Study Architecture 
ProPEL 
Author(s): Earl Mark, Nancy Cheng, Joseph Ashmore, Nuno Nunes & Daud Shad
Over 117.3 million people are facing forced displacement and have their basic rights to adequate housing and services at risk.1 The practice of architecture is evolving within this pressing global context. During a crisis, settlements develop in fragmented, fast-changing environments with limited resources and tight deadlines. Architecture schools in the U.S. with public service and justice-oriented courses may still miss key topics for international humanitarian response. For example, disasters in the Global South can require navigating complex supply chains, shortages, and professional liabilities in high-risk displacement scenarios. As these settings proliferate, 2 thinking beyond domestic architecture and urban design practice is essential to equitably address multifaceted challenges. Present-day curricula, licensing, internships, and National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) standards equip students with knowledge of building systems, codes, user needs, and teamwork. However, education based on the assumption of full building resources fails to address the demands of fluid, risky, and distressed geographical locations, where resource-abundant methods can be wasteful since already limited supplies are stretched thin. This gap in education highlights the need for an expanded architectural approach that embraces adaptability, resourcefulness, and cross-disciplinary collaboration in crisis contexts. As past criticisms have shaped current curricula, this paper critiques the architect’s evolving role in addressing current humanitarian shelter and settlements challenges.
https://doi.org/10.35483/ACSA.AM.113.78
Volume Editors
Sara Jensen Carr & Rubén García Rubio
ISBN
978-1-944214-48-7
