My architectural portfolio is unconventional in that I provide descriptions of each project that are much longer than those in typical architectural portfolios, which tend to be mostly pictorial. Also, I focus on lessons learned from my practice. Based on those lessons, I elaborate upon my architectural philosophy.
Moreover, I use a first-person narrative writing style. The reason for this is that, as I mention in my bio introduction page, my architectural work and my social history are inextricably linked; thus, it is not possible to fully explain the former without explaining the latter.
However, this portfolio goes far beyond my personal history. I also combine the biographical-architectural narrative with explanations, along with my own analysis, of alternative green technologies and approaches. Among others, I explain and analyze the principles behind geo-biological prospections, sick building syndrome, the permaculture agricultural system, passive solar ventilation, composting toilets, technology transfer, bamboo construction, and water disinfection systems.
Additionally, in explaining my embrace of community participation, I explain the rationale behind the notion of participation, as well as participatory tools (e.g., the conflict matrix assessment tool) and participatory approaches to poverty alleviation (e.g., microfinance). I also describe a participatory planning method called microplanning, as well as my own method, which I call ethnoarchitecture.
The projects in this portfolio are described either as single projects (e.g., a solar passive ventilation system and a participatory housing project) or as project sets (e.g., I describe several alternative sanitation projects within a single section, and I do the same for two bamboo construction projects).
While I have worked on many more projects than those described here, I have selected these projects as those that provided the key lessons that have shaped my practice.
After describing these projects, I close the portfolio by explaining the rationale behind my philosophy of work.
In its narrative focus, contents, and structure, this portfolio is intended to go beyond describing my own achievements to offer a pedagogical reflection on the practice of social design.
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