Today a 8.3 earthquake struck close to the island of Samoa, generating a 10-15 ft tsunami. The wave hit the island early in the morning causing 3 deaths and dozens of injuries. One town was flattened and the capital was reported to have flooded. video

As this is a localized natural disaster we will only respond if called upon.

Update 4: The island of Samoa took the most damage from the Tuesday morning tsunami. The current number of fatalities in Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga has reached 92. Hundreds have been left without shelter.

Transformative Urban Public Works Plan for Medellín,Colombia Wins 2009 Curry Stone Design Prize for Emerging Humanitarian Innovation. Alejandro Echeverri, Medellín’s former director of urban projects, and Sergio Fajardo, the city’s former mayor, will share the $100,000 award, announced today at the IdeaFestival in Louisville, Kentucky. See this transformative project and the other finalists on https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20091008184037/http://bit.ly/CSDPF

This Thursday co-founder Kate Stohr will join Reema Nanavaty, Fmr. President Mary Robinson and Duke Energy CEO James Rogers on a panel at the Clinton Global Initiative. Moderated by Michele Norris, host of NPRs' All Things Considered, the quartet will focus on job creation and smart growth out both economic and humanitarian crisis. Ms. Stohr will discuss Architecture for Humanitys' work in rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina and 'urban acupuncture' in areas of great need.

In recognition of President Obama’s call for the nation’s first official September 11 Day of Service and Remembrance, thousands of service projects will take place across the nation to remember the victims of 9/11 and engage more Americans in community service. Get involved!

Design an exhibition for the classroom of the future
For the past year Architecture for Humanity has run an international design competition to design and build sustainable, green classrooms of the future. Over 400 design teams partnered with schools in more than 65 countries and this fall we hope to assemble a book and exhibition of winning and selected entries. Starting in late August the exhibition will travel around the United States as well as Denmark, Japan, Italy and Singapore. For more information email challenge@architectureforhumanity.org

Join Up2Us in Washington, D.C. to help build a community soccer field

We're proud to announce the winners of the 2009 Open Architecture Challenge. Congratulations to all the designers and students who reached out to schools in their community and participated in this truly global initiative.

And the winners are...