Architects Assist

AA visiting a burnt house site

Formation| 4 January 2020
Founder| Jiri Lev
Type| Professional organisation
Purpose| Equity of access to sustainable and resilient architecture
Location|

* Australia

Services| Architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning
Membership| 630 firms (2022)

Parent organization

| Australian Institute of Architects
Budget| Nil
Volunteers| 1500 students (2020)
Website| www.architectsassist.com.au

Architects Assist (AA) is a national organisation of Australian architects, other built environment professionals and students providing pro bono disaster recovery and resilience advice to individuals and communities affected by natural disasters, such as bushfires or floods, or other adverse circumstances.[1][2][3] The organisation now operates under the Australian Institute of Architects.[4][5]

## History

[edit]

Architects Assist was launched on 4 January 2020 by architect Jiri Lev in response to the 2019-20 Australian bushfires disaster, as a "platform for equitable access to sustainable and resilient architecture".[6][7][8][9] By 7 January hundreds of architecture firms, sole practitioners and student volunteers had registered as members and the organisation started receiving first assistance requests from bushfire victims. The organisation operated grassroots, without funding.

On 9 January 2020 Architects Assist formally came under the umbrella of the Australian Institute of Architects. In February 2020 it had about 550 member architecture firms and 1500 architecture student volunteers.[10]

In March 2020 Architects Assist begun including members from related professions such as town planners (PIA) and landscape architects (AILA) and had about 600 participating firms.[11]

After broad initial response both national and global,[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] the bushfire recovery was slowed down by the 2020 coronavirus outbreak in Australia. Architects Assist representatives toured bushfire-affected regions across Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia. Simultaneously, local bushfire recovery community workshops were organised by member architects. As of late 2020 hundreds of residential, commercial and civic projects initiated through the organisation were under progress.[20][21]

The initiative was fully taken over by the Australian Institute of Architects in March 2021 to continue serving individuals and communities affected by disasters and other adverse circumstances.

In 2022 Architects Assist provided assistance in Eastern Australia floods recovery.

The initiative was re-launched in April 2023, to provide support to communities affected by natural disasters and other adversities, helping them to rebuild and recover. People who are left homeless from natural disasters are referred to Australian Institute of Architects' members, who assist in redesigning and rebuilding homes at reduced costs or pro bono.[22]

## Examples of work

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* The Cobargo RSL Memorial Hall, Cobargo NSW[23]
* Cobargo Santa Project, Cobargo NSW[24]
* Rosedale House, Rosedale NSW[25]
* Brisbane flood-resilient ferry terminal, Brisbane QLD[26]
* Cobargo Community Hall, Cobargo NSW[27]
* Rebuild Cobargo Main Street project, Cobargo NSW[27]

## See also

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* Emergency Architects Foundation
* Engineers Without Borders
* Resilience (engineering and construction)
* Sustainable architecture

## References

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1. ^ "Architects Assist offers pro-bono bushfire services". Australian Design Review. 2020-01-08. Retrieved 2020-01-10.
2. ^ "Can architects help bushfire-ravaged communities rebuild?". ArchitectureAU. Retrieved 2020-01-10.
3. ^ "Australian architects offer free design services to bushfire victims". Dezeen. 2020-01-07. Retrieved 2020-01-10.
4. ^ "National bushfire response update – Australian Institute of Architects". www.architecture.com.au. Retrieved 2020-01-29.
5. ^ "National bushfire response – Australian Institute of Architects". www.architecture.com.au. Retrieved 2020-01-29.
6. ^ "What You Can Expect From Architects Assist | Habitus Living". Habitusliving.com. 2020-01-09. Retrieved 2020-01-10.
7. ^ "'Architects Assist' Offers Disaster Relief in Australia -". World-Architects. Retrieved 2020-01-10.
8. ^ "Australian Architects Offer Pro-Bono Design Services to Bushfire Survivors". Hive Life Magazine. 2020-03-04.
9. ^ Hilary Whiteman. "The Australian architects designing homes to withstand bushfires". CNN. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
10. ^ Garcia, Isabel (2020-01-09). "Architects Are Offering to Help Rebuild Homes Destroyed by Australia's Fires". House Beautiful. Retrieved 2020-01-10.
11. ^ "VIC News & Media". www.aila.org.au. Retrieved 2020-03-08.
12. ^ Стоилова, Инес (2020-01-09). "Архитекти правят безплатни домове в Австралия". Lifestyle.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2020-09-18.
13. ^ "Australiens arkitekter vill ge hjälp efter bränderna". Arkitekten.se (in Swedish). 2020-01-08. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
14. ^ "Arquitetos oferecem serviços gratuitos às vítimas de incêndios da Austrália". Casa Vogue (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2020-09-18.
15. ^ "Australijske arhitekte nude svoje usluge besplatno svima koji su izgubili kuće u požarima". Gradnja (in Serbian). 2020-01-16. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
16. ^ "הלו, אדריכלי ישראל, איפה אתם?". Haaretz הארץ (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2020-09-18.
17. ^ "Архитекторы будут бесплатно проектировать дома для жертв пожаров в Австралии - Дизайн 24". 24 Канал (in Russian). Retrieved 2020-09-18.
18. ^ "Arquitetos australianos vão construir casas para desabrigados pelo fogo". Gazeta do Povo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2020-09-18.
19. ^ redazione (2020-01-08). "Incendi in Australia: i grandi studi di architettura in aiuto degli sfollati". exibart.com (in Italian). Retrieved 2020-09-18.
20. ^ "Year in review: 2020 headlines". ArchitectureAU. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
21. ^ Bailey, Ellouise (2021-06-29). "Cobargo Memorial Hall set to get an exciting facelift through donor support". Bega District News. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
22. ^ "Architects Assist launched again by AIA". Architecture & Design. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
23. ^ "Cobargo Memorial Hall set to get an exciting facelift through donor support". Bega District News. 2021-06-29. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
24. ^ Power, Julie (2021-04-30). "Cobargo project: How local Santa got his home back". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
25. ^ "Scale Architecture: Assisting in disaster recovery". Australian Institute of Architects. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
26. ^ "Brisbane flood-resilient ferry terminal – Architects Assist". www.architectsassist.com.au. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
27. ^ a b "Bushfire-affected communities on the South Coast of NSW – Architects Assist". www.architectsassist.com.au. Retrieved 2023-10-06.

## External links

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* Assistance request page
* Architects Assist homepage