All the chaos, the noise, the people of Maseru have now been replaced with more noise, more chaos and more people.
In a way London does not differ that much from Maseru. Transports are better but traffic is worse!? Sometimes I wonder what our Mosotho counterparts would think of London if they'd see it? Would they trust anyone to build something for them, when they’d see it? I guess I’ll never know but it’s a good question nevertheless.
My days since my arrival back in the A4A office, have been for lack of a better word, bureaucratic, apart from the short design exercise of an alternative roof, I’ve spent my days filling in reports, filing papers, things that of course I understand are totally necessary but as you can imagine not the thing that one really signed up to do.
Great part of Humanitarian Architecture is actually done in the office, preparing briefing documents, reports from site visits, proposals, funding proposals, and travel proposals. A lot of this is then not seen and people might imagine, as I did, that it’s all just fun and games. You arrive you do some, research, you’re sent out, and it happens… As I’ve just briefly explained now, it’s not quite like that.
Today I also met with Martin, funny to see him not in flip-flops, and we had a debrief session with Mike (A4A). We now all await eagerly the prices. And as soon as we get them flights will be booked and I’ll return. I have to say that I’m looking forward to that. Despite some of my feelings and the idea of being away for so long form the ones you love, I’m quite committed and interested in seeing the building back on site.
Some of the things that are being considered on my return are a deeper research into local skills, vernacular construction, and art. With this knowledge then to organize a workshop to involve the children in built process to give people a sense of ownership! I’m sure it will be a very rewarding experience both on a personal level as on a built one.
I’ve ordered many books on these aspects, one of which has arrived already! Their tradition associates decoration of the houses to protection against evil spirits and lightning. But I’ll make a proper account of that subject on a later date.
I would like however to make a short comment on the lecture I attended to day, with some of the A4A staff. It was a lecture about Architecture for development: Dealing with different situations. It was given by a spokesman from Oxfam and one from AFHUK (Architecture for humanity UK). It was clear the lack of coordination, that affected us down is Lesotho is again no stranger to London. Oxfam stated and did it correctly that many times they end up going into territories with which they are not familiar because of the lack of architects present. Why then is it that if they acknowledge that something is not done about it? Why are A4A or other organizations not called in to advise on what they know best how to do! Not only produce a building but discover what that building should be.
It’s threw this lack of knowledge and understanding that failure many times occurs and solutions that are meant to aid often become a burden on the lifes of those exact same people.
The second part of the lecture (read-out) tried to get our attention focused on the importance of local knowledge, and the importance of the use of local skills in articulation with our skills. Once again the debate took us into the field of whether we should implement or influence? The issue is a long one and I’ll leave it once more for a further account.
However I’d like to point out that the greatest lesson I learnt from this lecture today, is the need of proper communication, understanding and collaboration between all the involved parts. Alone we can only achieve disaster!
I apologize for not having sorted out some of the posts and photos. But work has kept me rather busy. However I’ve already made a start.
Hopefully I’ll give news once the decision is made on my return and then I’ll resume my account from the glorious lands of Lesotho.
In a way London does not differ that much from Maseru. Transports are better but traffic is worse!? Sometimes I wonder what our Mosotho counterparts would think of London if they'd see it? Would they trust anyone to build something for them, when they’d see it? I guess I’ll never know but it’s a good question nevertheless.
My days since my arrival back in the A4A office, have been for lack of a better word, bureaucratic, apart from the short design exercise of an alternative roof, I’ve spent my days filling in reports, filing papers, things that of course I understand are totally necessary but as you can imagine not the thing that one really signed up to do.
Great part of Humanitarian Architecture is actually done in the office, preparing briefing documents, reports from site visits, proposals, funding proposals, and travel proposals. A lot of this is then not seen and people might imagine, as I did, that it’s all just fun and games. You arrive you do some, research, you’re sent out, and it happens… As I’ve just briefly explained now, it’s not quite like that.
Today I also met with Martin, funny to see him not in flip-flops, and we had a debrief session with Mike (A4A). We now all await eagerly the prices. And as soon as we get them flights will be booked and I’ll return. I have to say that I’m looking forward to that. Despite some of my feelings and the idea of being away for so long form the ones you love, I’m quite committed and interested in seeing the building back on site.
Some of the things that are being considered on my return are a deeper research into local skills, vernacular construction, and art. With this knowledge then to organize a workshop to involve the children in built process to give people a sense of ownership! I’m sure it will be a very rewarding experience both on a personal level as on a built one.
I’ve ordered many books on these aspects, one of which has arrived already! Their tradition associates decoration of the houses to protection against evil spirits and lightning. But I’ll make a proper account of that subject on a later date.
I would like however to make a short comment on the lecture I attended to day, with some of the A4A staff. It was a lecture about Architecture for development: Dealing with different situations. It was given by a spokesman from Oxfam and one from AFHUK (Architecture for humanity UK). It was clear the lack of coordination, that affected us down is Lesotho is again no stranger to London. Oxfam stated and did it correctly that many times they end up going into territories with which they are not familiar because of the lack of architects present. Why then is it that if they acknowledge that something is not done about it? Why are A4A or other organizations not called in to advise on what they know best how to do! Not only produce a building but discover what that building should be.
It’s threw this lack of knowledge and understanding that failure many times occurs and solutions that are meant to aid often become a burden on the lifes of those exact same people.
The second part of the lecture (read-out) tried to get our attention focused on the importance of local knowledge, and the importance of the use of local skills in articulation with our skills. Once again the debate took us into the field of whether we should implement or influence? The issue is a long one and I’ll leave it once more for a further account.
However I’d like to point out that the greatest lesson I learnt from this lecture today, is the need of proper communication, understanding and collaboration between all the involved parts. Alone we can only achieve disaster!
I apologize for not having sorted out some of the posts and photos. But work has kept me rather busy. However I’ve already made a start.
Hopefully I’ll give news once the decision is made on my return and then I’ll resume my account from the glorious lands of Lesotho.
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