At 8:00 am this morning Architecture for Humanity launched the beta version of the Open Architecture Network, which I have been watching closely. It will be a gathering place for community designers and all those interested in improving the built environment. Here designers of all persuasions can post their projects, browse projects posted by others, comment and review projects, discuss relevant topics, contribute to shared resources, collaborate with each other, and access project management tools to support their work. Designers’ work will be protected by a licensing system developed by Creative Commons. This will enable designers to share their work freely while protecting their intellectual property rights and shielding them from unwarranted uses of their design.

The network has a simple mission: to generate design opportunities that will improve living standards for all.

Don’t forget;

One billion people live in abject poverty.
Four billion live in fragile but growing economies.
One in seven live in slum settlements.
By 2030 it will be one in three.