Community Architects

Community Architects is an initiative by the Bangkok-based Asian Coalition for Community Action (ACCA), to inspire young, recently trained architects to work for their local communities instead of joining big firms. In particular, young volunteer architects from Asian countries are being trained to assist vulnerable communities facing natural disasters, uncontrolled urban development and relocation, infrastructure needs and related issues.
A Workshop in Chiang Mai - June 12-16, 2010 was perhaps the biggest-yet gathering of young COMMUNITY ARCHITECTS in Asia ever. 125 people from 23 countries joined the meeting, hosted by Chiang Mai University's Architecture Faculty.
One of the topics during the workshop was heritage. THF is working with Thai architects Tee Supawut Boonmahathanakorn and Nad Chawanad Luansang on an initiative called "Heritage for People" (click to download transcript of presentation and discussion, part 1 and part 2, note that THF is not responsible for correct classification of coutnries and regions represented here), picking up from the earlier "Preservation for People", to assist low-income communities in historic cities of Asia so that they can remain part of a historic city, even if gentrification and rising costs are threatening to push them out.

Copyright, Tibet Heritage Fund