Architecture in Crisis Studio

For two decades I have had the good fortune of bringing humanitarian design and architecture to universities. Beginning in Bozeman, Montana, the traveling studio has moved to other cities around the world - giving students insight on how to design both locally and globally.

Students work on active projects, focusing on impact and community engagement, to learn empathy driven design thinking. Running in parallel with these projects is a series of lectures that document the history of humanitarian design and showcases designers and projects that have made a positive impact in communities in extreme need.

This studio is led by Cameron Sinclair and created from years of workshops, seminar courses, studios and lectures for graduate schools of architecture, interior design, planning and design. For 2024/25 we are located at the University of Buffalo and student teams have worked on disaster response in North Carolina [flooding] and California [wildfires], amputee football facilities in Ukraine and a floating telehealth and medical drone delivery center in the Kwajalein Atoll on the Marshall Islands.

Where next? - Worldchanging Institute is dedicated to supporting the next generation of humanitarian designers and architects through a unique approach to design. Our independent studio specializes in humanitarian design, offering graduate students the opportunity to engage with real-world challenges while honing their skills in a collaborative and immersive environment.

Developed over the last five years, our semester long program emphasizes the importance of social responsibility and community engagement. We work austere and extreme locations, partnering with local organizations and communities to tackle pressing design issues, from post-disaster reconstruction to expanding access to healthcare and education. Your students will not only learn the principles of humanitarian design but will also develop a deep understanding of cultural contexts and the complexities of human needs.

By bringing us in as a visiting studio, your school can provide students with invaluable hands-on experience, fostering a sense of empathy and innovation. Our curriculum is designed to inspire creativity, critical thinking, and teamwork, equipping students with the tools they need to become leaders in the field of architecture.

Let’s work together to shape the future of architecture—where design meets humanity. Together, we can empower students to create spaces that uplift communities and learn how to design like they give a damn.

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2024/25 location - University of Buffalo, NY, USA

Previous studios and workshops - Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bozeman, Buffalo, Capetown, Los Angeles, Kabul, London, NYC, Mexico City, Minneapolis, Rio, Riyadh, Seoul, Tokyo.