Study Architecture 
ProPEL Interest Submission Deadline: December 18, 2024
Exhibit Charrette
Communicating Humanitarian Shelter
What is a charrette?
A charrette is an interactive workshop where participants work together to address a design challenge. During the charrette, students are presented with a design challenge and must work together in teams to develop a solution within an allotted time frame. Teams are encouraged to ideate, explore, and visualize to produce a final design. At the end of the charrette, students will present their results and elaborate on their design thinking process.
What is the deliverable for the interest submission?
Students interested in participating in the charette must submit a single letter (8 ½” x 11”) in PDF format that includes a 250-word interest statement on why their team would like to partake in the charrette, along with a sample of design work. The interest submission must be completed online by a faculty advisor. Please note that we are not seeking designs for humanitarian shelters or exhibitions.
Are students designing a humanitarian shelter?
No, students will be designing an exhibition to communicate what is humanitarian shelter, and why it is important. During the charrette at the ACSA113 Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA, March 20-22, 2025, students will be prompted to design an exhibit that engages the public’s understanding of humanitarian shelter and how it is used to support the world’s most vulnerable people; those impacted and displaced by disasters and crisis. The purpose of the charrette is to improve architecture students, professors, and professionals’ connected to the built environment (exhibit audience) in understanding the issues and broadening the audience that may want to engage in humanitarian shelter. We’re looking for design and communication skills and the ability to understand the underlying problem, the problem set, which is understanding the concepts and ideas behind what a humanitarian shelter is. Therefore, the charrette will focus on educating audiences on the importance of humanitarian shelter rather than designing physical shelters.
What should be the focus of the interest submission?
The interest submission should showcase how well students understand humanitarian shelter and settlements. Students should address how they plan to effectively communicate concepts relating to international humanitarian shelter through design and how their impact can make the world a better place in times of displacement crisis. Additionally, it would be beneficial for students to highlight previous experiences with the type of problem-solving, exhibit design and/or ephemeral architecture that will need to be demonstrated during the charette.
What type of design work samples are you looking for?
The design sample you submit should clearly and effectively demonstrate your ability to communicate through design. You can research ideas, refer back to our online webinars that can help guide your work sample on delivering concepts through design on humanitarian shelter and settlements.
If I’m selected to attend the charrette, what will be covered?
The selected ten student teams participating in the Exhibit Charrette (two individuals per team) will have their travel expenses to New Orleans covered. These expenses include: airfare (two flights up to $600 each), hotel accommodations (a single room with 2 beds), and registration to the ACSA113 Annual Meeting. Additionally, each team will be provided with a per diem, an allowance for meals and incidental expenses.
What will the format of the charrette be?
The charrette will take place in person during the 113th ACSA Annual Meeting in New Orleans, March 20-22, 2025. Students will be encouraged to use whatever format they feel will be their strength in communicating humanitarian shelter during the charrette. This can range from digital to physical models. Participants will be provided with parameters during the onsite charrette.
Edwin Hernández-Ventura
Programs Coordinator
ehernandez@acsa-arch.org
202-785-2324
Eric Wayne Ellis
Senior Director of Operations and Programs
eellis@acsa-arch.org
202-785-2324
