Support
Our twice-yearly studios do double duty. They educate the new generation of architects, and they spread the word about how to redesign towns and cities as pleasant, walkable places to live — one neighborhood at a time. We aim for each studio’s work to express our values of flexibility, affordability, sustainability, and patient service to the common good. And we especially value collaborating with local partners and with related academic disciplines such as graphic design and civil engineering.
The professional services involved in each studio are provided without charge to the host communities. Currently our basic operations are supported by a five-year gift from Champion Enterprises, Inc., and supplemented by the University of Notre Dame’s School of Architecture.
It is our goal to become fiscally independent within the School of Architecture and expand our outreach to help make Notre Dame a national leader in urban redevelopment. To do that we need to raise $400,000 for each academic year starting with 2009-2010.
Despite the worldwide financial crisis, the Center for Building Communities is incurably optimistic. We recall how many significant buildings were designed and built during the Great Depression, and we know that any pause in the cycle of building and rebuilding is a chance to reconsider how to do better when times improve.
Giving to the CBC
Gifts to the University (including memorial or annual gifts) may be partially or totally allocated to the Center for Building Communities through the University’s Development Office. If giving a gift on-line using a credit card, please indicate your intent to allocate your gift to the Center for Building Communities by completing the Comment section of the on-line form.
Champion Enterprises, Inc., has given a generous gift, to be distributed over five years, in support of regional community design studios.
A partial list of current CBC needs:
*support for the Center’s annual operations.
*support for the positions of Director of Technology and Director of Communications.
*support for expanded fellowship opportunities. In summer 2008 two Notre Dame fifth-year students conducted an energy assessment of Champion’s wood modular residential building systems.
*support for endowed chairs.
*support for a permanent facility.
*non-monetary help from communities who would like to work with us in redeveloping core areas.
If you would like to assist with any of these needs, please contact by email or phone:
Ron Sakal
Executive Director, at the Center for Building Communities
(773) 771-3494
Lynn Hubert
Director of Regional Development, Department of Development
(574) 631-3689
Gary Girzadas
Associate Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations
(574) 631-9282
