Dean Ingalill Wahlroos-Ritter to Present on Housing at United Nations Headquarters
Dean Ingalill Wahlroos-Ritter has been invited to present Woodbury’s Housing+ initiative at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. Her presentation is part of the 58th Session of the Commission for Social Development on the topic of affordable housing, and specifically how the academy can make unique contributions to address the challenges of affordable housing.
Ingalill will be presenting three case studies as examples of strategic alliances between NGO’s, private practices, public entities and architecture schools that provide powerful design engines for addressing the pressing issues of our time, including housing. The three case studies include real-world problems Woodbury students are currently undertaking: ACE’s partnership with the National Health Foundation and NBBJ on the design of spaces for a Recuperative Care Facility in Pico-Union; the HDR-sponsored urban studio that proposes solutions for LA Metro’s West Santa Ana Branch and speculates on what LA might look like by removing cars from the equation; and a Gensler-sponsored studio on pre-fabricated, modular-housing. All three studios have NGO or public partners as well as firm partners.
Randy Stauffer, Sr. Vice President at Woodbury, said that, “Ingalill’s presentation at the United Nations Headquarters showcases the School’s commitment to taking on the most pressing issues of our time, and in turn, how the work of Woodbury students, faculty and alumni is gaining international recognition.” Woodbury’s Housing+ initiative is part of a larger strategic plan that includes the mission that good design is a human right. Implicit in the initiative is a vision to craft an academic environment that empowers our students to expand the influence of our discipline through meaningful built work.
Panel discussion: Affordable Housing and Inclusive Urban Development for All in Conjunction with the 58th Session of the Commission for Social Development
Participants:
Francesca Deferrari, Officer-in-Charge of UN-Habitat, opening remarks
Emeka Obioha (Nigeria)
Marissa Plouin (OECD)
Jan Wampler, FAIA (MIT)
Ingalill Wahlroos-Ritter, FAIA (Woodbury University)
The event is organized by the Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD/UNDESA) in collaboration with UN-Habitat. The panel aims to identify opportunities and key challenges impeding development of affordable housing for all people, especially for those in marginalized situations such as persons with disabilities, older persons, youth, indigenous people and the homeless. The panel will also showcase and explore practices that support development policy to address the housing needs and concerns of affected social groups, as well as explore how Member States, the United Nations and all stakeholders in the community, including NGOs, academia and private sectors, can make joint efforts to promote affordable housing and more broadly, inclusive and sustainable urban development for all people.
As the UN outlines, over half the world’s population now lives in cities. With the number expected to double by 2050, rapid urbanization poses several sustainability challenges related to affordable housing, environment, migration, infrastructure, basic services, such as education, health, safe drinking water, and sanitation, food security, decent jobs, and safety. By adopting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Member States have committed to achieve sustainable development for all nations and peoples and for all segments of society. The Agenda is based on the ideals of inclusiveness and shared prosperity and Member States pledged to leave no one behind and to endeavor to reach the furthest behind first.
Find out more about how you can participate in Woodbury’s Housing+ Initiative.