MYP 5: Architecture for Humanity - Investigate Empathy

Today we watched the movie Tsunami: The Aftermath, which tells us about the devastating destruction the massive 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami wreaked upon the humanity and infrastructure of communities effected by the disaster. Students are discovering that it takes understanding and knowledge to have empathy, an important element of humanitarian work. Next week students will begin investigating circumstances caused by a specific historical natural disaster, identify problems and start their process to design, plan and create a solution for the community using architecture and structural design .

STUDENTS: For Tuesday, February 9th, you will...

Choose a natural disaster to investigate. You will spend the next couple of weeks of the term researching the disaster, the aftermath, the local culture and society and identifying a problem affecting the humanity of that community. Remember that you will spend all term designing and creating a solution to a problem that you have identified, so make sure you are engaged enough in the topic and can find enough resources. It's your choice!

1. Choose a natural disaster which you will study. Start with the list below and then choose a specific historical disaster for your project (location, date).

Types of Natural Disasters

· Fire
· Earthquake
· Tsunami
· Floods
· Volcanic Eruption
· Hurricane
· Avalanche
· Blizzards 
· Tornado
· Mudslide/Rockslide

2. Create a BLOG entry with the following:

• Reflection: What is a humanitarian architect? (Hint: Watch Cameron Sinclair speak again on TED, and refer to the articles about the 1906 San Fransisco earthquake and 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami). 
• A link to a Cameron Sinclair project that you find innovative or inspiring. List 3 points that explain what about it and why you find it interesting. (Visit his organization's website "Architecture for Humanity" and click on "Projects" to see what has been done, or what is being worked on.)
• Identify a specific natural disaster you have chosen to examine for the term. Explain the "what", "where", "when", "how" giving a basic background in your summary.
• List and link at least 5 internet resources that provide information on the natural disaster event, the location, the aftermath. If you have trouble finding information, choose another event.
• Include 1 image (embedded) of the AFTERMATH of the disaster you have chosen.

Next week you will share your choices, begin your investigation and write your design brief. You will receive Design Folders outlining the project from start to finish, where you will maintain all of your documentation and work related to this project and a resource to allow you to be clear on what you need to do at each stage of the Design Cycle - so you can work at your own pace and outside of class.

You will be for this term...humanitarians, designers and innovative architects!