generally retreated to private residences, and varying social groups and ethnicities were defined by territories. One’s status, group affiliation, or appearance dictated the areas one would typically go, and the areas where they were not welcome. The dawn of the Industrial Era, however, signaled a downward trend in the socialization of cities. Public life generally retreated to private residences and as immigration reached a fever-pitch, social groups and ethnicities who never before shared a city, found themselves as unwelcome neighbors. One’s status, group affiliation, or appearance dictated the areas of the city one would inhabit, and the areas where they were not welcome. This in turn created segregated neighborhoods as ethnic enclaves which had the benefit of providing a familiar environs for members of such a group.. However, creation of these

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neighborhoods severely impacted the socialization of cities because it created strict social boundaries and isolation among groups rather than cooperation. The Industrial age took the idea of leisure time away from the masses. Society moved towards production and capital as the commonly held values. The public realm was less important and in many cases avoided. Streets are where the undesirables loiter, its filthy, its dangerous, or so the belief went. The dawn of the <Industrial Era>, however, signaled a downward trend in the socialization of cities. Public life generally retreated to private residences and as immigration reached a fever-pitch, social groups and ethnicities who never before shared a city, found themselves as unwelcome neighbors. Oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s status, group affiliation, or appearance dictated the areas of the city one would inhabit, and the areas where they were not welcome. This in turn created segregated neighborhoods as ethnic enclaves which had the benefit of providing a familiar environs for members of such a group.. However, creation of these neighborhoods severely impacted the socialization of cities because it created strict social boundaries and isolation among groups rather than cooperation. The Industrial age took the idea of leisure time away from the masses. Society moved towards production and capital as the commonly held values. The public realm was less important and in many cases avoided. Streets are where the undesirables loiter, its filthy, its dangerous, or so the belief went. As a Global Necessity Additionally, as the world has rapidly globalized, the need for architecture that is sensitive to the environment, both contextually and as a means of reducing impact, and for architecture that supports marginalized or underprivileged groups has increased. The traditional model of social responsibility in architecture or the importance of architecture in catalyzing socialization and public health has evolved. Today social responsibility in architecture also relates the idea of humanitarian and environmental efforts. Contemporary architecture requires adaptability and relevance. The idea of humanitarian architecture, helping those who are less fortunate build strong communities, relies on understanding the social context and needs of a given group. A humanitarian project has the opportunity to do more than just fulfill a specific need; ie a clinic, school, housing. It also has the opportunity to provide that place with a center for community, providing adaptable spaces to insure that a project is used in daily life, and can initiate intellectual growth within the community: social architecture. What is essential

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to the success of such a project today is responding to the cultural requirements and environmental context, and acknowledging the community impact of a space: social responsibility. In a more rural setting, this architecture seeks to be the pillar of a community, a forum and social platform for sharing ideas, and fostering unity within a communal group. At the urban level, social architecture can provide the same catalyst, as a space for public interaction and betterment, and a space that is an integral part of daily life, seeking to connect a variety of smaller communities, groups, and sub-cultures in the interest of making the city a unified collective. Cultural Need A society is constructed from a network of elements that are comprised into a culture. No one culture is identical to another, and what holds one group of people together can separate a different group. Because of these factors, it is near impossible to define exactly what a society needs to function at its best. Through the dissection of several societies, six elements’ continual influences emerged as the defining pillars of what a culture needs. Sustenance Food is necessary for human life, not just a society’s functioning ability. What plays a role in culture, though, is how food is collectively harvested. Is a society hunter-gather oriented, farmer based, individualistic, communal, etc.? How a community works to irrigate, fertilize, divide up produce, can be incredibly different from one group to the next. The importance of fast food production in today’s America results in toxic fertilizers and a system of allocation entirely based on wealth. Other societies that focus on quality of food products and allocate based on need in a village place sustenance in a different place in their culture’s network than stereotypical Americans would. Health Disease is the first thing that comes to mind when health is raised into question. And it is important. How a society heals wounds and disinfects and expels illness is unique. Different medicinal approaches, from tea and herbs to antibiotics, drastically change whether a culture places importance on symbiotic health or fabricated target mechanisms. Fast, quick, annihilating medicine is efficient and time saving when trying to get rid of certain pathogens, but these can also cause long term harm. A study was

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done where a group of indigenous peoples were taken from their remote island where they had lived for centuries as hunter-gatherers, and placed them on a western diet in the western hemisphere. Cancer and other diseases became more and more common among the people the longer they lived in the western world. After several years, the population was put back into their once indigenous environment. Cancer and the other diseases almost immediately reduced drastically. The culture these people had created was not prepared to deal with these different diseases of western civilizations they encountered. A shift in preparation and dealing with illness was required in order to survive. Think of how different American civilization would be if cancer and other major diseases werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t one of the leading causes of death. Career The secularization of skills has worked for centuries as a successful mode of community development. The development of these separated skills has developed into fairly complex, specific skill positions in a culture that a society fills. Some cultures have secularized more than others, or are at different levels of refinement. The skills required by its community, however, drastically change the culture of the community. Skills needed to survive as a population change based on environment, size of the population in question, weather, development of goods, etc. Interestingly, the people themselves arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t so much locked into this quality of culture as the skills required from a population are. Economy It is near impossible for every individual in a society to learn all the skills needed make the society function smoothly. By secularizing skills and dividing the work amongst the community members, a system of trade is automatically needed in order to distribute the products of work. The complexity of this trade network is different in every culture, as is the degree of importance the network itself plays. Whether this network is used simply as a way to transfer goods, or becomes a skill and money maker in itself, the economy plays a large role in how a society functions. When trade falls apart, the members of the community cannot get all the goods they need in order to survive. Housing Without shelter, humans are exposed and often harmed by natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s elements. How a community

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develops these shelters is unique to them. Everything from terrain and weather to religious beliefs affects how a culture develops its architecture. Materials available and the manpower to use the available materials play a large role in a culture’s housing development. Communal living versus individual living drastically changes the structure of housing developments as well. By changing materials of housing, careers and economy would be altered greatly. By changing from communal to individual housing, health and other elements would be changed. Architects and builders cannot go into a community without knowing the culture and make changes in the housing market. Education Whether it be students being taught in a white-washed classroom, or a child learning a skill from a grandparent at home, education is embedded into the very core of culture. What a society finds important enough to pass down to the next generation quickly shows what a culture views as essential. Without the passing of knowledge from one generation to the next, how would a society survive? This network of social elements is what a society needs in order to thrive. Many societies lack one or the other, or are weak in an area or two. Our goals encompass ways to address these needs in a specific society by analyzing the society’s fortes and faults, and developing a way to improve their network. “The vision of a Citizen City is one that transcends the traditional goals of economic stability and working infrastructure, and allows for inclusivity for its people, with a variety of economic levels, different cultures, and diverse identities. It also allows and encourages fairness, civic engagement, and the cultivation of cultural identity (Marya Cotton Gould, Citizen City).” Citizen City The idea of a Citizen City, or one that promotes cross-cultural and cross-class unity, in the interest of building better communities, and with the expressed goal of creating socially integrated cities, begins with the implementation of single buildings. The social responsibility of architecture is directly related to building the idea of Citizen City. These single buildings are the start of city-wide urban social networks, which seek to create meaningful connections and stimulate social growth.

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As was discussed in the first chapter, the forum, agora, and marketplace are a few examples of how historically cities dealt with the issues of socialization, spread of information, and establishing a sense of community. The Creek tribe, native to the southeastern United States has a word for town, Italwa, a word which implies, “spiritual membership in and social responsibility for a civic ceremonial center (Childs, 27).” Community. While the prototypical urban public spaces were outdoors, their boundary was punctuated by adjacency to the built environment; important civic and economic centers (courthouse, market hall), and later cultural and intellectual institutions (theaters, libraries, universities). Their location was based on being central at the heart of the community and in turn the community inhabited the heart. Social architecture was and is a place where the city has its heart. It is the place people inhabit on a daily basis and pass through on a daily basis. Its location places it near other important spaces and structures. These social spaces have access to food, leisure activities, and a wide variety of places that encourage a wide variety of interaction. It is here that people of a given city can come to further themselves, learn about others from their community, and seek to bridge the cultural and socioeconomic chasms that lie between people of a city. Right to the City In the 1960s French philosopher and sociologist Henri Lefebvre proposed his idea of the “right to the city” or the “freedom to make and remake cities for ourselves. The stark Marxist undertones of his work can be synthesized into the context of architecture for the social and intellectual growth of communities described in this book. “It is the right of citadins (visitors and residents) to access, be and participate in urban space: a collective right to change ourselves by changing the city. To “be” in the city emphasizes the temporal aspects of producing space. Whilst the right to ‘‘access’’ offers or constrains opportunities, the right to be is accomplished through active presence. Commensurate with the production of space, the right to the city requires collaboration and, potentially, contestation; social relationships between very different kinds of people (Henri Lefebvre).” His vision of the “right to the city” includes the idea of participation of its inhabitants, both as active components of public life improving the urban fabric, and in shaping spaces to suit the requirements and lifestyles of the community. This includes the right to be, to access, and to participate. Being able to participate is of relevance to the contents of this book, in that it directly relates to the construction

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of the built environment in facilitating such participation. He asserts that social relations are connected to spatial relations. Social and spatial relations both respond and evolve in relation to historical, physical, and social contexts. Space is the primary requirement of socialization. All interaction and subsequent action is initiated by space, and designed space has the ability to shape socialization. Context and qualities of space have profound effects on the nature of social interaction. Differing spaces can guide the scale, nature, or quality of interactions, but poorly designed or sited spaces can negatively influence the nature of a city or neighborhood. Public vs. Private Today, it is common for a community to be fractured because the private home has become the primary socialization space across many demographics. Someone might not even know their neighbors in the same apartment building, let alone who might live on the same block. If the public realm has a real sense of place, a space one can inhabit, interact in, make oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s voice heard, and in turn be an active member of the community, one can begin to break this mold of similitude. What follows next is the socialization of the community and sense of camaraderie between members rather than alienation based on perceived differences. Refugees, for example, can feel marginalized if they have no contact with the greater community. This can also be true of members of other demographics. This in turn leads to loneliness, resentment, and stagnation in self-development. It may also result in a renouncement of the host cultureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s values and customs, and in the rigid adherence to oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original culture. Importance of Socialization Social interaction is important for individual health, but also group health. People can then make their voices heard, share ideas and skills with others, and donate their time for the improvement of community life. If a space to attain these goals is the first step in creating community, then socialization is the second, and comes with the implementation of such a space. To create a strong community, it is essential that all members are an active part of it and to achieve that, all members need to have some level of interaction; no one person should feel marginalized and to that end, no one member of a community should see another as of lesser importance or worth because of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, or views.

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Promotion of Cooperation The third step is in developing cooperation between individuals. Creating community and bridging the divides between different groups relies heavily on cooperation, a direct result of positive socialization of individuals. Cooperation begins with casual, persistent contact with members of varying groups, and ends in the formation of commonalities and willingness to work together for the reciprocal benefit of members and the ultimate health of society. Members of theoretical Group A have something to share with those of Group B, and in turn Group A can learn something from Group B and vise-versa. Just as a machine cannot operate to its full potential without the functionality and cooperation of all its parts, neither can a city and community reach its full potential without the inclusion and collaboration of all its parts. Cities which boast inclusion of all members and the celebration of different cultures and ideas along both ethnic and social lines, with universal respect towards the values and norms of the host culture binding the differing groups together, have the opportunity to form a city that is welcoming and healthy as a body, and also beneficial to the health and welfare of individuals. Community Impact in Cities From a city planning perspective, architecture in the form of buildings work together to impact the community. In well-developed cities and towns, public buildings make up a civic fabric that reflect who we are as a people. Good infrastructure promotes prosperity by linking people to one another, providing access to resources, facilitating industry and commerce, and more. In other words, we need places to manage our cities, dispense justice, shop for goods, converse with fellow citizens, and relax and enjoy art and culture. Communities must balance three main components: environment, economy, and society. Public buildings such as courthouses and town halls existed since the beginning of city development, and have long served as key economic anchors to downtown, from where business districts grew. For much of history, the courthouse has served not just as a local center of law and government but a meeting ground, cultural hub, and social gathering place. As the world industrialized and turned towards a capitalist society over the last two centuries, thesegathering spaces shifted to fit a consumerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs, allowing establishments like shopping plazas to fill this niche. A modern cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s downtown has become a

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place to shop, dine, and enjoy the outdoors. Architecture is the making of a city over time. The courthouses, post offices, town halls, libraries and schools, as well as banks, shops, and department stores, form the material backdrop of public life, revealing beliefs, priorities, and aspirations of a city. The spaces inside and around these buildings is public shared space used by inhabitants and visitors of the area. Architecture is a connection with the past and present. It communicates memory, values and a sense of place. A certain building can call to mind certain feelings or events that resonate with residents and visitors. They accentuate or contrast with surrounding landscapes, and often develop an identity all of their own. Therefore we must design with an awareness that circumstances will change – that a building’s context will evolve. Repurposed public buildings have impacted communities over time, adapting to a city’s needs for different spaces. The Roman Colosseum was a massive stone amphitheater used to entertain the public. After the early medieval era, it was used for housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry, and a Christian shrine. The Musée d’Orsay was a Beaux-Arts railway station that has been repurposed into one of the largest art museums in Europe, transforming its purpose from transportation to public art. Buildings like these not only impact the community in various aspects, but evolve based on a community’s needs over time. Environmental Factors Architecture is the connection between people and the environment. Cities are unique because of their natural, built, social, economic, and cultural environments. The interaction between people and the environment can be influenced by architecture. Therefore, designing innovative buildings that cohesively connect people to their environment and to each other is part of the social responsibility as an architect. Climate, infrastructure, demographic, and vernacular have all influenced the human needs of shelter to a specific region. As technology and architecture advance, it is easy to ignore the natural environment and its benefits. Socially responsible design is more than the connection between the built and natural environment. It is the connection between people and their neighbors through architecture informed by the environmental context which encourages a healthier, interactive lifestyle.

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Through history and the development of cities, architecture was influenced by human need and not aesthetic desire. Architecture influenced by the environmental context creates vernacular architecture which represents a city or region. Modern architecture can often ignore the natural environment becoming nothing more than an architectural expression. As designers, we should be able to balance creativity while capturing the essence of the environment to design buildings that help the social, economic, and cultural environments thrive. Climate Climate should impose limitations in a design, and influence the shape of a building. Thus, allowing architecture and nature to connect. Architecture and the climate should not compete. The climate should be understood at a macro and micro scale to so that the architecture responds and accepts its beneficial qualities to generate innovative buildings. The climate can influence the architecture but it can also be resourceful. In some locations, large leaves from the trees can be used as roofing material to keep rain out. Many locations have similar roofs to provide safety from weather conditions and establish thermal comfort. The natural environment such as trees and bodies of water can protect against wind and cool an area. Natural lighting and natural ventilation have positive effects on both building performance and human health. The performance of a building should also promote a healthier experience by the user. Vernacular Vernacular architecture is based on the design of human need and is specific to a region. Local materials and techniques that have been passed down from generation to generation can often be lost as technology is rapidly advances. Learning traditional construction methods and embracing cultural building traditions often leads to energy efficient and sustainable design. Architecture influenced by tradition connects people to their culture. Climate, culture and location should be reflected through architecture while improving health, safety, comfort and happiness of the people. Demographics Good architecture should be experienced by all users. As we develop humanitarian projects, we are designing to enhance the lifestyles of people allowing them to adapt and grow in their

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environment. We are designing for specific groups of people; homeless, refugees, children, orphans. Our projects focus on improving the lives of people or communities in need. Often, the terms “lowincome”, “homeless”, “public housing” have negative connotations. Architecture in impoverished areas often reflect these negative connotations. Architecture and design should be tailored to their needs, providing shelter, safety, security and encouragement without neglecting creativity, aesthetic and innovation. Public Spaces Public spaces should promote social interaction. Based on location, public spaces can be found in large or small areas; indoors or outdoors; between private or public buildings. Some of these spaces are shaped organically and others have been planned strategically. Common public spaces include, plazas, town squares, parks, beaches, piers, marketplaces, malls, lobbies, sidewalks, sites within public buildings, or public spaces within private buildings. Regardless of shape or size, public spaces should encourage people to meet, provide a sense of community and act as a social bond within neighbors. Public spaces should be designed to be more than a physical location, they should promote safety, social interaction and provide a sense of belonging. Environmental Sensitivity: Impact of Buildings & Architectural Stewardship Architecture at its essence, precedes the architect. The humanistic desire to be culturally connected to one’s surroundings is reflected in a harmonious architecture, with a typology that identifies with a particular region. This sociologic facet of architecture can be seen in the specific material, colors, spaces, or forms reflected in the urban framework of a community. The way modern-day human activities callously rip away at the natural environment demands architecture to focus on the connectivity of a community as a whole. As the largest contributors to harmful global environment impact, the construction and building industry must provide a structure that systematically addresses environmental concerns. Means to reduce impacts throughout the life-cycle of buildings must take into account parameters that typically dictate the constraints of a project’s design potential; from scarce resources, limited funds, to lack of access to utilities, a building poorly designed to consider environmental or vernacular factors can ultimately lead to greater cost and resources both to the occupants and to the environment. In order to achieve sustainability, architecture seeks to apply tradition to contemporaneity; integrating technology with materiality.

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Vernacular Construction Practices By capitalizing on the native knowledge of how buildings can be designed effectively as well as taking advantage of local materials and resources, vernacular architecture adheres to basic green architectural principles of energy efficiency. The construction of these structures embodies the natural resource-conscious solution suited for regional humanitarian project needs, serving as examples of economically viable techniques. Strategies like utilizing readily-available natural resources timetested for local climate take advantage of natural characteristics. Greater durability and less required maintenance lead to lower operation costs. Dependent on available locally-sourced materials, vernacular techniques can be applied to help modern design move buildings toward being entirely selfsufficient. Without materials, nothing can be constructed. However, the significant environmental impacts caused by intensive energy production, consumption, and transportation of building materials cannot be ignored. Different sustainable material strategies such as using recycled and reclaimed materials can be used in addition to utilizing materials and resources in close proximity to the site. In the past, the lack of technological capability of producing advanced materials and transporting goods over long distances restricted builders to simple forms and profiles made from materials available on site. Contemporary technological advancement makes it possible to produce complex materials that could be available anywhere in the world usually at a greater cost and higher energy consumption. Large amounts of energy are required to transport raw materials from its point of extraction to its distribution of finished products. In contrast, locally sourced materials typically have lower processing and embodied energy, reducing the impact on the environment. Traditional building materials share a direct relationship to local conditions and typically exhibit significantly less environmental impact and embodied energy than current construction materials. Serving as a vital connection between humans and the environment, ecological sensitivity becomes inseparable from architecture. It re-connects us to our unique area of the world and drives us to focus on what is the most essential to survival â&#x20AC;&#x201C; architecture before the architect. The importance of mitigating the impact the built environment has on the earth should not be lost during design conception. To advance the progress of humanity and architecture, we must implement knowledge from the past and employ sustainable strategies as a methodical, well-balanced whole. Beyond achieving optimum energy efficiency, it is left to designers to use their creativity to provide a systematic framework which adapts these techniques to new modern-day building requirements.

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Social Responsibility in Cameroon Socially responsible architecture is defined as the use of the built environment in the interest of improving and stimulating communal, environmental, and individual health, and in providing a platform for social discourse within a community; in effect, acting as the living heart of a community. From a contemporary perspective, socially responsible architecture specifically calls for sustainability, building urban community, and humanitarian work. The cultural needs most important to the town of Mamfe, Cameroon are housing, education, and health. The youth soccer academy seeks to provide these needs for young boys and girls, calling for an orphanage / community center on the outskirts of town, where the children play soccer. This center will impact the community, providing shelter, a place to learn, and a place to grow up. The environmental context for this project calls for a building that is sensitive to the site, currently a forest. Transportation is most common by bike or foot, and the climate is hot and dry. The buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design, construction process, and building materials as well as building use and maintenance all impact water and energy consumption, so designing for scarce resources and limited funds will be a challenge. I want to use vernacular construction practices that utilize readilyavailable natural resources found in the area and are economically viable. 171

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http://allthecities.com/cities/mamfe http://www.mamfe-council.org/galleries/ http://design490.org/tropical-climate-building-design-considerations/ http://www.archdaily.com/267440/kimisagara-football-for-hope-centre-kdap http://www.archdaily.com/802616/puertos-escobar-football-club-torrado-arquitectos http://www.archdaily.com/792813/copeland-associates-architects-design-new-soccerclubhouse-in-auckland http://www.archdaily.com/489255/the-humanitarian-works-of-shigeru-ban http://www.archdaily.com/51664/handmade-school-anna-heringer-eike-roswag http://themedianpaper-yde.blogspot.com/2014/04/football-for-hope-besongabangs-fifa.html Photos: http://www.brendansadventures.com/travel-guides/africa/west-africa/cameroon/mamfe/ All photos of Mamfe, Dream Soccer Academy and its members courtesy of Dahiru Manaja, unless otherwise noted. All renders and drawings produced by Sophia Liu.

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