Even as we help lead the evolution of the building industry, we know great change requires collaboration and IDEAbuilder is committed to giving back.  We encourage and work with other builders, organizations, and students adopting these new technologies and building practices. We collaborate with others who are making a positive impact in the lives of those in need, both here at home and throughout the world.

 

One organization that we strongly support and encourage others to do so as well is Architecture For Humanity. Architecture For Humanity (AFH) is a volunteer non-profit organization set up to promote architecture and design to seek solutions to global social and humanitarian crisis. The Open Architecture Network, created by AFH, is an online, open source community dedicated to improving living conditions through innovative and sustainable design. IDEAbuilder contributes technology, applications, and resources to projects on the Open Architecture Network, and helps Architecture For Humanity raise funds and spread its message with the tools of the 21st century.

 

- IDEAbuilder sponsored a team that participated in the 2009 Open Architecture Challenge: Classroom. The challenge asked designers and architects to partner with students and teachers to envision the classroom of the future. The IDEAbuilder team traveled to Cambodia and worked with local professionals, teachers, students, and the community on a design for the Phoum Stung Primary School: a Case Study of Natural Building for Cambodian Classrooms. Out of hundreds of submissions, our team made it into the final dozen. Since then, we have continued our work to build this classroom of the future with the Cambodian people.

 

- IDEAbuilder’s Tools team worked with a student group to create a web-based 3D application of the Parker House, a home built for those affected by Hurricane Katrina. This app allowed users to freely interact with this home design to explore and become familiar with it through its pictures, video, and audio content. The Parker House, designed by architect Brett Zamore, is a part of the Biloxi Model Home Project that was funded by Oprah’s Angel Network.

We also designed both a web 3D virtual tour application and an in-depth, educational, augmented reality application of the 3D Parker House model that were showcased at Architecture For Humanity’s 10th Anniversary Celebration at the Autodesk Design Center in 2009.