Since its founding in 2005, Architects Without Borders-Oregon has operated as a 100 percent volunteer organization, working on a very modest budget to connect designers to communities and non-profit groups in need of architectural assistance. The AIA has been a major supporter of AWB-Oregon since the beginning.  

In this Digital Design presentation John Blumthal and Maab Mohammed of AWB’s Steering Committee will give a brief overview of AWB’s history, how AWB is managed, how projects are selected, and how volunteer teams are organized. They will show and discuss images from local and overseas projects such as BuildOn Schools in Haiti; the Cathlamet, Washington community center and library;  the Elman Peace and Human Rights Center in Somalia; and the Mungere Secondary School in Tanzania. These projects illustrate the challenges of AWB's work, such as understanding and working with local materials and traditional construction techniques, providing guidance to clients with limited building/development experience, gaining insight into local culture and needs while working remotely, and having limited control during construction. Finally, the presentation will touch on current projects, working methods during the pandemic, and upcoming volunteer opportunities.

John Blumthal, FAIA

John, a founding member of AWB-Oregon, is Secretary/Treasurer and a member of the Steering Committee. He has led or been a member of AWB-Oregon volunteer teams serving communities in Oregon, Washington, Haiti, Ethiopia, and Somalia. John retired in 2012 from his position as a principal at Yost Grube Hall Architecture where he led teams serving college and university clients.

Maab Mohammed

Maab is passionate about equity and sustainability in design. She has a BS in Architecture from Portland State University and volunteered with multiple design projects before joining AWB-Oregon. She is a Designer at Carleton Hart Architecture and a board member of NOMA PDX. Always open to learning, she enjoys working on projects of various types and scales.

Building and Handwash, Debre Birhan School, Ethiopia