AFRO-NETS> Mobile HIV/AIDS Health Clinic for Africa

[Cameron Sinclair <csinclair@architectureforhumanity.org>]

Mobile HIV/AIDS Health Clinic for Africa
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Dear Colleagues, 

It is with great honour that today we launch our second international 
relief project, the Mobile HIV/AIDS Health Clinic for Africa. Over 
the last 2 1/2 years we have spent researching this project and work-
ing with experts in the field, we have been overwhelmed and at times 
stunned by the strong support for this project from the medical, re-
lief and design community. From medical professionals working seven 
African countries, leaders in HIV/AIDS research and relief and global 
health activists have gone out of their way to get involved and help 
in part formulate the project. For this project participants are 
asked to develop designs for a fully equipped, mobile, medical unit 
and HIV/AIDS treatment center specifically for use in Africa.

On Wednesday, the launch, we will post the design criteria, submis-
sion requirements and competition jury on the site. If you would like 
further information or have any questions in regard to the project or 
organization, do not hesitate in contacting me directly. Beneath is a 
brief version of our press release, to view the full press release 
please visit: 
http://www.architectureforhumanity.org/news/pr.htm

Cheers, 
Cameron Sinclair 
Founder/Executive Director 
Architecture for Humanity
mailto:csinclair@architectureforhumanity.org


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Architecture for Humanity Announces International Design Competition 

MOBILE HIV/AIDS HEALTH CLINIC FOR AFRICA 

Architecture for Humanity, a non-profit organization that promotes 
architecture and design solutions to global, social and humanitarian 
crises, announces its 2002 International Design Competition. For this 
year's competition, participants are asked to develop designs for a 
fully equipped, mobile, medical unit and HIV/AIDS treatment center 
specifically for use in Africa.

Since AIDS was first diagnosed 20 years ago, 65 million people have 
been infected with HIV; 25 million have died. The disease continues 
to spread at an ever-alarming rate. Time and again medical profes-
sionals in the field and HIV/AIDS researchers, in the U.S. and around 
the globe, have stated that improved distribution of basic healthcare 
services is the key to defeating this devastating pandemic.

No place illustrates the need for improved access to healthcare more 
than Africa. In Sub-Saharan Africa alone, close to 6,000 people die 
of AIDS every day and an additional 14,000 are infected with HIV ac-
cording to the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. By the launch 
of this competition, 1,000,000 people will have died of AIDS this 
year alone. It is estimated that three-quarters of the world's AIDS 
population lives in Sub-Saharan Africa; most have no access to life-
saving drugs, testing facilities or even basic preventative care. One 
of the major factors inhibiting medical professionals in Africa from 
treating this disease is the inability to access vast areas of the 
continent with adequately equipped facilities.

About the Competition

On May 1, 2002, Architecture for Humanity will launch the Mobile 
HIV/AIDS Health Clinic Design Competition. The goal of this competi-
tion is to create a fully equipped mobile unit to be used by medical 
professionals throughout the African continent. In addition to test-
ing, prevention and treatment, this easily transportable unit will 
disseminate information regarding the virus and provide basic health-
care services.

"Architects and designers have not only an opportunity," said Frank 
Gehry, Architecture for Humanity advisory board member, "but a pro-
fessional obligation to help to end this crisis. We need to employ 
the same caliber of design talent and innovative use of materials we 
use in commercial projects to create a viable solution to the 
HIV/AIDS epidemic."

Submission Deadline and Criteria

A detailed set of design criteria, developed by a team of advisors, 
will be available at:
http://www.architectureforhumanity.org

The deadline for design submissions is November 1, 2002. In mid-
November a team of internationally renowned architects, HIV/AIDS pro-
fessionals, and representatives from relief and research organiza-
tions in the field will jury the entries. Finalists will be announced 
on World AIDS day (December 1, 2002) at an exhibition to be held in 
New York City. Money raised from the US$ 35 entry fee, donations and 
additional fundraising activities will be used to build a prototype 
of the winning concept. Once developed, it is hoped that refined ver-
sions of this cost-effective and mobile design can be built for Af-
rica-and eventually, easily replicated in other regions around the 
world.

About Architecture for Humanity

Founded in 1999, Architecture for Humanity is a volunteer non-profit 
organization set up to promote architectural and design solutions to 
global, social and humanitarian crises. Noted advisory board members 
include architects Shigeru Ban (Japan), Frank Gehry (U.S.), Rodney 
Harber (South Africa) and Reuben Mutiso (Kenya). For this project, 
the advisory board has been joined by HIV/AIDS medical professionals 
Kate Bourne (IAVI, U.S.), Dr. Johannes van Dam (Horizons Project, 
Population Council), Dr. Sunanda Ray (SafAIDS, Zimbabwe), and Dr. Mi-
chael Sweat (John Hopkins University, U.S.).

In 1999, Architecture for Humanity launched its first venture, an in-
ternational competition to design five-year transitional housing for 
Kosovo's returning refugees. With more than 200 entries from 30 coun-
tries, the competition was an overwhelming success. Selected entries 
were exhibited in four countries and were featured in more than 30 
newspapers and design publications. Publicity from these exhibitions 
helped in part to raise $80,000. All proceeds were donated to War 
Child, an international children's charity, and used to create hous-
ing, schools and medical facilities in Bosnia, Kosovo, Liberia, Si-
erra Leone and other war-torn areas. Prototypes of two winning en-
tries have already been built; two more are currently in development.

Contact: 
Cameron Sinclair 
Founder/Executive Director 
Tel: +1-646-765-0906
mailto:csinclair@architectureforhumanity.org 

For more information visit:
http://www.architectureforhumanity.org 

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