Honduras RPCV Harry Van Oudenallen designed an award-winning housing complex for banana workers in La Lima, Honduras, after their homes were wiped out in 1988 by Hurricane Gilbert



Honduras RPCV Harry Van Oudenallen designed an award-winning housing complex for banana workers in La Lima, Honduras, after their homes were wiped out in 1988 by Hurricane Gilbert

These architects have designs on compassion
Posted: Jan. 9, 2005
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Caption: Banana Worker Housing, La Lima, Honduras designed by RPCV Harry Van Oudenallen. This project responds to the devastation caused by Hurricane Gilbert to the entire banana-growing region of Honduras in 1988. The architect was commissioned to design a pilot community, including 6,000 housing units, for banana-field and plant workers. This ongoing, phased project lays out the schematic infrastructure of neighborhoods, streets, schools, civic structures, religious buildings, and parks. “The architect really stepped up to create a very large vision for the community,” the jury opined. “If there is any doubt about the potential influence and power of Wisconsin architects, it has been put to rest with their ability to influence something on this scale in Honduras.”

When architects venture into housing design these days, it tends to be high-end - for clients wrestling with the choice between, say, granite vs. soapstone countertops.

But there is a small but growing contingent of architects whose clients would settle for just a roof over their heads. The tsunami that left millions homeless in South Asia has galvanized this segment of the design community like nothing else in recent memory. Helped by the Internet, non-profit shelter organizations run by architects are mobilizing to provide bare-bones housing for those affected by the earthquake and tidal waves that devastated parts of 15 nations.

There's no money in it, obviously. It's a way to rekindle the idealism that drove many to enter the profession.

[Excerpt]

Here and there, established practitioners also are doing their part. One is Harry Van Oudenallen, a professor in the School of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a principal at Arquitectura, Inc., based in Shorewood. He designed an award-winning housing complex for banana workers in La Lima, Honduras, after their homes were wiped out in 1988 by Hurricane Gilbert. The housing, built on stilts to withstand seasonal flooding, was reminiscent of the plantation homes native to the area.

Van Oudenallen, who was familiar with local conditions from his days in the Peace Corps there, thinks more architects would take on such work if there were a way to compensate their firms. Some design shops do make provisions for pro bono work, but with 80% of the profession represented by firms of 4 or fewer employees, the loss of just one key player for more than a few weeks is hard to absorb. Maybe the American Institute of Architects, which has just contributed $10,000 to Architecture for Humanity, could establish a broader fund to underwrite such work.

When this story was posted in January 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:

Coleman: Peace Corps mission and expansion Senator Norm Coleman, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee that oversees the Peace Corps, says in an op-ed, A chance to show the world America at its best: "Even as that worthy agency mobilizes a "Crisis Corps" of former Peace Corps volunteers to assist with tsunami relief, I believe an opportunity exists to rededicate ourselves to the mission of the Peace Corps and its expansion to touch more and more lives."

RPCVs active in new session of Congress In the new session of Congress that begins this week, RPCV Congressman Tom Petri has a proposal to bolster Social Security, Sam Farr supported the objection to the Electoral College count, James Walsh has asked for a waiver to continue heading a powerful Appropriations subcommittee, Chris Shays will no longer be vice chairman of the Budget Committee, and Mike Honda spoke on the floor honoring late Congressman Robert Matsui.

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January 8, 2005: This Week's Top Stories Zambia RPCV Karla Berg interviews 1,374 people on Peace 7 Jan Breaking Taboo, Mandela Says Son Died of AIDS 6 Jan Dreadlocked PCV raises eyebrows in Africa 6 Jan RPCV Jose Ravano directs CARE's efforts in Sri Lanka 6 Jan Persuading Retiring Baby Boomers to Volunteer 6 Jan Inventor of "Drown Proofing" retires 6 Jan NPCA Membership approves Board Changes 5 Jan Timothy Shriver announces "Rebuild Hope Fund" 5 Jan More Water Bottles, Fewer Bullets 4 Jan Poland RPCV Rebecca Parker runs Solterra Books 2 Jan Peace Corps Fund plans event for September 30 Dec RPCV Carmen Bailey recounts bout with cerebral malaria 28 Dec more top stories...

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Latest: RPCVs and Peace Corps provide aid Peace Corps made an appeal last week to all Thailand RPCV's to consider serving again through the Crisis Corps and more than 30 RPCVs have responded so far. RPCVs: Read what an RPCV-led NGO is doing about the crisis an how one RPCV is headed for Sri Lanka to help a nation he grew to love. Question: Is Crisis Corps going to send RPCVs to India, Indonesia and nine other countries that need help?

The World's Broken Promise to our Children Former Director Carol Bellamy, now head of Unicef, says that the appalling conditions endured today by half the world's children speak to a broken promise. Too many governments are doing worse than neglecting children -- they are making deliberate, informed choices that hurt children. Read her op-ed and Unicef's report on the State of the World's Children 2005.

Changing of the Guard With Lloyd Pierson's departure, Marie Wheat has been named acting Chief of Staff and Chief of Operations responsible for the day-to-day management of the Peace Corps. Although Wheat is not an RPCV and has limited overseas experience, in her two years at the agency she has come to be respected as someone with good political skills who listens and delegates authority and we wish her the best in her new position.

Our debt to Bill Moyers Former Peace Corps Deputy Director Bill Moyers leaves PBS next week to begin writing his memoir of Lyndon Baines Johnson. Read what Moyers says about journalism under fire, the value of a free press, and the yearning for democracy. "We have got to nurture the spirit of independent journalism in this country," he warns, "or we'll not save capitalism from its own excesses, and we'll not save democracy from its own inertia."

RPCV safe after Terrorist Attack RPCV Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, the U.S. consul general in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia survived Monday's attack on the consulate without injury. Five consular employees and four others were killed. Abercrombie-Winstanley, the first woman to hold the position, has been an outspoken advocate of rights for Arab women and has met with Saudi reformers despite efforts by Saudi leaders to block the discussions.

Is Gaddi Leaving? Rumors are swirling that Peace Corps Director Vasquez may be leaving the administration. We think Director Vasquez has been doing a good job and if he decides to stay to the end of the administration, he could possibly have the same sort of impact as a Loret Ruppe Miller. If Vasquez has decided to leave, then Bob Taft, Peter McPherson, Chris Shays, or Jody Olsen would be good candidates to run the agency. Latest: For the record, Peace Corps has no comment on the rumors.

The Birth of the Peace Corps UMBC's Shriver Center and the Maryland Returned Volunteers hosted Scott Stossel, biographer of Sargent Shriver, who spoke on the Birth of the Peace Corps. This is the second annual Peace Corps History series - last year's speaker was Peace Corps Director Jack Vaughn.

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