African Design Magazine February 2015 | Page 23

News Architecture for Humanity headquarters shuts down Architecture for Humanity, the international nonprofit that addresses global humanitarian problems with sustainable architectural solutions, recently shut down its San Francisco headquarters. The organization quietly laid off all staff and closed its head office in San Francisco on January 1 after a long struggle to secure funding. In the past 15 years, the international group provided on-the-ground support for major global crises, including disaster relief in post-Katrina Gulf Coast and in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. Founded by Cameron Sinclair and Kate Stohr in 1999, Architecture for Humanity quickly grew from a small group of volunteers to an international organization that spawned 60 international chapters at its peak. Although the need for Architecture for Humanity’s services has not waned, the organization has struggled to keep interest and funding over time. Its high-profile founders Stohr and Sinclair also stepped down as leaders of the organization in September 2013. A statement from the Board of Directors reads: It is with great regret that we announce that Architecture for Humanity, LLC will be filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The Board expects that the bankruptcy