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ABOUT ASF-INT

Who we are?

ASF International was founded as a result of an increased interest in social and environmental issues in relation to the built environment and dissatisfaction with ethical standards of mainstream architecture.

ASF Mission

Architecture Sans Frontières International (ASF) is an independent network of design not for profit organisations concerned with social justice, the cultural and environmental aspects of architecture and the conservation of the human and physical heritage aspects of the built environment.

ASF Purpose

The purpose of Architecture Sans Frontières International (ASF-Int) is to enable vulnerable communities access to architectural services, research and educational resources in order to increase their resilience and reduce vulnerability.

ASF Aims

  • Assist in the establishment of new like minded, design not for profit organisations globally.
  • Support ASF member organisations through the international network.
  • Provide design education and training with a specific focus on new forms of architectural practice relevant to international development and post disaster reconstruction.
  • Interface with other global organisations and events on behalf of the ASF-International community.

Common Declaration of Principles

The Hasselt Charter

These organizations pledge to work together at an international level in order to achieve a greater impact of their collective efforts to:

  1. Cooperate for fair and sustainable development initiatives in active collaboration with disadvantaged people or communities. This process shall follow principles of human solidarity, non- discrimination and will be aimed at promoting their self-sufficiency.
  2. Foster the socially responsible role of built environment professionals by stimulating social modes of practice before speculative economic profitability.
  3. Encourage ‘ethical professionalism’ by favouring cooperation and practice in hand with ‘ethical trade’, and with entities and financing institutions that work for peace-building processes.
  4. Identify, disseminate and work alongside public institutions, multilateral organisations and private sector’s policies, programmes and sustainable socio-economic systems fostering social equity and urban inclusion within the built environment.
  5. Facilitate the use of appropriate technologies, materials and labour adequate to local values, to the cultural specificity and responsive to the natural environment.
  6. Share knowledge, promote discussion, reflection and awareness, and collaborate in the advancement of the ‘social production of habitat.
  7. Promote the facilitation of trans-national dialogues and long-term partnerships with and within the less affluent countries.
  8. Support participatory, democratic, multicultural and interdisciplinary processes and approaches in strengthening community solidarity as a factor of rural and urban social development.
  9. Endorse the integration of post-emergency relief interventions into long-term sustainable development strategies.
  10. Defend, promote and enable access to adequate and dignified habitat for all as a ‘Fundamental Human Right’.