TED Prize

Own a Day of Architecture for Humanity

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2006 TED Prize winner Cameron Sinclair’s wish resulted in the creation of the Open Architecture Network. In the five months since its launch at TED the OAN has been shifting the landscape around how architects work to create more sustainable projects. Almost 500 projects worldwide are currently be managed through the network.

A number of TED companies are working on ways to make the OAN itself sustainable and it should be so within a year. Until then its parent company, Architecture for Humanity, needs organizational funding to continue running the network, so they’ve launched the Own the Day campaign.

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In the words of AFH…

Own the Day

Help Architecture for Humanity provide 365 days of pro bono design services around the world—one day at a time—by donating one day’s worth of your salary.

We know how busy you are and how hard it is to do pro bono work.So, here’s the deal. We want you to donate one day of your salary instead. In exchange, you get to Own the Day of your choice.

You’ll help support the work of Architecture for Humanity and allow architects and designers all over the world to offer their services pro bono-just by clicking your mouse. Think of it as community service plus design (minus the parole officer.)

We’re going to ask you for a minimum donation of $100. If you earn more than that in a day, we’d love you to donate more (in fact, we need you to). You can Own the Day on behalf of a friend. Or, if you’d like your company to get involved, hey, you can go ahead and own a whole week. Or, simply match the donations of your employees. Just send us an email and we’ll make it happen.

To own a day outright, donate $1200 (the cost of running the Open Architecture Network, Architecture for Humanity and all its chapters and projects for a day) and you will receive a limited edition t-shirts designed by US artists including Natalie ‘Alabama’ Chanin, Anabelle Pang, Emily Pilloton, Amy Rowan and Adam Cohn. Check out the other great offers below.

You can Own the Day by visiting here. Once you have made a donation, choose the day of your choice, and your name will appear on our nifty calendar for that day. We’ll also feature each day’s sponsors on our homepage and on the homepage of the Open Architecture Network.

That’s it. Just think of all of the great projects you will have helped design and build all over the world without ever having to leave your desk. Heck, you’ll be working so hard you might want to consider taking the day off.

If you’re feeling bold….

$25,000 – Own TED 2008 week (Feb 27 – March 1)
It’s not only a way to tell other TEDsters that you care about good design and the Open Architecture Network enough to celebrate its’ 1st year anniversary. This donation would provide the gap funding* needed to build Siyathemba, a youth sports facility and HIV/AIDS outreach center in South Africa. If funding is found by August 31, the facility will open by TED 2008.

$100,000 – Own our Founding Day
We began Architecture for Humanity on April 6, 1999 and it means a lot to us. Celebrate our birthday and support our mission by donating more than $100,000 and own April 6. This one comes with Architecture for Humanity swag and you get to be honorary CEO. We will even make you business cards. Plus you get to shape the strategy of our organization for one day, or just order us around and get us to bring you coffee. The choice is yours.

$500,000 – Own the Year
This one is the doozy. the whole she bang, the kit and caboodle. This would allow us to provide professional services to communities all over the world and help in building hundreds of structures – from Afghanistan to Darfur to New Orleans. If someone wants to donate over $500,000 not only do you to own the whole year but we will receive ‘middle naming rights’ for everyone in the office. Yes that’s right we will legally change all our middle names after you.

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*Additional funding by Woolworths – South Africa, INDEX and the Red Rubber Ball Foundation