Entrepreneurship

Task Entrepreneurship Conventionally, working relationships between architects and their s begins when these s, who recognize and know what architecture is all about and what they want from it, approach an architect for their services. However, few charitable, non-profit design and architectural groups have sprung up that have dedicated their energies and efforts in seeking out these customers and using their expertise to create resources that are channeled into designing and helping the underprivileged and undeserving since architectural services are considered an expensive undertaking.
Architecture for Humanity is one such institute. It was started in1999 by two individuals, Cameron Sinclair and Kate Stohr, out of their entrepreneurial spirit (Sinclair, 11). The initial concept was to search for architectural remedies to some humanitarian calamities and avail design services to populations in need. They planned to create openings and avenues through which architects and designers all over the globe would respond to humanitarian catastrophes. To achieve this, they planned to work through various forums and organize various activities such as collaborations with other firms and groups, workshops and competitions. However, regardless of various undertakings since 1999, they had not succeeded in building a single structure till after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on World Trade Centre (Sinclair, 11). They had humble beginnings and for four years were working from a small office cubicle in New York that was only 4 sq. ft.
Motivated by their vision of responding and alleviating the suffering of people in humanitarian crises, they undertook various activities and ventures most at times they were strained resource-wise. First, they launched a competition to design provisional housing units for refugees in Kosovo in which they planned to build few units for refugees in Kosovo. The plans went well and raised a substantial amount of cash as well as creating awareness and building new affiliations (Sinclair, 13). Though they never constructed the houses for the refugees due to restrictions by the Kosovo government, the money went to charity through another organization- War Child. Other projects they have undertaken venture include outreach program – a Programme to fight HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa through mobile clinics (Sinclair, 13). Other activities include response to both natural and artificial debacles such as earthquakes, floods, catastrophes caused by war and other human conflicts.
Design Corps is another charitable architectural group that is involved in similar activities as the Architecture for Humanity group. They too have humble beginnings and currently they run a programme where recent design graduates design for the undeserved (Bell, 24). They have helped transform the way architects can find and build lasting connections with their clients. The first approach is the personal approach where the architect actively searches for clients such as approaching the person individually for instance in the case of Mockbee and Rural Studio (Bell, 25). This can help shed light on what architects do and what they can do for them; data indicates that 98% of general public lack access to architectural services and frequently do not know what architect do (Bell, 25). The alternative approach to find customers is to carry out a research into a particular community or subject which can identify social problems requiring a built solution (Bell, 26).
According to Architecture for Humanity, their vision is to ensure a more sustainable future for those in need using design. They bring together a network of architects and designers as well as builders to provide their valuable services to the populations in need. The two articles further exemplify that the intent of the architecture for humanity group can be achievable with determination even though through individual entrepreneurial venture.
Through their efforts, they were able to encounter various advantages and disadvantages in their work. They got a huge advantage because they were able to implement their own ideas without seeking permission from anybody. However, the risk of their work depended on them and they had to come up with money to invest in the business. They had to bear all the promotion costs in order to market themselves.
Works Cited
Architecture for Humanity. 2011. Web. October 13, 2011. Accessed at:
Bell, Bryan. Good Deeds, Good Design: Community Service through Architecture. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2004. Print.
Sinclair, Cameron. Design Like You Give A Damn: Architectural Responses To Humanitarian Crisis. Thames & Hudson, 2006. Print.