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EXHIBITION OF INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVE TO DESIGN MOBILE HEALTH CLINICS TO COMBAT HIV/AIDS CRISIS IN AFRICA TO OPEN IN LOS ANGELES
Architecture for Humanity and the International Medical Corps present:
OUTREACH
DESIGN IDEAS FOR A MOBILE HIV/AIDS HEALTH CLINIC FOR AFRICA
Hosted by the Architecture and Design Museum at the Bradbury
- Portico space, 304 South Broadway, Los Angeles, CA
"a remarkable project with great possibility"
Honorable William J. Clinton - 42nd President of the United States
"From time to time, architecture needs to take a step back. We need to reexamine not just how we build, but also what we build."
Frank Gehry - Pritzker Prize winning architect
April 18, 2003 - Johannesburg, South Africa
- Architecture for Humanity and International Medical Corps
last month announced the opening of a highly innovative exhibition of designs for a Mobile HIV/AIDS Health Clinic for Africa at the A+D Museum located in the historic Bradbury Building in Downtown LA. The exhibit of winning designs from Architecture for Humanity's latest design competition
opened March 18, 2003 and will be on display until May 30, 2003. The exhibit brings together designs from Architecture for Humanity's latest competition with photos documenting IMC's HIV/AIDS mobile clinic in Kibera, Kenya-illuminating a unique connection between architectural design and humanitarian outreach.
Since AIDS was first diagnosed 20 years ago, 65 million people have been infected with HIV and more than 25 million have died from the virus. The disease continues to spread at an ever-alarming rate. It is estimated that three-quarters of the world's AIDS population lives in Sub-Saharan Africa; most have no access to lifesaving drugs, testing facilities or even basic preventative care. One of the major factors inhibiting medical professionals in Africa from treating the disease is the inability to access vast areas of the continent with adequately equipped facilities. In response, Architecture for Humanity challenged architects, designers and medical professionals from around the world to design a mobile HIV/AIDS health clinic. Designers were given six months to develop schemes for a fully equipped, mobile medical unit and treatment center that could not only be used for testing, prevention and treatment of the disease, but also to disseminate information regarding the virus and provide basic health care services.
By the project deadline, November 1, 2002, more than 530 teams representing 51 nations answered the call. An international jury of architects and medical professionals met in New York to select four finalists and eight honorary mentions. "AIDS is a global epidemic which deserves a global response. Architects, designers and medical professionals have shown that by coming together they can make a real difference in the lives of others," said Cameron Sinclair, Founder and Executive Director of Architecture for Humanity.
The exhibition will also showcase photos by Jenny Chu of IMC's existing mobile HIV/AIDS clinic in Kibera, Kenya, arguably the largest slum in Sub-Saharan Africa. The slum embodies a dangerous combination of risk factors that have made it a breeding ground for HIV-it is no wonder that Kibera's population is 50 percent HIV positive.
A registered nonprofit organization, Architecture for Humanity encourages architects and designers to seek solutions to global social and humanitarian crises. International Medical Corps is a non-sectarian, non-profit, global humanitarian relief organization with emergency medical and health programs in war-torn and impoverished regions worldwide.
Funds raised from donations and additional fundraising activities will be used to build one or more prototypes of the winning concepts and to support IMC's ongoing efforts.
Later this year, with support from Virgin
Atlantic, designers from the four selected finalists will gather in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa for a development workshop. This unique opportunity will allow designers to work with experts in the field to further refine their mobile clinic designs and develop construction plans. Once developed, it is hoped that a network of cost-effective and mobile clinics can be built for Africa and replicated in other regions around the world.
About Architecture for Humanity
Architecture for Humanity is a volunteer organization founded by 29-year-old designer Cameron Sinclair in 1999. A registered nonprofit organization, Architecture for Humanity encourages architects and designers to seek solutions to global social and humanitarian crises. With each project a new advisory board is assembled based on their individual areas of expertise. For our most recent project, the Mobile HIV/AIDS Health Clinic For Africa, the nine-member board includes Pritzker-prize winning architect Frank Gehry FAIA; Ambassador Richard Swett FAIA; South African architect Rodney Harber; Kenyan Architect Reuben Mutiso; IAVI Vice President Kate Bourne; Dr. Johannes van Dam of the Population Council; Dr. Sunanda Ray, Executive Director of SafAIDS based in Zimbabwe; and Dr Shaffiq Essajee, Director of the AIDS Research and Family Care Clinic, Mombasa, Kenya.
About the International Medical Corps
International Medical Corps is a nonprofit, humanitarian relief organization with emergency medical and health programs in war-torn and impoverished regions worldwide. IMC's mission is to improve the quality of life through promoting medical training, education, health care delivery and logistical support worldwide-- working both at the national and community levels. IMC doctors and nurses save lives and relieve suffering, while providing the critical knowledge and skills to help people help themselves, thus fostering self-reliance.
About A+D Architecture and Design Museum > Los Angeles
The A+D Architecture and Design Museum's mission is to advance knowledge and to enable people of all ages, backgrounds, and interests to appreciate and understand architecture and design. The A+D provides a forum to nurture and enrich an informed and creative public dialogue exposing the richness of architectural culture and stimulating awareness of contemporary issues in architecture and design. Founded in 2002, the A+D Museum is a not-for-profit institution supported by its members, corporate and foundation support, and government grants.
About Virgin Atlantic
Since it was founded in 1984, Virgin Atlantic Airways has become Britain's second largest long haul carrier serving the world's major cities. The airline now serves nine US gateways to London, as well as many onward destinations in Africa and Asia.
For more information about Outreach: Design Ideas for a Mobile HIV/AIDS Health Clinic for Africa, please visit
http://www.architectureforhumanity.org
or http://www.aplusd.org
or view brief here.
Contacts:
Cameron Sinclair
Architecture for Humanity
Founder/Executive Director
(646) 765-0906
http://www.architectureforhumanity.org
info@architectureforhumanity.org
Leslie Thurman
International Medical Corps
Communications Director
(310) 826-7800
http://www.imcworldwide.org
lthurman@imcworldwide.org
Joe Addo and Liz Martin
A+D Architecture and Design Museum,
Bradbury Building
(213) 620-9961
http://www.aplusd.org
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