San Diego—April 8, 2014— NewSchool of Architecture & Design (NewSchool) instructor Joseph F. Kennedy is presenting a research paper on “Catalytic Approaches to Humanitarian Design” during the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture Annual Meeting April 10-12 in Miami Beach, Florida. The paper outlines recommendations on preparing a new generation of designers to address the complex needs of global communities.

Kennedy is co-founder of the organization Builders without Borders, an international network of ecological builders who advocate the use of local, affordable materials in construction. He specializes in sustainable building, ecological design, and community development, and he has taught all over the world. In his paper, Kennedy explains how designers and architects can be better prepared to meet the needs of global communities with specific challenges, such as communities displaced by war and environmental disasters and in areas with limited economic and materials resources. He provides a series of recommendations, such as:

• Create model community projects around the world as “field stations” for education, research and community development.
• Provide design students with an education that incorporates sustainable development approaches, cultural sensitivity, and world affairs.
• Place greater emphasis on interdisciplinary skills, such as visual communication and construction techniques, for future designers to work with and design for global communities

Kennedy will present his paper during the session on “Building Change: Public Interest Design as Catalyst,” which takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, April 11. The topic complements the year’s ACSA Annual Meeting theme of “Globalizing Architecture: Flows and Disruptions.”

In addition to research papers, Kennedy has co-edited The Art of Natural Building and edited Building without Borders. He holds a Master of Architecture degree from the Southern California Institute of Architecture and a master’s degree in International Peace Studies through the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame.