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humanitarian design

a red wall with a bench structure that a woman and child are citting on. a square cut-out behind them has a dotted pattern on the wall

Passive solar community in Brazil combines social justice and sustainability

To empower a marginalized community in Brazil’s Maranhão state, São Paulo-based architecture firm Estudio...

rendering of tower in smoggy city

Architects design giant air purifying towers to fight Delhi’s air pollution

According to WHO, air quality in India’s capital of Delhi is among the worst in the world and is the fifth leading...

HIV finger test kit

Designer invents self-testing HIV kit made out of recycled plastic

One of the largest obstacles in HIV prevention is the lack of clinics and resources in developing countries around...

black and yellow building with sawtooth roof

Desmond Tutu Clinic welcomes HIV patients with a striking sawtooth roof

In the Cape Town township of Masiphumelele, approximately 30 percent of the residents are infected with HIV. To...

Chris Maurer, Biocycler, redhouse studios, recycled materials, recycled buildings, recycled building materials, biomaterials, fungus biomaterials

redhouse studio is making a giant machine that recycles entire buildings

Did you know that buildings are responsible for 39 percent of the United States' carbon emissions? Architect Chris...

Jae-Eun Choi, Shigeru Ban,

Elevated bamboo peace bridge for the Korean Demilitarized Zone unveiled by Shigeru Ban and Jae-Eun Choi

South Korean artist Jae-Eun Choi is teaming up with prolific architect Shigeru Ban to bridge a peaceful relationship...

Bridge Housing Communities, Gensler, San Jose, tiny home village, tiny house village, tiny homes, tiny houses, architecture

San Jose city council approves tiny home village for the homeless

San Jose has been struggling with homelessness, but tiny homes could offer a solution. The City Council recently...

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Shigeru Ban honored with Mother Teresa award for dedication to disaster relief architecture

Prolific architect and Pritzker Prize recipient, Shigeru Ban has been selected as one of the winners of the Mother...

What3Words, INDEX: Award, green app, humanitarian design, green product, social design, sustainable design

What3Words provides an address for every person and point on planet earth

What3Words is a revolutionary addressing system that pinpoints locations more precisely than conventional street...

Zipline Medical Drone, Fly Zipline, drone design, medical drone service, INDEX: AWARD 2017, green design, drone services, medical drone services, drone design, medical technology, medical delivery, humanitarian design,

Zipline drones deliver life-saving medical supplies in under an hour

83% of rural Africans lack access to critical healthcare services - and delivering emergency supplies is often...

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5 brilliant designs that will change the world win the 2017 INDEX: Award

The world's biggest design award was just bestowed upon five groundbreaking green designs that stand to improve...

OffGridBox, container with water and power, off grid water and electricity, OffGridBox locations, off grid container box, off grid water, offgrid power

Compact OffGridBox provides drinking water and power where it’s needed most

An Italian company has developed a compact solution for communities that lack access to clean drinking water and...

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Shigeru Ban designs 20,000 homes for severely overcrowded refugee camp in Kenya

World-renowned architect, Shigeru Ban, is taking his talents to those who need it most. Working in collaboration...

Father's Day, Timberland x Thread, footwear, shoes

8 fabulous and creative Father’s Day gifts from $0 to $27,500

Finding the right gift for Dad can be elusive; ties, golf clubs, and a good set of knives feel kind of tired by...

Nof Nathansohn, Bedouin communities, Home Made, affordable homes, digital architecture, green energy, Israeli Bedouin, green design, green building, digital building, architecture software, sustainable design, humanitarian design, temporary structures

Student invents computer program to help Bedouin villages build better homes

Architecture student Nof Nathansohn is on a mission to provide decent living solutions for the marginalized Bedouin...

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Ingenious cardboard and bamboo emergency shelters by Shigeru Ban pop up in Sydney

Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect Shigeru Ban is widely known and respected for his 20 year career in designing...

dewpoint, water security, water, cacti

6 groundbreaking examples of tech innovations inspired by biomimicry

Da Vinci was definitely on to something when he observed birds and copied their forms to create his own wings for...

The Beacon, lighthouse, Toronto, wooden structure, donation, charity, João Araújo Sousa & Joana Correia Silva Arquitectura, green architecture, humanitarian design

Tiny Toronto lighthouse serves multiple functions at once

This minimalist wooden lighthouse installed at Woodbine beach in Toronto doubles as a temporary drop-off location...

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Missouri community is building 50 tiny homes for homeless veterans

The epidemic of homeless veterans has hit numerous communities across the country, but one Missouri town is about...

Haresh Lalvani, Pratt Institute Center for Experimental Structures, biomimicry design, humanitarian design, shelter design, 3D structures, futuristic design, emergency housing, emergency shelters, refugee housing, biomimicry design, metal housing, flat pack housing, metal shelters

Self-shaping shelters that could revolutionize emergency housing

Emergency shelter design is becoming increasingly important due to the various refugee situations occurring around...

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Ikea flat-pack refugee shelters awarded Design of the Year

IKEA's flat-pack refugee structure, the Better Shelter, has been awarded Design of the Year by London's respected...

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Architects use local materials to build beautiful Costa Rica community center

Round building offer many advantages in terms of sustainability and resilience, so it's no surprise to see disaster-prone...

Center of Hope Haiti, Thrive Architecture, Building Goodness Foundation, haiti earthquake, buiding in haiti, haiti schools, haiti rebuild, school design, humanitarian design, LED lighting, energy conservation, passive energy, recycled insulation, repurposed styrofoam, locally-sourced materials, green building materials, upcycled building materials

Haiti renovation project boosts community using local labor and materials

Nothing warms our design-loving hearts like a project built by and for communities, and with local resources to...

Bangladesh, Biosand Filter, Wood Mold OHorizons

Non-profit creates open-source drinking water filter for 1/10th of the cost

Non-profit organization OHorizons recently created an innovative BioSand Filter that can deliver clean water at...

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Seattle teens build mobile tiny homes for local homeless community

We love stories about youth channelling their ideals into life-changing projects, especially when there are tiny...

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Oregon man donates tiny homes to Standing Rock water protectors

The Standing Rock protest began in April when members from the Standing Rock Sioux tribe began to protest against...

Biodesign Competition to ideate the X-Prize for regenerative building

Biodesign Architecture Competition extends deadline to Sept 6th

Calling all future-forward architects and designers! How can we create buildings that heal themselves, ourselves,...

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Designers, get ready for the BioDesign Competition – cash prize of $1000

Calling all future-looking designers and architects! We've got a cool new design competition coming up for you...

bright yellow dome home, Mama Dolfine's orphanage, Korando Educational Center, brick dome home, Kisumu dome home, Kenya dome home, dome home in Kenya, sustainable dome home, Torsten Kremser, Better Me Foundation

Bright yellow dome home completed for Mama Dolfine’s orphanage in Kenya

Torsten told Inhabitat, "When we started this project back in January 2015 the plan was to raise funds to build...

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Inflatable uLites emergency shelter with built-in solar sets up in just 30 minutes

When disaster strikes, providing shelter for displaced residents or to set up an emergency hospital is often one...

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