Article 25 is a UK-based

international NGO An international non-governmental organization (INGO) is an organization which is independent of government involvement and extends the concept of a non-governmental organization (NGO) to an international scope. NGOs are independent of government ...

and registered charity that manages sustainable architecture projects in areas of extreme poverty and disaster. Article 25 works with other INGO partners to design and deliver hospitals, schools and homes, increasing and improving access to healthcare, education and adequate housing for some of the world's most vulnerable societies across the globe.

History

Established in 2005 by Maxwell Hutchinson, the name makes reference to the principle of the 25th Article of

the Universal Declaration of Human Rights The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is an international document adopted by the United Nations General Assembly that enshrines the rights and freedoms of all human beings. Drafted by a UN committee chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt, i ...

that safe and adequate shelter is a fundamental human right. Caught up in the

Indian Ocean tsunami An earthquake and a tsunami, known as the Boxing Day Tsunami and, by the scientific community, the Sumatra–Andaman earthquake, occurred at 07:58:53 local time (UTC+7) on 26 December 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of northern Suma ...

in 2004, architect

Maxwell Hutchinson John Maxwell Hutchinson (born 3 December 1948) is an English architect, broadcaster, and Anglican deacon. He is a former president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). Early life and education Hutchinson was born in Grantham, Li ...

recognised the potential impact the built environment could have on saving lives and preventing natural hazards from turning into full-blown disasters. Since it was formed, Article 25 has been governed by a distinguished trustee board including three

RIBA The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally, founded for the advancement of architecture under its royal charter granted in 1837, three supp ...

Presidents,

, Sunand Prassad and Jack Pringle. The Patron of Article 25 is

Norman Foster Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries ** People or things connected with the Nor ...

, a key figure in British modernist architecture.

Activity

Article 25’s projects range from one-off building projects for community-based organisations to large master planning projects for international organisations, including technical consultancy services for NGOs who have little access to vital design expertise. It has worked with governments, NGOs and relief organisations on reconstruction projects including schools in Haiti, hurricane resistant homes in Dominica, and earthquake resistant homes in

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...

. Some of the completed projects include an award-winning earthquake resistant housing programme in Northern

with Muslim Aid which received the 2009 Asia-Pacific Urban Land Award, and an award-nominated school for street children in

Goa Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

, with El Shaddai Street Child Rescue. The charity has delivered over 95 projects in 34 countries across five continents. In 2022, Article 25's Collège Amadou Hampaté Bâ project in Niamey, Niger was named as one of Architonic's Projects of the Year. The project was credited for using low-carbon local materials and for the charity's work to train local masons.

References

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External links

Article-25
*Designbuild
Article 25 builds school in Niamey, NigerArchDaily - College Amadou Hampaté Bâ / Article 25Designbuild - Network interview with Article-25Architects Journal - Artwork auction raises £100k for architectural charity, Article 25
Architecture organisations based in the United Kingdom Organizations established in 2005 2005 establishments in the United Kingdom