Humanitarian Design Internship

Humanitarian Design Internship (ABPL30064)

The Humanitarian Design Internship is an educational study tour that provides students with insights into sustainable built environment design. The internship will provide students with knowledge and application of Laurie Baker’s approach to building design and construction techniques that are low cost, context and climate responsive, and socially inclusive. Students will develop a deeper understanding and need to move towards a Green Habitat and the role innovative building technologies and design can play in creating positive change within Indian communities. Students will have first-hand experience working in culturally different and resource constrained environments. They will work collaboratively with architects and builders at the Laurie Baker Centre (LBC) for Habitat Studies to learn low cost, contextually appropriate design and building techniques through hands-on workshops and site visits.

Destination and travel dates

• Students will travel to the coastal city of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala (India) and would be based at Laurie Baker Centre for Habitat Studies (https://www.lauriebakercentre.org).
• In-country dates are 1^st-10^th February 2024.
• Students organise and pay for their own flights and visa and are welcome to travel before and/or after the in-country study dates.

Scholarships

The Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning secured New Colombo Plan (NCP) funding for this subject. Under NCP guidelines, $3000 will be available for up to 15 domestic students who are successful in their application to the Humanitarian Design Internship subject.

The scholarship amount will cover the following costs:

1. Lecture and workshop fees for the Laurie Baker Centre
2. Cost of building materials used during workshops
3. Transportation for site visits organised by the LBC
4. Modest accommodation at LBC for the duration of the program
5. Indian meals provided by the LBC for the duration of the program.
6. Travel insurance

Note 1: Please be informed that scholarship amount does NOT cover the following:

1. Subject fees paid to the ABP faculty;
2. Your flight tickets;
3. Personal travel, local transportation cost, cost of additional meals and drinks.

Note 2: LBC is a dry campus (no alcohol consumption). Accommodations at LBC campus are modest – shared rooms and common toilets and bathroom; no air-conditioning, no overhead showers (only bucket and mug); no running hot water (only cold water).

Applications

Applications for the Humanitarian Design Internship 2024 are now closed.

Please note:

• Applications will be ranked according to academic merit and preference given to students in their final year of study.
• Only Australian citizens are eligible for the NCP Scholarship. The scholarship will be granted once your application has been approved (you do NOT need to apply for the scholarship separately). More information about this will be sent to you after applications close.
• International students can definitely apply for the subject, but please note you are not eligible for the NCP Scholarship.

More information

Briefing and information session: Wednesday 22nd November 2023 (online, mandatory)

Pre-departure session: Wednesday 6th December 2023 (online, mandatory)

Final assessment due: Friday 23^rd February 2024

For more information contact subject coordinator Dr Jyoti Shukla at jyoti.shukla@unimelb.edu.au.