arch-peace: Overview of the year that was 2006

President’s Report
AGM 2006

Networking Formal:
Over the past twelve months some important and substantial formal networks have been established to strengthen the standing of Architects for Peace. These include:

• Unesco Observatory, Lindy Joubert. This provides an opportunity for peer review of articles and joint projects
• Arc-Peace International. Dick Urban Vestbro (Sweden) and Tony Watkins (New Zealand). Architects for Peace is a recognized and active member of Arc-Peace International.
• I% , John Carey. This Pro Bono campaign has served as a model and advice for our Architects for Peace Pro Bono Service
• Proyecto Vivo, Fernando de Gregorio. Proyecto is our connection in Chile and offers a model and advice for Architects for Peace Pro Bono Service.
• Friends of Baucau = George; Natalie; Roderick McIvor, Kevin Breen. Friends of Baucau is our first international Pro Bono project and continue to be a supporter of Architects for Peace.
• AVI: Australian Volunteers International offers the potential of joint overseas projects through our Pro Bono Service
• RAIA: Rob Stent, recent past President of RAIA. Rob commenced discussions with Architects for Peace about Pro Bono Services and has been encouraging in his support for our programs and initiatives
• Urban Forum (PIA). PIA continues to support Architects for Peace through publishing articles and demonstrating an interest in contributing to our events
• Architects & Planners for Justice in Palestine http://apjp.org/. We continue to network and assist APJP with their campaigns aimed to denounce the occupation of Palestine, forced relocations and destruction of housing, villages and livelihood.
• Melbourne University: students, academics continue to engage
• Asylum Seekers Resource Centre have made approaches about Pro bono Services and we are supportive of their valuable work
• RMIT Public Art continues to be a supporter of Architects for Peace through the use of meeting and event space

Networking Informal:
A series of actions have established informal connections with a number of organizations and individuals over the past twelve months that strengthen our presence and support. These include:

• Requesting for links to our website
• Posting news in the e-forums – the Age etc.
• Monthly Newsletter has been a regular communication network with our members and the broader public - we need a person to coordinate this aspect of our work
• Website, design and maintenance has continued to improve our public image, communication and contribution from the general membership

Activities:

• Pro bono Service has been established and Launched with several projects on the books including the trial project at Collingwood housing estate car park. Too many people to thank but see below in Anthony’s article for acknowledgements
• Words @ bld 50 continued throughout the year to build and shine. A high quality night of ideas and debate. Special thanks to Peter Johns and Eleanor Chapman
• Studio+Space featured works by our members. We need more contributions for this virtual gallery of the good work that everyone is engaged with. Thanks to Eleanor
• Publicity – several pieces of publicity collateral have been developed – the business card, the initial draft of a DVD, book marks, press releases and a range of posters for words @bldg50. Great work by a many people and see below for individuals.
• Editorial board has been established to increase the quality and consistency of our monthly editorial. Thanks to all editorial contributors over the past twelve months. The new editorial committee will consist of :
  

  Anthony McInneny
  Beatriz Maturana
  Dr Ceridwen Owen
  Dr David O’Brien
  Dr John Blair
  Eleanor Chapman
  Matthew Bond
  Peter Johns
  Su Mellersh-Lucas
  and most recently ...
  Gregory Cowan
  Dr Sintusingha Sidh

Campaigns
The past twelve months have seen an escalation in war and our response has been equally escalated. Campaigns have included:

• Lebanon: formal letter to the government
• (anti) Terrorist legislation
• Indigenous access permits
• Venice Biennial APJP (Architects and Planners for Justice in Palestine): Ted Cullinan, Charles Jencks, Louis Hellman, Abe Hayeem, Kate Mackintosh

Invitations:
Architects for Peace have received and responded to several invitation to speak at various forums including:

• Green Left
• Brisbane Biennial – Art Design and Craft
• Melbourne University SONA (August)
• Tasmania SONA – deferred to 2007

Difficulties:
As a volunteer organization we face pressures to maintain our organizational infrastructure and extend and raise our profile, participation and responsibility of members. Challenges include:

• To maintain the momentum and to make people comfortable with the idea that all is not organized for members to do but that members have to create it, be patient and endure the heights and lows.
• It is difficult to convey the message that we have to create (as individuals), to take responsibility and carry on – the organisation is yours but you have to look after it and contribute to it.
• It has been difficult, but we have succeeded in conveying that volunteerism does not mean lesser quality. It is a financially unpaid effort but with substantial rewards in regards to our beliefs, goals and ethos.
• We are all extremely busy. Lack of time is not an individual condition, but the condition of our societies. Being busy is not unique, but ordinary. We are all important, we are all busy and this is not something to be proud of, but something to question – why? Because when we cannot take the time to act as citizens and act on what is wrong - we are in real trouble.

Looking for:

• More social activities: Anna taking care of films
• Words at bld 50: consolidate and continue the good work (important to form a team around this)
• Projects: Probono. The Potential for AVI and Architects for humanity
  allowing us to undertake projects in Asia (long term)
• A consolidated publicity team that can think ahead of the activities and look for avenues to promote our work

Fabulous:

• Our constant request for memberships (from Palestine, Lebanon, US, Jordan, Turkey, Israel, Indonesia, Vietnam…)
• The wonderful, serious, committed team that joined the pro bono (Abri)
• That we have been successful in every work that we have undertaken – the comments are always the best… accompanied by acknowledgement of our professionalism
• That this year we have demonstrated that our voluntarism goes hand in hand with our professionalism. This distinctive feature has endowed us with the recognition from other organizations and respect among urban professionals.
• That we have an inclusive, friendly and trustworthy, real and virtual team

Thank you,

Beatriz C. Maturana
President
Architects for Peace


Overview of the year that was 2006
Anthony McInneny – Public Officer
Annual General Meeting

What a year for a voluntary organization. We’ve organized 10 forums of fabulous speakers, issued 10 newsletters with insightful articles and editorials, maintained a blog for discussion and debate, launched the first pro bono service for professionals of the built environment in Australia, become recognized by major institutions, presented at national conferences, produced promotional material, attended numerous rallies and run several campaigns while maintaining and updating the best looking website around, systems improvements in communications, increased our membership, establishing working groups and still staid sane!

How have we done it? Well, there is a core a great people at the centre of this international organization who would welcome the efforts a similarly enthused and capable people. All skills are needed and welcome. So… don’t think that there is nothing you can do about the state of things, become involved.

Below is a summary containing a fraction of the efforts involved in running our successful working groups, events and campaigns?

Words @ Building 50
A highly successful and high quality presentation of ideas and discussion, Words @ Building 50 took hold as a monthly forum for a diverse range of speakers and presentation ranging from land and identity to urban design, social architecture and art.

Topics included: Brutalist Architecture in India, Urban design in Barcelona and Melbourne, Universal Design, Indigenous Land title and sustainable architecture.

Many thanks to the coordinators of Words @ Building 50 Peter Johns and Eleanor Chapman, Ceri Hann for tech support and thanks to Beatriz Maturana for establishing this forum and assisting throughout the year.

Thanks to our speakers and presenters who shared with us their wealth of experience and knowledge including: Meaghan Dwyer, Dr. Mirjana Lozanovska, Dr. Susan Lowish, Dr Darko Radovic, Dr. Vasudha Ashutosh Gokhale, Ralph Green, Soumitri Varadarajan, Karla and Hani from RMIT Public Art.

Editorial
Monthly Editorial
It’s been an active year for Committee of Management Members and general members contributing to the monthly editorial. Articles covering a range of timely topics addressed public space, architecture, war and peace, which, at times, solicited active debate on the blog. A comprehensive archive of material is being gathered as a resource and reference.

Many thanks to Matthew Bond. Anthony McInneny, Shelley Freeman, Eva Rodriguez Riestra , Beatriz Maturana, Dr John Blair Stephen Cameron, Su Mellersh-Lucas. Thanks Beatriz Maturana for managing and coordinating the monthly editorial and cajoling articles when promised but not delivered.

Newsletter
Monthly Newsletter is a regular form of engagement with the entire membership of which the editorial is a feature. The gathering of up to date news and events adds to the rich network of professionals and practitioners of the built environment. This needs everyone to contribute. Another project coordinated by Beatriz Maturana, the newsletter needs a coordinator. Any takers?

Studio Space
A forum to share projects of our members, Studio Space is coordinated by Eleanor Chapman and fed by your work. A great place to publish your ideas and work. Many thanks to Eleanor for coordinating this space.

Website Maintenance and Design
Beatriz worked with web design students from Melbourne University to improve the interactivity and data base management of the fantastic website she has constructed form scratch that forms the basis of communication with our members and the outside world and which she has managed and improved over the last twelve months.
Another great body of work coordinated by our President (Beatriz).
All those IT architects out there are most welcome to offer assistance.

Membership
Membership has been streamlined, improved and increased. We now have over 280 members from around the world. Thanks to Javiera Maturana for coordinating the membership

Pro Bono Services
The highlight of the year has been the launch of the first probono service for professionals of the built environment in Australia. Architects, Urban Designers, Social and Urban Planners, Environmental and Landscape Architects, Engineers and Artists join other professions in offering their services to community and not for profit organizations in the pursuit of healthy and sustainable built environments.

Launched at CH2 (The City of Melbourne’s new, landmark environmentally sustainable building) by the buildings coordinator of sustainable design, Mick Pearce, the service got off to a flying start with the announcement of the first international project in collaboration with the Friends of Baucau, Timor Leste.
Teething for the service began with two of our active members taking on a local project with the Collingwood Housing Estate. Karen Tanfield and Peter Johns have been working with the resident group at this high rise public housing estate to develop reconstruction and development plans for a disused underground car park.

The Pro Bono Service Working Group has been formed with terms of references and is busy planning for promotion and development of the service over the next twelve months.

Special thanks to the Working Group including:

• Kieran McKernan (chair of pro bono)
• Lucinda Gleadow (secretary)
• Kalliopi Vakras (treasurer)
• Paula Villagra (website update)
• Kim Roberts (project assessment panel)
• Edith Wong (website group work)
• Ruth Natalia
• Alif Nadya Inniar Rosa
• Diena Renatta Meiantie
  
  For establishing and steering the pro bono service thanks to:
  
• Matthew Bond
• Peter Johns
• Beatriz C. Maturana
• Su Mellersh-Lucas
• Anthony McInneny
  

A big thanks for institutional support from City of Melbourne and Clayton Utz
The launch had too many people helping to thank but a big thanks to Rachel Sztanski for making the nights such a special occasion with her performance.

Publicity Group
A separate working group to handle publicity for the organization was formed around the task of getting our first publication together. Progress is made towards raising funds for this publication and the design is being refined. In addition, the group has produced a DVD for the pro bono service, business cards, book marks and flyers.

Special thanks to Shelley Freeman as the coordinator and designer, Ruth Natalia, Alif Nadya Inniar Rosa and Diena Renatta Meiantie for their IT expertise and skills, Eva Rodriguez Riestra, Anna Lindstad, Kalli Vakras, Anthony McInneny and Edith Wong for their contribution

Finances
Behind the scenes and making sure that we can keep affording to do what it is we do and to plan for future activities is our Treasurer. A smooth year with organizational reporting, all the above and below activities and we still have money in the bank. Keep those membership fees coming. A big thanks to our Treasurer Matthew Bond

Meetings Venue
Building 50 at RMIT Public Art has become the home of Architects for Peace and in some ways it’s rough studio feel embraces the ideas of a work in progress. We’ve had access to equipment and facilities that have allowed the seminars, meetings and presentations an ease of operations. A big thanks to Geoff Hogg at RMIT Public Art for supporting Architects for Peace and the use of the facilities

Systems management
Yahoo Groups for Coordinators and working groups
As a web based organization our systems of communication are constantly being improved. One great way has been through the use of Yahoo groups. There are now four yahoo groups being managed as a way to communicate
A big thanks to Edith Wong for volunteering to manage these groups over the last couple of months and into the new year.

Committee of Management
The Committee of Management for Architects for Peace held consistent monthly meeting engaging general members in discussion and decision making over the course of the last year. A forum to set direction for the organization and administer the day-to-day issues while trying to consider how an international organization might evolve and keeping participation high.

A special thanks to our Committee of Management who in 2006 were

Beatriz Maturana, President
Su Mellersh-Lucas, Vice President
Shelley Freeman, Secretary
Matthew Bond, Treasurer
Anthony McInneny, Public Officer
Karen Tanfield, General Member
Agus Batara, General Member

Apologies
To any member who has been active and has not been acknowledged (especially our interstate and international members) please accept my sincerest apologies, as author and I would be more than happy to hear from you to acknowledge the great work that is happening in the name of Architects for Peace.

Anthony McInneny