Emergency Architects Foundation

The Emergency Architects Foundation is a French non-governmental organization. From their founding constitution in 2001 to the 2006-7 events in South Asia, Emergency Architects have been present alongside the victims of disasters to aid their fast return to acceptable living conditions.

History

Emergency Architects Foundation was founded in April 2001 by Patrick Coulombel after the floods in the Somme and Oise departments in France. It is now a foundation "reconnue d'utilité publique", with two other national sections in Canada and in Australia.

The main objectives of the Emergency Architects Foundation are:
# to support and develop Architects' humanitarian engagement in France and worldwide and thus to contribute to the development of architecture,
# to train Architects with skills to help populations affected by natural, technological or human disasters,
# to encourage Architects training in France and in the World
# to preserve and promote the architectural, historical and cultural world heritage.

The foundation undertakes 10 programs in the following countries: Afghanistan, Solomon Islands, Indonesia, Lebanon, Pakistan, Peru, Sri Lanka and Chad, within emergency or development actions in favour of affected populations. The Emergency Architects Foundation is also present in Australia and in Canada through national chapters.

533 people from 19 different nationalities work for the organization in order to insure the completion of the programs. Overall, more than 1,200 architects and engineers have been involved in Emergency Architects achievements in 21 countries.

Fields of operation

The foundation takes place in the following operations:

* "Cartographic Evaluation Missions", in order to allow to the architects to quickly understand the disaster and its consequences on the population, to estimate the extent of damage, to identify and define the human and logistical means to be implemented for the immediate safety of populations and their quick rehousing.

* "Safety of the populations" by the installation of safety perimeters around damaged construction which could present potential danger, survey public services and housing, organize strategies for stabilisation or evacuation of inhabitants in case of danger.

* "Missions in Refugee camps" which answer the need for a roof, but without knowledge of the surrounding environment and the individual needs of refugees, camps can often generate disastrous social and human consequences.

* "Professional training" to allow sensitization to the concept of risk, the development the strategic role of professionals in the areas of urbanization and construction compatible with risk management, an assistance to local populations in self-building techniques and the creation of training workshops for uptake of news technologies and techniques.

Actions and interventions

* France
** Floods of the Somme Region (April 2001)
** AZF chimecal factory explosion (September 2001)
** Floods of the Gard Region (September 2002)
** Earthquake in Martinique (November 2007)
* Africa
** Algeria, Bourmerdès earthquake (May 2003)
** Morocco, Al Hoceima earthquake ( February 2004)
** Chad, Refugee camps in the east of the Chad (2007)
* Asia
** Bangladesh, floods (August 2004)
** Iran, Earthquake in Bam (December 2003)
** Afghanistan, Training Workshop in Kabul (2004)
** Indonesia, 2004 tsunami (December 2004)
** Sri Lanka, 2004 tsunami (December 2004)
** Thailand, Khao Lak Island (June 2004)
** South Asia, 2004 tsunami (January 2005)
** Pakistan, 2005 Kashmir earthquake (October 2005)
** Indonesia, May 2006 Java earthquake (June 2006)
* Europe
** 2002 European floods (August 2002)
* America
** Grenada Island and Haiti, Hurricane Ivan and Hurricane Jeanne (September 2004)
** 2007 Peru earthquake (August 2007)

External links

* [http://www.archi-urgent.com/ Official Website]
* [http://www.emergencyarchitects.org.au/ Australian Chapter Website]