Open Architecture Network

The Open Architecture Network is an online, open source community dedicated to improving living conditions through innovative and sustainable design. It is the brainchild of Architecture for Humanity and the designers who volunteer with us and through our local chapters, as well as the result of a year-long partnership that began in spring 2006 when Architecture for Humanity won the prestigious TED Prize. Read more

There are many ways to be a part of the Open Architecture Network.
Registered users may access more of the tools than visitors, so Sign Up!
Uploading projects you are currently working on or have completed in the past lets others learn from your experience and give feedback. You can discuss designs with users around the world through messages and comments. The Resources section is where you will be able to contribute content in a forum or volunteer to be a guru answering questions in your area of expertise.
We encourage everyone to contribute to the Open Architecture Network by making a tax-deductible donation that will help cover maintenance costs.

Thanks to our generous sponsors, use of the Open Architecture Network is free. You can help keep it that way by making a tax-deductible donation. Your contribution allows us to maintain the Open Architecture Network and promote accessible design services. Learn more

Uploading a project means that, when you are ready to publish, your designs will become part of the Open Architecture Network database. Users around the globe will be able to search for your work. Depending on the Creative Commons license you choose, visitors to your project will be able to adapt your work to their needs. Tools to encourage collaboration like the Workspace and File Downloading enrich this collaboration. This means that everyone now has access to every level of design service.

Obviously it feels rewarding to contribute to a network that aims to improve living standards through collaborative design, but adding content to this network packs a little extra punch. We’re currently receiving more than a million hits per month, so putting up work means that people will see it. The Open Architecture Network has been featured in such notable publications as The New York Times, International Herald Tribune, Architectural Record and Business Week. Interesting projects get promoted to the homepage, where they will be seen by every visitor to the Open Architecture Network. In short, posting a project means great exposure for you and your work. Recent Press

Starting a project is a relatively easy process. First, you will need to register a username and email address with the Open Architecture Network. Once you've logged in, creating a project is just a matter of clicking the "Start a Project" button and filling in the details. Read more

If you are working on a Windows-based platform, the Open Architecture Network will work best in Mozilla Firefox. Mac-based users should have the latest versions of either Firefox or Safari.

Because the Open Architecture Network is open source, the default setting for all new projects is "Public." That means that everything included in your project—the project overview, team space, updates, project workspace, calendar, and files—can be viewed by the general public. Benefits of a Public project include being able to search for it in the Projects area, sending a link to non-registered users, and endless amounts of user feedback.

In case you don't want your project to be public right now, that's no problem. You can make a project "Private" by clicking on the Edit icon at the top of your project. Remember this will affect all project settings, so only team members will get the benefits of your design. And just because your project is private doesn't mean it isn't subject to our Code of Conduct and Terms of Use. If a moderator finds that you are posting inappropriate, obscene or off-topic content, your project may be removed.

Adapting a project means using files from an existing project as the basis or inspiration for a design another person is developing. Any time a user downloads files from a project and uses them, they are adapting that project. Be aware of Creative Commons licensing, if you plan to use someone else's work. In the future the Open Architecture Network will let you track project adaptations and show related projects within the Network.

A Creative Commons license is based on copyright, and it applies to all works that are protected by copyright law. On the Open Architecture Network, Creative Commons Licenses apply to all project files as well as all information located in the Resources section. Learn more

As the Open Architecture Network community grows, one of our strengths is a rich database of people interested in architecture and improving the built environment. Users are able to find each other and discuss similar interests or different experiences using this search tool: the People Finder.

The Open Architecture Network is a work in progress and functionality will continue to be added over time. In the future, we see the Resources section as being both a knowledge database as well as a forum for members to share their vast experience. It will include sections on everything from building materials to building codes. In the meantime, feel free to contact us with suggestions on what topics you would like to see.

All images and files for your project will be stored together on the Files tab. Although only image files (JPEG, GIF, and PNG) will display in the Slideshow and Workspace, the system can also store files with other extensions. Administrative materials in pdf and text formats may be stored along with CAD (DWG, DGN, DXF, and DWF) files. 10 MB maximum file size.

File Sets work like folders to help organize your project materials. As images and files are uploaded into sets, include photo or design Credits and a brief Description. Designate the file type (Image, Plan, Section, Elevation, Detail, Rendering, Finished Construction, or Other).


When uploading files, be sure to check the Slideshow box to display the image in the Project's overview slideshow. Check the Workspace box so users can add comments directly over images in the Workspace tab. Check the Adaptations box and users will be able to download your files and adapt them to other projects according to its Creative Commons license. That's open source.

Please help us track problems. When you notice any, contact us.
To appear in the slideshow and workspace areas, images must be in RGB color mode. Uploaded image files may be in JPEG, GIF, TIFF, and PNG format, 72 dpi recommended. Images are not cropped but copied and resized to fit in the slideshow viewer (600 x 400 pixels).

On the project Overview tab the link "Reorder Images" appears below the Slideshow. In Mozilla Firefox and Safari, thumbnails may be rearranged using the Drag and Drop method. Changes are saved and appear in the slideshow immediately. The image that appears first in your slideshow will also be the default thumbnail image for your project on the OAN.

It is at the architect's discretion. Disclaimers across the site make it clear that documents downloaded from the site are created for a specific site and a specific client, that they are provided for informational use only and that they should not be adapted for construction without seeking the services of a licensed professional. However, we recommend that you remove it, so that someone will not be able to unwittingly use your drawing as a construction document. In addition, you can also protect your design by the Creative Commons license you choose when you start a project.

The Open Architecture Network is currently in beta version and functionality will continue to be added over time. We ask for project latitude and longitude because eventually the system will be linked with a mapping tool, including this data means we will be able to include your projects immediately.

If you still have questions, please feel free to contact us.