Three Dimensional City: Future China

Three Dimensional City: Future China


With collective efforts from world's leading architects and artists, national and international experts and scholars on urban planning, city ecology and environment, decision makers from government and enterprises, "Three Dimensional City" is poised to envision an ideal living environment and future urban ecology.

The project addresses the depletion of land and energy resources.

Not only will it be an enlightening project from which our future urban planning programs can draw inspiration, but also hopes to involve an exhilarating social reformation.

For the first time in 2008, the world's urban population has exceeded that of rural.


As the pattern of urban sprawl hits its peak, urban development is facing a bottleneck, putting a strain on natural resources, and pressure on sustainability.

With attempts to curb global warming by maximizing its reduction of energy consumption and carbon emission, and efforts to reclaim land that has been invaded and occupied in the chaos of horizontally spreading cities, humanity is looking for ideal future cities of high-density residences living in harmony with nature.

"Three Dimensional City: Future China" aims to analyze the subject of how to build a dream city in an area of 1-2 square kilometers with limited material and energy resources to accommodate 100,000 - 300,000 residences.





http://www.dexigner.com/architecture/news-g19692.html

Smart Walls, Morphing Chairs, and the Living Environments of Neri Oxman [Architecture]

Neri Oxman


Ever wanted to stand on a floor that fine-tunes its own thickness? Or ride an elevator powered by the same peristaltic mechanisms found in the human intestine? Neri Oxman is way ahead of you.
Oxman, a Ph.D. candidate in design computation at MIT, specializes in reactive architecture: surfaces, furnishings, and structures that change their own properties according to different stimuli. 


Her resin floors grow thicker where they need to support more weight; her composite walls rearrange their windows and stress lines based on local weather conditions. One of her best-known works, a chaise longue called Beast, can adjust its shape, flexibility, and softness to fit each person who sits in it.


The language that Oxman uses to discuss her work is provocative — she talks as much about the "behavior" of a piece as its appearance or function — and nearly everything she's done evokes biology in some way, whether it recalls the composition of human bone, the veinwork of a butterfly wing, or the helical polymer chains that comprise our DNA. 


She's remarked that "the biological world is displacing the machine as a general model of design."
It's an approach at once oddly specific and not particularly limiting, if the portfolio of Material Ecology, Oxman's design initiative, is anything to go by. Household items like carpal-tunnel therapy gloves — with zones of varying rigidity patterned after the spots of a cheetah — share space with designs for entire skylines.




About those skylines: some of Oxman's most ambitious work has to do with what buildings could look like in the twenty-first century. A proposal for "PeristalCity," an urban design plan based on a re-imagining of Manhattan's elevators, features slumped skyscrapers that look less like buildings than melted candles. "[T]he vast space… which the elevator shaft occupies is, temporally speaking, useless," the proposal reads. 


"Should the elevator, of all things, persist as the non-negotiable limit of our vertical habits?… What if circulation was to become the actual living and/or working space?"


Rather than having a conventional elevator traverse an inflexible vertical column to deliver people to stationary rooms, Oxman proposes "[a]n inhabitable pocket (living and working unit)… contained within a flexible element." These bubbles of space would travel throughout the larger body of the building by the same principles of expansion and contraction that move muscle tissue around.

A selection of Oxman's work is currently on display at Boston's Museum of Science. The full Material Ecology oeuvre can be found online, though much of the language seems like it would be opaque to anyone who hasn't taken several high-level design courses. Still, the projects are worth a look; it's not clear whether Oxman's materials and designs will become a thing of the mainstream, but it might be wise to get acquainted with them just in case.





http://www.dexigner.com/jump/news/19693
http://web.media.mit.edu/~neri/site/index.html
http://materialecology.blogspot.com/
http://www.blogger.com/profile/11673180451719135443
http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/bios/oxman.html
http://www.interviewmagazine.com/art/neri-oxman/
http://sap.mit.edu/resources/portfolio/oxman_student_profile/

Put People First G20 Counter Conference report and audio

The Put People First G20 Counter Conference was one of two alternative G20 conferences held simultaneously in London and St Andrews on November 7th 2009 to coincide with the G20 finance ministers meeting on 7th-8th November.


Over three plenary sessions we invited academics, activists, campaigners, unions and policy makers to debate alternative policies to promote jobs, justice and a safe climate.


Smaller breakout sessions gave participants the opportunity to take part in more focused debates on the linkages between the economy, environment and international development and in addition, discuss how we can mobilize and turn our ideas into action.
You can listen to the conference audios here:


Plenary Session 1
Topic: The failure of a paradigm but has anything really changed?
Chair: Peter Chowla (Bretton Woods Project)
Speakers: Poul Nyrup Rasmussen (PES), Diane Elson (University of Essex), Lidy Nacpil (Jubilee South), Louise Plaatjes (UNI Africa)






Plenary Session 2

Topic: What are the alternatives that work for people and planet

Chair: Bhumika Muchhala (Third World Network)

Speakers: John Hilary (War on Want), Beatriz Souviron (Bolivian Ambassador to the UK), Andrew Simms (new economics foundation), Vimbai Mushongera (Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions)





Breakout session 2: How do we mobilise?
Discussion leader: Noel Hatch (Compass Youth)
Speakers: Jon Cruddas MP, Jessica Kennedy (Citizens:UK), Willie Sullivan (Vote for a Change)





Closing Plenary

Topic: Taking alternatives forward

Chair: Owen Tudor (TUC)

Speakers: Billy Hayes (general secretary CWU), Deborah Doane (WDM), Asad Rehman (Friends of the Earth)





http://ow.ly/HR9y
http://www.putpeoplefirst.org.uk/

YOU can influence the climate summit in Copenhagen from your home

From Dec 7 to 18, world leaders will meet in Copenhagen in order to come up with a new climate change agreement. This summit is considered one of our last chances to save life on earth from the impacts of climate change.

Will they have what it takes to make the right decisions?

Now YOU can make a difference.

From Dec 7 till 18, activists and internet users are invited to participate in the most crucial e-mobilization ever, by blogging, twittering, flickering and updating their status on Facebook about the progress in the climate negotiations in Copenhagen.

Climate policy experts from the most active NGOs, including IndyACT, will provide you with the most critical issue of the day for you to focus communication on.

What country is doing bad?

Which issue is being left out?

Which country needs support?

By making everyone around the globe focusing on the key issue, we can move government positions. Thousands have already committed for those two weeks, and so should you.

It's time for climate action!

It's time for climate action!

Contact Informations:

- For Facebook users and activists, add IndyACT to your friends list: http://www.facebook.com/indyact.org

Invite your friends to the event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=187725014248&index=1

- For Twitterers: Retweet and get updates by Following IndyACT! : http://twitter.com/IndyACT

- For Bloggers: Enlist your blog by sending an email to: comms@indyact.org

For more information:

IndyACT - The League of Independent Activists

Address: Rmayl, Nahr Street, Jaara building, 4th floor

Phone: +961-1-447192

Website: www.indyact.org

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=187725014248

YOU can influence Copenhagen's climate summit from your home!

As Copenhagen draws closer, the stakes are becoming higher and more efforts are needed to urge the World Leaders to take decisive action against the most critical issue the world faces today: Climate change.

Activists from around the world are setting up their gear to mobilize global opinion and press their political leaders to come with an ambitious, fair and binding climate treaty this December.

The global League of activists IndyACT will be the NGO sending a delegation representing the Arab youth to pressure Arab Leaders, lobby with them, speak up for all of us and take action. But the action taken outside Copenhagen is equal in importance to the actions taken within. For that reason, IndyACT will be mobilizing the largest web-action ever in the Arab world in order to raise more pressure and make the Arab youth take their role in saving their nations and the planet.

Starting 7 December, internet activists from all around the Arab region will be blogging, twittering, flickering and updating their Facebook status about the crisis and the progress in the negotiations in Copenhagen.

Will the Leaders have what it takes to make the right decisions?

Now you can make a difference.

Climate policy experts from the most active NGOs in the world, including IndyACT, will be providing you with the most critical issues of the day to focus communications on.

What country is doing bad?
Which issue is being left out?
Which country needs support?

By making everyone around the globe focusing on the key issue, we can reach millions of people and move governments positions . Thousands have already committed for those two weeks, and so should you.

It’s time for climate action!


http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=187725014248

http://www.facebook.com/indyact.org


Contact Informations:
- For Facebook users and activists, add IndyACT to your friends list: http://www.facebook.com/indyact.org
Invite your friends to the event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=187725014248&index=1
- For Twitterers: Retweet and get updates by Following IndyACT! : http://twitter.com/IndyACT
- For Bloggers: Enlist your blog by sending an email to: comms@indyact.org

TRUST Line

9219 trustLine for Domestic violence, #Syria

THIS IS NOT A SHADOW

This is Not a Shadow" at NY Design Room, New York

2006- "This is Not a Shadow" is a site-specific environmental installation. The interpretation of a tree shadow creates a virtually defined space and becomes a "pedestrian stop" where passers-by can sit alone or with others.

The installation, which originally featured mosaic tiles but is here represented with vinyl stickers, begins at the base of the actual tree's trunk, calling attention to the tree's existence as well as to its "shadow" and extends into the cityscape.

Wall posts

Wall posts - Pixel notes

Be creative and original design combining functionality and does not require big budgets.  Pixel notes once again demonstrates this rule with a simple idea to "dress" a wall.

Involves the application of 4 successive layers of paper-style removable post-it "
These layers are shaped so grid and each has a different shade of gray, the last in red.
As you write notes, messages or whatever and removed the modules, is being transformed the composition of the wall. There is not much to explain.


http://www.arquitecturacritica.com.ar/2009/06/muro-de-los-mensajes-pixel-notes.html 

24th Of October . International Day of Climate Action

For 20 years the world has managed to do very little about the greatest problem it's ever faced. In three days time, you can help change that--and if you step up you're going to have a lot of company! It looks like the International Day of Climate Action this Saturday October 24th will be the single most widespread day of political action the planet has ever seen--we're closing in on 170 nations, and more than 4000 rallies and events. There will be climate events from the bottom of the Great Barrier Reef to the summit of Mount Everest.  At each event -- at rallies and parties and deep-sea dives -- people will take a big photo that somehow depicts the number 350.  Our crew at 350.org will be taking these thousands of photos, projecting them on the giant screens in New York's Times Square, and delivering them directly to hundreds of world leaders and politicians in the coming weeks. There's almost certainly an event happening near you--if you're not sure what, this link will let you find out quickly and easily:

www.350.org/map

People in all those cities and towns all around the world will be saying the same thing: science tells us that we can't have more than 350 parts per million CO2 in the atmosphere if we want a planet like the one we were born onto. That sounds complicated, but it isn't--350 is the bottom line for the earth. Please take a moment to forward this along to everyone you know in your community and around the world, and ask them to find an event near them to take part on on this important day: www.350.org/map Thanks for everything you do, Bill McKibben for the 350.org Crew.

bernard tschumi architects: new acropolis museum

bernard tschumi architects: new acropolis museum

exterior shot of the new acropolis museum (photo credit: christian richters)

the new acropolis museum designed by bernard tschumi architects opened at the end of last month in athens, greece. the new museum was specifically designed to house the unique collection of archeological remains and boasts over 150,000 square feet of exhibition space. tschumi deliberately created a non monumental building, allowing the importance of the artifacts within to be the feature. the final design evokes the classical clarity of ancient greek architecture, updated for the context of today. the project began in 2001 when tschumi was selected in a design competition. during pre-construction, it was discovered that the museum’s site contained remains from ancient athens, which were then integrated into the building design. the final structure has three layers, the base, middle and top. the base hovers over the remains while the middle houses the main exhibition space. the top houses the parthenon gallery and is rotated 23 degrees from the rest of the building, aligning directly with the parthenon. 

view of the parthenon from outside the new acropolis museum (photo credit: bernard tschumi architects)

http://www.tschumi.com

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/9/view/6893/bernard-tschumi-architects-new-acropolis-museum.html

eVolo's 2010 Skyscraper Competition

eVolvo invites students and professional architects, engineers, and designers to take part in the 2010 Skyscraper Competition. 





The main idea of this contest is to examine the relationship between the skyscraper and the natural world, the skyscraper and the community and the skyscraper and urban living. In the last few years we have seen hundreds of new skyscrapers been developed around the world without careful consideration to the context or environment. There is a constant lack of urban planning and poor architectural design without intellectual or perceptual enjoyment. The aim of the competition is to push our imagination to redefine the term skyscraper through the use of new materials, technology, aesthetics, programs, and spatial organizations. Globalization, environmental warming, flexibility, adaptability, and the digital revolution are just some of the multi-layered elements that should be taken in consideration. There are no restrictions in regards to site, program or size. The objective is to provide maximum freedom to propose the most innovative projects for this fascinating architectural genre. Ultimately, the designs should help the environment, restructure our cities and improve our way of life. Immediate.

Registration All students, architects, engineers, and designers are invited to participate in the competition. It is encouraged to have multidisciplinary teams. Participants must register by January 12, 2010 at www.evolo-arch.com Registration fee US $60 until November 17, 2009 (early registration) US $85 from November 17, 2009 to January 12, 2010 (late registration) One registration = one project. Participants may submit various projects but they must register each entry. Individual entries are accepted. There is no limit on the number of participants per team. After your registration has been approved eVolo will send the registration number which is necessary in the submission boards. Schedule June 15, 2009 Competition announcement, registration begins, acceptance of questions November 9, 2009 Acceptance of questions deadline November 17, 2009 Early registration deadline November 23, 2009 Answers to questions posted on website January 12, 2010 Late registration deadline January 18, 2010 Submission deadline February 22, 2010 Winners' announcement 


Submission requirements This is a digital competition and no hardcopies are necessary. Entrants will submit their proposal via email no later than January 18, 2010 (23:00 hours US Eastern Time) to the following email address: skyscraper2010evolo-arch.com The project submission must contain the following files: 1. Two boards with the project information including plans, sections, and perspectives. Participants are encouraged to submit all the information they consider necessary to explain their proposal. These boards should be 24" X 48" in HORIZONTAL format. The resolution of the boards must be 150 dpi, RGB mode and saved as JPG files. The upper right corner of each board must contain the participation number. There should not be any marks or any other form of identification. The files must be named after the registration number followed by the board number. For example: 0101-1.jpg and 0101-2.jpg. 2. A DOC file containing the entrants personal information, including name, profession, address, and email. This file must be named after the registration number followed by the word "info". For example: 0101-info.doc. 3. All the files must be placed in a ZIP folder named after your registration number. For example: 0101.zip

Jury To be announced on July 13, 2009 Awards 1st place US $2000 2nd place US $1000 3rd place US $500 Winners and special mentions will be published in several magazines including eVolo_04. Previous winners have been included in Aeroflot (Russia), Architecture and Culture (Korea), Bauwelt (Germany), C3 (Korea), Casamica (Italy), Enlace (Mexico), Focus (Canada), Future Arquitecturas (Spain), Grazia Casa (Italy), L'Arca (Italy), Le Fourquet (Mexico), L'Uomo Vogue (Italy), Pasajes de Arquitectura (Spain), Quo (China), Space (Korea), Spade (Canada), Spazio Casa (Italy), Tatlin (Russia), Time Style and Design (USA), Wettbewerbe Aktuell (Germany), Vogue (Australia, USA), Vox Design (Poland)


Regulations This is an anonymous competition and the registration number is the only means of identification. The personal information files will be kept by the General Advisor and will not be opened until the Jury has selected the award winners. 1. The official language of the competition is English and it is the only one accepted. 2. The registration fee is non-refundable. 3. Any participant contacting the members of the Jury will be disqualified. 4. Entrants will be disqualified if any of the competition rules are not considered. 5. Participation assumes acceptance of all the competition rules.

http://www.dexigner.com/design_competitions/evolo-s-2010-skyscraper-competition.html

IDA POSTER OF THE YEAR COMPETITION

IDA POSTER OF THE YEAR COMPETITION

The International Design Awards invite designers worldwide to showcase their creative talents! The poster competition is open to graphic designers as well as architects and designers of products, fashion, and interiors. Whether the poster is your creation, or your work was featured in it, you are invited to enter your noteworthy designs for the Poster of the Year Competition!

THE PRIZES First Prize: $1000 Second Prize: $500 Third Prize: $250 People’s Choice: $250 In addition, the top 20 posters will be featured on the IDA website, and recognized at the annual awards gala. You will also receive an IDA winners seal to post on your website announcing your winning status, along with a personalized press release.

SUBMITTING ENTRIES All posters must be submitted online at idesignawards.com. Image files cannot exceed a height or width greater than 800 pixels. The file format must be JPG. Work must have been created within the last 3 years.

THE DEADLINE All entries must be submitted online no later than July 30, 2009. Entries submitted after July 30 require a late fee of $10 per entry. Entries will not be accepted after August 15, 2009.

ENTRY FEE  Each entry is $75. You can enter as many posters as you like.

PAYMENT INFORMATION You may pay by credit card or with a check. If paying by check, payment must be postmarked by August 15, 2009. Makes checks payable (in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank) to International Design Awards. If payment is not received, entries will be disqualified. Entry fees are non-refundable. One check may be used to cover multiple entries. Credit card charges will appear on your statement as “International Awards, Inc”. Mail checks to: International Design Awards Attn: Poster Competition 550 N Larchmont Blvd, Ste 100 Los Angeles, CA 90004 USA

USE OF PRINTS BY IDA By entering, you have cleared any material submitted to the competition. Materials may be used by IDA for marketing and promotional purposes directly related to promoting IDA. Any material used by IDA shall carry the designer’s credit line. Copyright and all other rights remain that of the entrants or their clients. IDA is not liable for any copyright infringement on the part of the entrant and will not become involved in copyright disputes. IDA will notify winners by October 2009, after judging is complete.

If you have additional questions, e-mail us at team@idesignawards.com

Estudio Explanada

Estudio Explanada
This artist's studio is located in a residential area in the west corner of Mexico City, on a 20 x 40 m (66 x 131 ft) site.  The program includes an underground parking space, as well as a three story-building which is comprised of a triple-height space, offices on the third floor, and a service area on the roof. Two functions had to be served: as a studio space on one hand, and on the other, as a venue for private temporary exhibits. 

The client asked for additional spaces: one apartment for guest artists who would stay for a short time while developing a practice or a show, a 9 x 9 x 9 m space for work or exhibit, one studio/office, one kitchen in the large space to be used as a side bar for openings, and finally parking for 25 cars. The project refines itself towards the center of the space. Both the east and west sides open up, thus allowing views of the trees and gardens on the site.

Construction and Technical Aspects A 14 x 8 m cantilevered concrete structure covers the exterior program used for different open-air activities such as lectures, exhibitions, or just as a meditating area. The concrete structure, overlooking the main space of the exhibition area, houses the studio and office spaces. This project is mainly interested in its spatial qualities, rather than in the programmatic conditions itself, due to its multiple and diverse events.  The entire building is constructed in white exposed concrete.

Design team: Tatiana Bilbao S.C. with Julio Amezcua - Francisco Pardo; Israel Alvarez, Aida Hurtado, Arturo Peniche, Jorge Vazquez, Carlos Leguizamo y Octavio Vazquez, Tiberio Wallentin Structural engineering: IESSA, Ing. Francisco Javier Ribe Contractor: MZM, Ing. Miguel Cornejo Construction management: Elizabeth Huerta Client: Undisclosed Design phase: June 2006 – December 2006 Construction phase: March 2007 – December 2008 Maximum height of the building from ground level: 9 meters

at 103 The fast technological unfolding that ruled the last decades has caused designers to reflect on its creative processes, leading them to fortify multidisciplinary work. Founded with the clear intention to investigate and create new techniques for architecture in the contemporary city, a multidisciplinary group shares a need for integration among the capacities of logistics and the multiplicity of knowledge. Each member contributes within its particular field of experience together with its dedicated commitment for innovation. This methodology of associations tries to identify specific modes of action taking MEDIA as a tool that allows the understanding of TIME and SPACE. Architectural typologies are in constant mutation in order to survey on the idea of a SKIN as a surface that within its space allows the existence of a BODY. To explore the relationship between two autonomous but interrelated systems: surface and program, as instruments of negotiation. Through MEDIA "Low-Tech High-Resolution" effects can be achieved, the set of relationships rule the materiality of the projects: Skin becomes the outfit that protects the body while the body contains all programmatic activities. The focus is placed on the relationship between the various spaces and their changeability over time rather than in the spaces themselves.  Partners Julio Amezcua (Mexico City 1974) Architect by Universidad Anahuac with honors (1999), studied a Masters Degree in Architecture at Columbia University (2001). He began his professional practice at TEN Architects (1997-2000), and SOM in New York (2000-2001). In 2001 founded at103. He has as been a professor at UNAM, Iberoamericana University, Anahuac University (Mexico) and University of Pennsylvania. He is currently visiting assistant professor at Pratt Institute (NY). He has lectured at USC, SCI-Arc, Iberoamericana and Anahuac among others Institutions and has participated in several Biennales around the world. In 2000 he received CONACYT and Bank de Mexico Grants for studies abroad; in 2001 he received the scholarship for architecture by the Culture and Arts Council. Francisco Pardo (Mexico City 1974) Architect by Universidad Anahuac with honors (1998), studied a Masters Degree in Architecture at Columbia University (2000). He began his professional practice at TEN Architects (1995-2000); CHOSLADE Architecture in New York (2000-2001). In 2001 founded at103. He has been a professor at Technologic de Monterrey, Anahuac University and University of Pennsylvania. He is currently Professor at Iberoamericana University in Mexico. He has lectured at Hong Kong Polytechnic, Innsbruck University, UBA Buenos Aires, and multiple institutions in Mexico, has participated at several Biennales around the world. In 2001 he received the scholarship for architecture by the Culture and Arts Council.

http://www.archinect.com/features/article.php?id=89805_0_23_0_M

OMA and Urbanus Win Shenzhen Crystal Island Competition

The Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), in collaboration with Shenzhen-based architects Urbanus, has been awarded first prize in the design competition for a major new cultural center, transport hub, and public landmark in the heart of the city of Shenzhen, southern China. The design, led by OMA partner Ole Scheeren, was selected from 32 entries by an international jury.

The scheme builds on Shenzhen’s newly acquired status of “City of Design”, awarded by UNESCO in 2008, and proposes for the city’s Crystal Island project the formation of “Shenzhen Creative Center”: a focal point for the city’s creative industries in front of Shenzhen’s iconic city hall.

Above ground, Shenzhen Creative Center consists of a 20-hectare landscape of parks and gardens, populated by clusters of pavilions and small buildings – “Design Villages” – that form a vibrant micro-urbanism of public activity. The site is encompassed by an elevated pedestrian “Ring Connector”, an urban walkway joining its multiple elements and infrastructures.

Below ground, a system of “Shortcut Connectors” link existing and future train and subway stations and provide access to buses, taxis, shopping areas, city hall, and the Creative Center, while accommodating diverse design-related display and activity zones.

At the heart of these two systems is the “Shenzhen Eye”, a new landmark for the city. Instead of an object, it is a spherical void and symbolic “Space of Imagination” – open, unoccupied, a zone of creativity that concentrates Shenzhen’s energy and vision for the future.

Shenzhen Creative Center introduces a space that fosters urbanity without density and supports aggregation through interconnected activities. Previously dispersed creative industries will be joined through connective infrastructure and cultivated in a landscape of multiplicity, permeability, and openness towards creative activity.

The collaboration of OMA and Urbanus includes Ole Scheeren, Rem Koolhaas and Urbanus partner Meng Yan, together with a team lead by OMA Associates Dongmei Yao and Anu Leinonen.

http://www.bustler.net/index.php/article/oma_and_urbanus_win_shenzhen_crystal_island_competition/

Kenya slum gets digital centre

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 19 - Thousands of Nairobi children will cross the digital divide and access a global network of opportunity courtesy of a state-of-the art community centre launched at Mukuru Kwa Njenga slum. The community centre was custom-designed for Slums Information Development Resource Centre (SIDAREC) and the needs of Nairobi youth, including access to the Internet, computer and technology training, health clinic services, early childhood development programs, and a community theatre. An assistant minister in the office of the Prime Minister Alfred Khangati said: "The Government recently launched the Sh50million Kazi Kwa Vijana initiative which is geared towards creating 300,000 jobs for the youth in the next six months.  I urge the 50x15 Foundation and other such organisations to work with the government in ensuring the success of this noble venture." Dan Shine, the President of the 50x15 Foundation observed;  "Our global goal is to provide affordable Internet access and computing capability to 50 percent of world's population by 2015. This project is aimed at creating a path to individual and community empowerment within the community and Nairobi city at large."   The centre was financed by the 50x15 Foundation and Architecture for Humanity.   "We are trying to improve the livelihoods of young people and their families by encouraging them to participate in and benefit from the life services offered by this centre which include healthcare information, financial services, job hunting, education and communication, accessible by the Internet," added Dan Shine.

The SIDAREC community centre's design expresses the community's own vision for itself. The design team worked closely with local youth and leaders to identify needs of the community.  "We were given an opportunity by our partners to expand the resources of our existing efforts with a brand-new community and technology centre that will incubate our youths' potential to improve their lives and living conditions. It is in this regard, we are developing a strategic plan with 50x15 and Architecture for Humanity to ensure the community centre is sustainable," the executive director of SIDAREC Lucy Maathai said.   


The SIDAREC partnership with 50x15 and Architecture for Humanity plays a key role in a new feature documentary, "One Peace at a Time," which had its Nairobi premiere on the same day. The film's director, Turk Pipkin, was on hand to discuss the film and its focus on the achievable goal of providing basic rights to every child on earth. Pipkin is the founder of the global education nonprofit, The Nobelity Project, and worked closely with Nobel Peace laureate Wangari Maathai on his previous film. The 50x15 Foundation's mission is to accelerate worldwide digital inclusion rates to 50 percent of the world's population by 2015, 15 years faster than the current growth rate.  


It seeks to enable affordable, sustainable and accessible Internet connectivity and computing capability in high-growth markets provides communities with the means to participate in and benefit from the global network of commercial and educational opportunity.  To date, the 50x15 Foundation, in collaboration with its ecosystem of public and private partners, has launched more than 30 technology centres in more than a dozen countries around the world.

http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/Local/Kenya-slum-gets-digital-centre-4815.html