LAO quares was given by St. Paul Carpet and
LAO America Design Charrette On the morning of Saturday, July 22, fourteen members of Architecture for Humanity Minnesota met at the LAO Cultural Center for a design charrette focused on improvements to the group’s existing building and site. The Lao Advancement Organization (L.A.O. America) builds upon the strengths and traditions of Lao Culture, to give Lao families in Minnesota, and in the United States the tools they need to succeed in their new homeland. The mission of L.A.O. America is to be an advocate for providing education, employment, and economic opportunity for Lao people at all stages of life. L.A.O. America operates the Lao Cultural Center, a 6,500 s.f. building built in 1952, on Broadway Avenue in north Minneapolis. Participants divided into four groups to focus on specific design issues: site, exterior building, interior building, and sustainability. After a morning of working and discussion with several LAO community members, everyone shared a meal of traditional food, and presented their drawings and ideas. After the charrette, AFH-Mn created a set of boards that show the possible improvements to the building. These boards will help L.A.O. America apply for grants and be able to ask for private donations. In addition, AFH-Mn started a ‘Campaign for Carpet’ to help replace the carpeting in the offices. AFH-Mn asked all architects and interior designers to donate any carpet squares they had laying around there office. In the end a generous donation of 1,500 s.f. of slightly used carpet squares was given by St. Paul Carpet and Tile. The design charrette for Lao America went great, there's some information on the Lao America website about the event. Also check the PODCAST from KFAI Radio.
Project Boards
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Tile.