In a few short weeks, something amazing will be going down in Chicago. Sadly, I will probably not be able to attend this one, but Structures for Inclusion is an annual conference held by Design Corps. I mentioned Design Corps & Bryan Bell when sharing a little bit from Bruce Mau a few weeks ago. Bryan’s networking and ability to find fantastic, inspiring speakers for these conferences is evident when you look down the list of past conferences and speakers.
Structures for Inclusion 10+1
Four years ago, I was able to attend, with some college friends, the 2007 Structures For Inclusion conference. Showing just how long ago that was, I had to dig into my Myspace blog archives to dig up what I said about it (Totally unedited, so read at your own risk):
This was the most inspiring conference / combination of architectural speakers I’ve heard thus far… I’m far too excited about it to keep mum, it was hosted at UNCC by Design Corps they do a ton of fantastic work for people who actually need good architecture and can’t afford it. (Unlike the rest of us who have mortgages to pay, pets to feed, etc) I’m really looking forward to breaking into the whole design-build business world. (In particular because after we get going for a while we should be able to make a real difference in the community without sacrificing the need to eat and have shelter ourselves.) Here are a few of the speakers:
Steve Badanes
Steve Badanes of Jersey Devil Design Build told us about many of his adventures in design build, both recently and back in the 70s (really paved the way for a lot of other firms to follow)
Heavy Trash
Unnamed woman of Heavy Trash an anonymous group of artists & architects in the L.A. area whose focus is bringing attention to social issues in the L.A. area by means of massive pieces of installation art (“heavy trash” which they are careful to keep from being permanent, thus being guilty only of littering)
Ronald Lewis - Project Locus
Ronald Lewis & Patrick Rhodes, Patrick formed the nonprofit group Project Locus and together they built for Ronald’s community (a residence of the N.O.’s ninth ward) the House of Dance and Feathers a community museum focused on the costumes & cultural heritage of the Mardis Gras festival.
Tsunami Safe(r) House
Justin Lee who is in large part responsible for the Tsunami Safe(r) House Project.
International Design Clinic
Scott Shall founder of the International Design Clinic who do some more fantastic Guerrilla Architecture world wide. (One project for a women’s shelter in modern day Romania was incredibly inspiring)
Phoebe Crisman worked on the Learning Barge Project whose aim is to educate both children and the public in the Norfolk Area about the local ecosystems as well as damage currently being inflicted on those systems by the shipbuilding industry, and at the same time gives ides of how the industry can be lower impact and make the surrounding community a better place to live rather than the ultra-poor, toxic, often cancer riddled area.
I could keep going and going… There is more information here SFI Speaker List
and below are a handful more links for more groups (I’m simply spending too much time on this post)The Artemis Institute
Tonic Design
The Homeless Task Force (whose site appears to have issues right now)Anyway, I’m gonna get back to work… the scent of fresh coffee calls, but thought anyone who wasn’t able to come out to the conference might be interested, as well as those of you non-architect people out there. (See we’re not all about ourselves)
