In 2018, Emergency and Development Architects will become Architecture without Borders Quebec. This important news that was announced on Wednesday, December 6, during the annual fundraising event of the organisation, were over 150 people from architecture, design, construction and factory world had gathered.

With the reknown columnist Marc-André Carignan as animator, the event, titled La soirée des grands A (The Evening of Every Great A), raised some $20,000 and marked the launching of the organisation’s 10^th anniversary. “This event is an opportunity to thank our annual donors and to underline the fidelity of our Architects, Allies, Ambassadors, Adherents and every other Great A who has made our action possible”, says Bruno Demers, general director of the organisation.

By joining the Without Borders banner, the organisation hopes to bring Quebec’s humanitarian architecture to another level. “For the last 10 years, we helped people in need, especially in Haiti, Nepal, Madagascar, and even in Quebec’s Aboriginal communities, where the housing crisis is rife. By becoming Architecture Without Borders Quebec, we will improve our capacity to clearly communicate our action and to reinforce our partnership with the Ordre des Architectes du Québec (OAQ). We also hope to inspire our colleagues from other Canadian provinces into the humanitarian architecture movement” explained the president, Christian Samman.

Nathalie Dion, president of OAQ was invited to give a special address and declared “Architecture Without Borders Quebec as an important part to play. It is both the conscience and the humanitarian arm of our profession. It is a lever for actions to equality in architecture. It is also a demonstration that architects are not indifferent to equity issues”.

2018 will mark the organisation’s 10^th anniversary and its new name will be communicated on all its official platforms starting the beginning of the year.

Remain abreast of future developments.

About the organisation 

The mission of Architecture Without Borders Quebec
(hitherto called Emergency and Development architects) is to develop mobilizing projects which contribute to improving the built environment, the capacity to respond to emergency situations, the well-being, the dignity and the empowerment of vulnerable populations, locally and internationally. The organisation was created 10 years ago by the Ordre des architects du Québec and is supported by all Quebec’s architects.