This group promotes architectural and design solutions to global, social and humanitarian crises. Architecture for Humanity creates opportunities for architects and designers from around the world to help communities in need. For more information, call/write Michael McHugh AIA (617-437-6262).

BSA Task Force to End Homelessness merges with Architecture for Humanity Boston

The BSA Task Force to End Homelessness (TFEH) and the Boston chapter of Architecture for Humanity (AFHB) have merged and will continue working together under the AFHB umbrella. The two groups have collaborated in the past on several initiatives, including projects with Shelter Inc., Bikes Not Bombs, and TEEN LEEP.

The TFEH was founded in 1986 by John Wilson FAIA to address the issue of homelessness in Boston and the architectural community’s lack of response to the problem. Since then, the group has provided pro bono planning, design, outreach, and advocacy services to non-profit and other community groups grappling with the problem of homelessness. In 1996, Wilson was awarded the prestigious national Whitney Young Jr. Award for his work. I joined the group in 1990 and became a co-chair in 2004.

Architecture for Humanity, founded in 1999 by Cameron Sinclair and Kate Stohr, was created to promote architectural and design solutions to global, social, and humanitarian crises through competitions, workshops, educational forums, partnerships with aid organizations, and other activities.

The local component, Architecture for Humanity Boston, was organized in 2004 by Wentworth Institute of Technology instructors Lora Kim and Jay Weber, Harvard GSD students Hye-Young Chung and Emily Farnham, designer Niveen Sayeed, and me. In 2005, we created a competition on Emergency Housing Ideas and sent the entries to the national AFH and exhibited them at Build Boston 2005. AFHB is currently run by five board members including Kim, Chung, Farnham, and Fatima Sayeed.

Since that initial collaboration, these two groups have continued to work so well together that a marriage between them seemed natural. We welcome the participation of everyone—professionals, design instructors, students, architects, engineers, BSA members and allies and nonmembers. AFHB meets on the second Thursday of each month (except August and December) at 6:30 pm at The Architects Building, 52 Broad Street in downtown Boston. With questions, thoughts or ideas, write Michael McHugh at michael@afhb.org. For more information, visit www.afhb.org or www.architectureforhumanity.org.

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