11th Annual Roland Batten Lecture : Humanitarian Architecture

We are pleased to announce that our own Rolf Kielman will be speaking at the 11th annual Roland Batten Lecture on Wednesday, October 20th at 5:30pm, at 301 Williams Hall on the UVM Campus. Rolf will be presenting a talk on Humanitarian Architecture: a presentation of essential built work in Africa, Latin America and Asia. The event is free and open to the public.

Projects will be presented from Latin America, Africa and the Indian subcontinent. Most of these projects address essential housing, educational and community needs. Those involved in the implementation of these projects include architects, builders, planners and an extensive network of volunteers and non-government agencies. These necessary works are often of a design-build nature and utilize local resources, labor and building materials. Indigenous methods of construction shape the basic approach but new and sustainable methods of detailing and building are used to ensure improved durability.

The projects presented are situated in Guatemala, Uganda, Mozambique, Guinea and Bangladesh. They range from modest cooking facilities and dormitories, to schools and community centers. The work highlights the increasing involvement of young designers, engaged individuals and volunteer organizations who working to improve the quality of life in areas fraught with poverty and the impact of natural disasters and environmental degradation.

Rolf will also describe several ways in which you can become involved in this kind of work and local organizations and firms that you might wish to contact.

This is the 11th Annual Roland Batten Lecture, a series created in honor of our friend and colleague, architect Roland Batten who passed away in 1999. This event is sponsored by the Roland Batten Memorial Fund, TruexCullins, and the University of Vermont's Visiting Artists, Art Critics and Art Historians Lecture Series. We hope to see you there!