WE BUILD | 2010

B a n g a l o r e , I n d i a

P R O J E C T A P P L I C AT I O N

Global Citizens
for Sustainable Development
WE BUILD | 2010
In 2010, WE BUILD will bring the University of Melbourne.
together emerging designers
from Australia and India in The project forms part of the
an innovative program to 2010 Asian Citizens Assembly in
masterplan a self-sustaining Bangalore, August 2010.
precinct for migrant workers
[co]Design studio is working on
in Bangalore (Bengaluru), WE BUILD as part of its emerging
India. Over subsequent years, designers program. In 2010 [co]
a school, residential precinct Design studio is launching two
and agricultural gardens innovative programs:
will be designed and built • Firstly a WE BUILD creative team
of young professional team of
in collaboration with the
architects, landscape architects,
community. artists and planners that will
work with Indian counterparts
The program was initiated by and the migrant community
Global Citizens for Sustainable on the planning of the precinct
Development (GCSD, Bengaluru, and concept design of major
India) and will be delivered in buildings.
partnership with Community • Secondly [co]Design studio
Oriented Design ([co]Design studio) will launch an international,
(Australia), Habitat for Humanity online design competition that
India and St Joseph’s College, will engage a broad audience
Bangalore (India). The program of emerging designers in the
also has the support of UNESCO, via project.
the UNESCO Observatory on Multi-
disciplinary Research in the Arts at
CONCEPT
Emerging designers all With half the world’s population WE BUILD is an opportunity to Millennium Development
over the world can imagine living in cities, and pressures from equip, train and mobilise emerging Goals (MDGs)
rapid urbanisation and climate designers working in the built
a better urban future, but
change mounting, the future environment professions with the In a wider context, WE BUILD
often don’t know where to sustainability of human settlements tools they need to design and plan sits within the framework of the
start. will rely disproportionately on for the key future challenges. By Millennium Development Goals,
architects and urban designers – but working in partnership with non- working specifically towards Goal 7,
are we ready? Ninety Percent of the profit organisations, communities, target 11 “To improve the lives of 100
world’s design resources are still universities and mentors, emerging Million Slum Dwellers”. The program
utilised by the richest 10% (Dr. Paul designers will engage in cross aims to provide a design platform to
Polak, International Development cultural communication and create awareness and action on the
Enterprises) which outlines a need integrated, participatory design MDGs.
to shift the way design is used and practices relevant to an urbanized
applied. future. The WE BUILD program is not
an isolated event, but sits as part
of [co]Design studio’s emerging
designers program. It hopes to set
a precedent for ongoing socially
responsible design projects.
BACKGROUND
Bengaluru (Bangalore) is Responding to this critical need,
the capital of the Indian State of Global Citizens for Sustainable
Karnataka. This city is one of the Development (GCSD) are working
major growing economic centers to establish a sustainable precinct
in India, sometimes called India’s for migrant workers, and will
“Silicon Valley”. The rapid growth rate help physically build community
makes it the third most populous infrastructure such as a school,
city in India with a decadal growth agricultural gardens and sanitation
rate of 38%. Since 2001, this infrastructure.
development in Bengaluru has
in turn increased the demand for
masonry and construction workers.
These workers come from all over
the State of Karnataka and as well
from the neighboring states of Tamil
Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala
in South India. As migrants flock
to the city to fuel the construction
industries, there are increasing
numbers of migrant children
without access to basic education,
health care, nutrition, hygiene,
clothes and housing. The dropout
rate of these children from school,
for those who can afford it, is also
high. This leads to high numbers of
child-beggars.
ABOUT WE BUILD | 2010
WE BUILD is an interactive counterparts, partner organizations, International Design
activity program designed by the migrant community, and delegates Competition
of the Asian Citizens Assembly and WE
GCSD to be a practical ‘hands- To broaden the engagement of
BUILD activity program. emerging designers internationally
on’ component of the Asian
who may not be able to attend WE
Citizens Assembly in August Asian Citizens Assembly and BUILD, [co]Design studio will facilitate
2010. [co]Design studio is WE BUILD a competition to be exhibited at the
coordinating a team to increase August 18–22 2010 Asian Citizens Forum.
the design capacity of the WE The Asian Citizens Assembly will draw
BUILD program. around 500 young people from across
Asia. The WE BUILD activity program
[co]Design Team will run in the lead-up to the Assembly,
and will engage a maximum of 50
August 4-22 2010
volunteers from diverse backgrounds in
[co]Design Studio will coordinate
collaborative work with the Bangalore
a 5-10 person professional team to
migrant community and local
work on the scoping, briefing and
design concept for the precinct and professionals.
public buildings. The [co]Design Team
will work collaboratively with Indian

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Design Facilitation Team (Australia/India)

International Design WE BUILD

(Bengaluru) Asian Citizens
Competition (online) Forum (Bengaluru)
PROJECT BRIEF
Masterplan cultural, participatory design process
The precinct will provide a healthy, for emerging designers.
high density environment for
people to live, with access to
clean water, sanitation, health
care and educational facilities.
It will be largely self-sustaining,
with agricultural gardens and
opportunities for employment
within the precinct. The migrant
workers come from a variety of
backgrounds and the collaborative
process will attempt to foster social
cohesion and build the capacity
of the community to develop and
undertake future work together.

The masterplan will include initial

brief development and concept
design for major buildings in the
precinct. Concept designs will be
developed and constructed over
future years.

The WE BUILD program hopes to

set a precedent for sustainable,
community construction in the area,
and to establish a dialogue on cross-
SUSTAINABILITY
The masterplan will focus Environmental Objectives Social Objectives Economic Objectives
on creating a holistic, • To demonstrate sustainable • To create a culturally sensitive • To provide self-sustaining food
sustainable outcome for design principles; and appropriate design; and urban agriculture resource
the community including • To use low-cost appropriate • To improve access to basic for the community;
technology; services for the families of • To create low-cost community
environmental, social and
• To develop sustainable building migrant workers. facilities relevant to their needs
economic objectives outlined systems that sets a benchmark • To build the capacity of the
below: for community design community to develop and
undertake future work together
DESIGN TEAM
We are looking for an integrated design Pre-departure Workshop: and any associated workshops, Major outputs
team across architecture, landscape June 5-7, Melbourne design charettes, planning [co]Design studio will be engaged in
architecture, planning, interior and • Cross cultural communication documents and conference a number of aspects of the WE BUILD
others as well as complimentary workshop run by Cross Cultural presentations program and will provide thorough
disciplines such as sociology, Consultants • Concept design for major buildings documentation of this process.
anthropology, engineering, ecology • Familiarisation with the project • Facilitate a conference session at Major outputs include:
etc. If you think your skills would be and its context the Asian Citizens Assembly
useful to the project, we’d love to hear • Workshop sessions covering • Physical work such as site • Design Concept
from you. development best practice, preparation, tree planting and Design concept drawings suitable
planning and architecture in repairs to existing buildings. for council approval
WE BUILD is a youth-led program. We’re India • Exhibition
looking for students, graduates and • Brief development Post Workshop: An exhibition of competition
young professionals with up to 10 years Debriefing activites will facilitate entries will be held at the Asian
experience. As members of the Design Team, team reflection on project processes Citizens Forum. This will also be
participants may need to work together and outcomes to inform and re-exhibited in Australia in late
[co]design have committed to in the lead-up to the workshops, on improve future work. 2010.
producing a professional outcome for tasks such as fundraising, background • Documentary
the project. Preference will be given reading , design preparation and Following the WE BUILD workshop, The process of WE BUILD will
to young professionals, higher year project liaison. there will be ongoing collaboration be documented as a series of
level students and those with relevant with GCSD and Habitat for Humanity short film documentaries over
experience, but applications will be WE BUILD Workshop: to design, document and construct 2010. The documentary will be
considered on a case by case basis. August 4-22 (There may be an option community buildings within the streamed online.
to leave on the 18th before the Asian precinct over the next five years. It is
Citizens Assembly if time is limited) encouraged, but not required, that
• Community consultation 2010 participants be involved in this.
• Facilitate and Oversee the
development of the site masterplan
PROJECT PARTNERS
®
Global Citizens
for Sustainable Development

Global Citizens for UNESCO [co]Design studio

Sustainable Development UNESCO has achieved countless projects Community Oriented Design
Global Citizens for Sustainable and works for the benefit of humanity. The ([co]Design ) studio is a non-
Development (GCSD) is a effectiveness of the arts are now being profit creative studio dedicated to
registered not-for-profit and non- recognised as mechanisms for overcoming promoting appropriate design and
governmental-organization based disaffection, exclusion, marginalisation planning solutions for community
in Bangalore, India. GSCD’s mission and poverty. The UNESCO Observatory’s development projects. Through
is to engage and empower children, focus crosses over the areas of architecture; workshops, design competitions
youth, men and women to sustain the physical, natural, social and health and projects, our aim is to make
communities, cultures and societies sciences; well-being; culture; heritage; arts design more appropriate for,
while promoting improvement practice; education in the arts; community and relevant to the community
in their social, economic and arts practice; research methodology; development sector. WE BUILD
environmental conditions through philosophy; ethics and program 2010 forms part of [co]Design
the notion of human responsibilities. evaluation, across pure, strategic, applied studio’s emerging leaders program.
GCSD creates a platform for children, and action research. The Observatory will
youth, men and women motivated crystallise, through research, the success
to bring a positive change at a and sustainability of arts programs across
personal, social and ecological level a multi-disciplinary field. This will have
in their individual environment flow-on effects through UNESCO Member
and their respective society for the States to overcome enormous spending
progress of humanity. by governments on health, social services
and in the long-term return a good
investment to communities
PROJECT PARTNERS (cont)

St Joseph’s College Habitat for Humanity India

For the past 127 years, St. Joseph’s Habitat for Humanity commenced
College has been imparting its operations in India in 1983, with
graduate, post-graduate and the first project comprising of 16
research education to all types of houses, being commissioned at
students. The college is accredited Khammam, Andhra Pradesh. Since
by the National Assessment and then, over 29,000 houses have been
Accreditation Council. In 2004, the constructed, providing safe, decent
college was declared as a college and affordable shelter to around
of potential excellence by the 145,000 less fortunate citizens
University Grants Commission, of the country. Habitat Resource
New Delhi, along with 47 other Centres also provide a nexus for
colleges in the country. After working with partners to rebuild in
examining the academic level of the disaster-stricken areas where large
college, St. Joseph’s was declared numbers of people have lost their
as an autonomous college by the homes. They develop new building
Karnataka Government in 2005 technologies and manufacture
on the recommendation of the using durable, cost-effective,
University Grants Commission, New environmentally friendly building
Delhi. materials.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The table below outlines the role of key stakeholders in the community
Organisation Role
GCSD • Purchase of land
• Fundraising for construction
Global Citizens
• Working with the migrant community and facilitating
for Sustainable
community workshops
Development (GCSD) • Principal organiser of the Asian Citizens Forum and WE
BUILD

• Work in partnership with GCSD to oversee the

ASIAN CITIZENS FORUM (GCSD) procurement of construction materials and
Habitat for Humanity construction of the school building
India (HFHI) • Responsible for completing construction work
following the Asian Citizens Forum

• Work in partnership with all stakeholders to develop

DESIGN [co]Design studio design concepts for the migrant workers’ precinct
COMPETITION Australia • Host an international design competition for the school
HFHI building

• Developing community engagement activities for the

[CO] DESIGN WE BUILD St Joseph’s College WE BUILD project
STUDIO Bengaluru • Working with [co]Design studios on a collaborative
design process
ST JOSEPH’S
COLLEGE • Working with all stakeholders through participatory
workshops
UNESCO Migrant Community • Facilitate meetings with community members
• Work with GCSD and St Joseph’s college to develop
community engagement activities
• Support for Design Team
COMMUNITY • Development of Design Curriculum
UNESCO
• Key role in workshop preparation and execution
PRECEDENTS
DESIGN BUILD : PNG Design Build: PNG brought together room that can be used for a variety model of interdisciplinary and
Australian and Papua New Guinean of health intercultural education that reaches
architecture students to design and community functions. beyond the university to interact
and construct a community with a variety of organizations and
health building in the Papua New Design Build : PNG was a partner contribute to the lives of people in
Guinean village of Labu-Tale, project of Curtin Volunteers! at need.
Morobe Province in 2008. Students Curtin University of Technology in
worked collaboratively with a non- Perth, and the UNESCO Observatory
government organizations and on Multi disciplinary Research in
village members to design and build the Arts, based at the University
a functional building that expressed of Melbourne. The design and
the traditional culture, current needs construction project, as practical
and future aspirations. research, assisted to develop a

Rural development is a critical issue

in Papua New Guinea. Across the
world we have seen the disastrous
effects of mass migration to city
squatter
settlements. Basic services are
needed in rural areas if Papua New
Guinea’s largely rural population
distribution is to be sustainable. The
community health
building addressed this situation by
providing a much-needed facility
for the people of Labu-Tale with
treatment services and a training
RURAL STUDIO, AUBURN “The best way to make architecture to compromise, rarely taught at
UNIVERSITY is by letting a building evolve out university: “the interaction among
of the culture and place.” – Samuel all of us, it gets us thinking”. The
Mockbee – Founder of Rural Studio exposure to poverty is something
Oppenheimer Dean, A and Hursley,
Auburn University’s Rural Studio new to most students. ‘here in Hale
T., 2002, Rural Studio: Samuel
operates out of the tiny town of County you meet poor people and
Mockbee and an Architecture of
Newbern in Hale County, Alabama. learn that underneath they’re not
Decency, Princeton Architectural
Fifteen second year students can much different than you and me.
Press
choose to spend a semester living We [the students] stand out like
there, helping design and build sore thumbs here. It’s important
“Architectural education should a house, as well as undertaking that we’re respectful and polite” says
expand its curriculum from ‘paper coursework equivalent to their Andrew Olds, second year student
architecture’ to the creation of real classmates 250km away in Auburn. in 1998 and fifth year student in
buildings and to sowing ‘a moral sense Around 15 fifth year students spend 2000/01.
of service to a whole academic year in Newbern,
the community.’” designing and building a community
project. Past projects have included
community centres, a baseball field,
chapels and pavilions, as well as
experimentations with materials
such as baled corrugated cardboard.
For second year student (in 2000)
Jennifer Stanton, the attraction of
the studio is “the opportunity to
design something and actually see
it come to life, be used, and be part
of a community” She learnt valuable
teamwork skills, and the ability
WOMENS CENTRE, RUFISQUE, [co]Design Studio project has the city of Rufisque donated a site construction because it was locally
SENEGAL used the JIGEEN MBOOLOO for the women’s centre, the planning produced and recycled materials
Women’s Centre in Rufisque and design work could begin. During such as wheel rims for vents, and
Hollmen, S, Reuter, J, Sandman, Senegal, as an example of a design this time students had discussions, beer bottles were also used for the
H (eds), 2002, Jigeen Yi Mbooloo construct project that has allowed meetings and get-togethers to walls. The roof of the building was
(Women Together), Erweko participatory design to take place establish the women’s real needs corrugated metal on steel beams,
Painotuote Oy, Helsinki, Finland between a group of architecture for space and also to inform other with thick woven straw matting as
students from Helsinki and the organizations of the need for a an insulating ceiling layer
Senegalese women. women’s centre rather than a sports
The project was at first a design club, crafts workshop, workshop
exercise carried out in 1996 by for young people etc. There were
a class of architecture students issues of the sea eroding traditional
from the Helsinki University of houses, the port and shoreline but
Technology in Finland, who were fortunately the site donated was in
in Senegal to study a local problem an area that needed development.
of architecture. The students were Studies of the site were carried out
introduced to a women’s group through satellite maps and visiting
through the Senegalese-Nordic of homes of the inhabitants was
cultural exchange. Upon the very important. The objective was
initiative of three students - Saija to create functioning building for
Hollmen, Jenni Reuter and Helena its users that was easy to approach.
Sandman - the design of a women’s The use of local materials in the
centre was developed. After the project was very much encouraged.
initial visit to Senegal, the design Applying ecological and local
was left to mature and change solutions to the construction work
form. It was only when the project was also incorporated. Cement was
received support from the Finnish a common material used in the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and after
PROJECT TEAM | [co] Design Studio
Lucinda Hartley – Lucinda is actively involved in global Environment Professionals for a
Program Director youth networks where she represents Kate has experience in community Sustainable Australia, and AFS
Asia-Pacific on the Youth Advisory development work in Istanbul, Intercultural Programs.
Lucinda is a registered Landscape Board for UN-Habitat and in 2009 Vancouver and Papua New Guinea. In
Architect with the Australian Institute she was selected from hundreds 2007, alongside Papua New Guinean Kate’s written and design work
of Landscape Architects with of delegates by the Foundation for architecture student Rosemary has been published locally and
extensive international development Young Australians as one of Australia’s Korawali, Kate initiated and ran nationally, with two design projects
experience across Australia, Asia top 14 Young Social Pioneers. Design Build : PNG. Architecture shortlisted for national prizes. She
and Pacific including positions students from Australia and PNG was the top graduating student in
with UN, AusAID and Habitat for Lucinda is interested in how worked with community members the Master of Architecture course at
Humanity. In 2010 she founded [co] design can be used as a catalyst to to design and build a small health Curtin University, and was awarded
Design studios as a response to a positively impact change, poverty centre in Labu-tale village, PNG. The the national Student Prize for the
need to engage more designers in reduction and climate change and project emphasised community Advancement of Architecture in 2007.
effective community development aims to foster a creative culture that participation and the use of
work. Lucinda has extensive project demonstrates initiative in design and sustainable local materials, and was
management experience on social responsibility. awarded one of twenty inaugural Hugh Adamson -
international projects having been World Architecture Community Director
the Executive Officer of Architects Awards in 2008. Hugh is a practicing architect
without Frontiers Australia. She has Kate Ferguson – and director of hAArk design in
also worked in Vietnam, Cambodia Director Kate teaches at Curtin University Melbourne. An active member of
and Thailand as part of the 2008 and has gained extensive project
Design Team Facilitator the Australian Institute of Architects
Australian Youth Ambassador for management and leadership and with degrees in architecture
Development program, 2008 Asialink experience through a variety of and construction management, his
Kate Ferguson is a graduate architect
Fellowship and the 2009 Endeavour positions in the Student Organised practice specialises in environmental
in Perth, Western Australia. She is
Executive Award where she worked Network for Architecture, the architecture with a focus on
interested in creative design solutions
with Habitat for Humanity Vietnam Australian Institute of Architects, residential and community projects.
to environmental and social issues
on appropriate technology and the Curtin Architecture Student
that extend or challenge current ways
participatory planning projects. Association, 2050: Young Built
of thinking.
 PROJECT TEAM | Global Citizens for Sustainable Development
Hugh has extensive experience Anugraha John – local governance programme, Cultural Dialogue held in China in
in international community Director, Global Citizens for gender, inter-religious dialogue, August 2009 and the Asian Citizens
development, with a focus on slum development programmes Assembly to be held in India in
Sustainable Development
sustainable and appropriate and environment programmes, October 2010.
construction. As a graduate of and especially lobbying with the
ANUGRAHA John was born and
the UNITAR endorsed Findhorn government to solve issues or In March 2008, John was inspired
brought up in Mumbai but now
Foundation Eco-Village Training concerns in the field of water, to launch an NGO, Global Citizens
lives in Bangalore in the south of
he has run projects involving communal harmony, HIV/AIDS, for Sustainable Development in
India, where he also graduated with
ecological building and engineering, child labour and child rights and Bangalore, which now serves as
a Bachelor’s degree in Computer
renewable energy, local organic food guaranteed employment. the formal larger umbrella of all the
Science and is now enrolled in a
production systems, cooperative programmes initiated by him and
Master’s programme in Sociology
social economies, and alternative In his tenure at Pipal Tree for four has potential of opening chapters in
through Distance Education.
waste treatment. Between 1999 years, John also coordinated US, China and Africa by 2010.
He loves to travel, engage in
and 2001 he set up and co-ran the programmes such as: Global Eco-
cross-cultural dialogue, listen to
Three Hummock Island eco-tourism village Network, an American study John enjoys his work in social
alternative music and has always
project in north-west Tasmania. abroad spring semester in India, activism but also loves teaching
been fond of football, which he
Hugh has undertaken design and alternative tourism, Inter-cultural and facilitating thematic sessions
enjoyed playing at both school and
construction with NGOs in Spain, programmes for university students for children and youth and teaches
college level.
Ladakh, Germany, Thailand and from Japan, an all night annual at few schools, colleges and
Scotland, and has projects currently music festival, etc. universities both in India and abroad
He moved on from the corporate
underway in India and Australia.
world to social development where
Hugh is an expert in reciprocal frame John today has a long-term
his heart is. His experience at Pipal
architecture and has been published commitment to programmes such as
Tree, an NGO based in a village
internationally on this topic. the China-India Forum, World Youth
setting 40 km outside of Bangalore
Water Alliance, Japan-India Forum,
gave him experience in programmes
China-India-Japan Forum, and is
including self-help groups, farmer’s
engaged in preparation of ongoing
network and engagement in
projects like the Asian Forum: Cross-
organic farming, health center,
CONTACT US
To find out more about our program, or to find out how to become a
supporter, please contact us as:
[email protected]