Sustainable Architecture Internship/Volunteer

Wanted

Global Developer and Builder

To Do

Enable ARK partners and professional designers and engineers be on track to build classrooms by Fall 2013; facilitate seamless coordination between US and Philippine teams; draft key agreements and secure support from all stakeholders; research and implement methods that will make designs easier to build and replicate across the developing world.

Why

1. Kindergarten students are having a hard time learning in their makeshift classrooms that are suffocating, hot and ill equipped, with one class using a condemned building.

theelementallife.wordpress.com/2013/04/10/jessies-visit-the-need/

2. The communities are ready to match us with their volunteer labor and contributed materials.

3. We already got the funding!

Pilot

ARK partner communities in Agdahon and Bitoon Ilaya, located in Capiz, Philippines

Reward

Tangible skills and experience (leadership, project management, research and design, marketing, capital raising, and effective non-profit operational models); 3 NEW, CLASSROOMS; collaboration with successful professionals from diverse fields; impactful and measurable contribution; connections, potential mentorship and paid opportunities within the ARK and Elemental Interiors network.

Expectations

Proficiency with excel, powerpoint, autocad. Good oral and written communications skills. Fun- lovin', gung-ho, positive, focused, solutions-oriented who will "hit the ground running" and work side by side with ARK officers in NYC and in the field on on-going and live projects.

ARK internships are unpaid; range from 6 to 10 weeks of commitment period, 7-15 hours/week

Project Brief

Partner: Elemental Cares. www.elementalcares.com; elemental-interiors.com

Goal

1. Create a beautiful, comfortable space that will inspire kids to play, explore, create, learn and rest.

2. Build ecological structures using locally sourced materials and sustainable design elements with parents and local artisans.

3. Make high quality, low cost structures that parents and other rural residents in the developing world can replicate and build for themselves and others.

Design Elements

1. Green roof that also collects rainwater for drinking. Many of the rural schools have poor or no access to drinking water.

2. Passive lighting from re-purposed bottles filled with water and ammonia. Black-outs are common in these rural villages and electricity requires too much of a school's budget.

3. Living walls and soda bottle planters that imbed student's personal gardens and support the schools gardening culture.

4. Mobile paneled partitions that transform the space for community meetings and other activities, and offer customized protection from harsh weather elements.

5. Louver system that circulates air through the space effectively. Currently, the students are plagued daily by harsh heat conditions that make learning difficult and uncomfortable.

Intern Responsibilities

1. Work with project designers and engineers to get to a completed build plan, budget, sourcing plan and build schedule

2. Create necessary marketing collateral to present to local communities, obtain counterpart and support from DepEd and government officials, and for ARK PR and marketing

3. Draft Construction Agreement and Memorandum of Agreement with key stakeholders

4. Coordinate with ARK local coordinator, School Head and team leader, and local engineer

5. Ensure seamless communication between US and local partners

6. Upside: potential to be part of the on-site build

Are you The ONE?

checklist

1. You have a can do spirit

2. You can lead but like to listen and work with others

3. Your curiosity prevents you from having cats

4. You can articulate your thoughts succinctly

5. You flourish in evolving, dynamic and entrepreneurial settings

6. Your eyes light up when you talk about designs from 2000 years ago

7. You like to laugh!