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What does an orphanage in Haiti have in common with schools in Nepal, a human rights center in Somalia and storage lockers for homeless people in Portland? The answer: Architects Without Borders-Oregon.

For the past decade, volunteer architects, designers, engineers and others with Portland-based have donated their time to help design those projects and more, board member John Blumthal said.

The organization was established after a tsunami in 2004 decimated Sri Lanka, he said.

鈥淎WB-Oregon was formed in response to the Indian Ocean earthquake,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e replaced a school hit by the tidal wave and did the work in 2005.鈥�

More than 300 local professionals have worked on AWB-Oregon projects over the past decade 鈥� sometimes in small groups and sometimes in larger networks for bigger projects, Blumthal said, and more help is always welcome. People interested in learning more can attend an open house this evening at 6 o’clock at 403 N.W. 11th Avenue.

Other early projects of AWB-Oregon include post-Katrina hurricane damage assessments for homeowners on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, home redesigns in flood-prone areas of Cambodia and a project for Mercy Corps in Kosovo.

These projects reflect the mission of AWB-Oregon, which, according to www.awboregon.org, 鈥渁ssists communities in need by providing design and planning services through a volunteer network of professionals and students.鈥�

Over the past decade, the organization’s volunteers have created initial designs for completed projects including an orphanage and education center in Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti, a kitchen to feed homeless people at St. Andre Bessette Catholic Church on Burnside Street and an emergency food bank in Northeast Portland’s Cully neighborhood.

Another local project that AWB-Oregon wants to tackle is creation of storage lockers for Portland’s homeless citizens, Blumthal said.

鈥淢ost projects come to us, but in this case it came out of our steering committee,鈥� he said.

The steering committee met with the city, Multnomah County and JOIN, a Southeast Portland-based organization that helps homeless people find permanent housing, to learn what was needed, Blumthal said.

鈥淥ne need is a place for homeless folks to leave their things during the day if they want to go on a job interview, or to the doctor’s office,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e came up with several prototypes for a storefront or a parking lot, but so far none have been built. JOIN says everyone would like to, but no one has the money.鈥�

Other design projects that AWB-Oregon volunteers are working on include schools in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, homes in Ethiopia, an orphanage in a suburb of Port-au-Prince, rural schools in Nepal and a human rights center in Mogadishu, Somalia. Other local efforts include designs for green improvements in Northeast Portland’s King neighborhood.

The Elman Peace and Human Rights Center in Mogadishu is a big project, but Blumthal, a retired architect, points out that AWB-Oregon primarily offers preliminary design work that can be used for fundraising and as background for future designs.

鈥淲e are not a licensed and insured architectural firm,鈥� Blumthal said. 鈥淥ften (clients) just need a schematic design to help with a presentation and then they can get licensed architects (for the final design).鈥�

That’s the case for the Mogadish center, which was started by the widow of peace activist Elman Ali Ahmed, who was assassinated after civil war broke out in Somalia. Now their daughter, social activist Ilwad Elman, is running the center, which operates in various locations in Mogadishu. The center provides housing, counseling, vocational training, literacy classes, a women’s shelter and rehabilitation for children forced to be soldiers.

Delivering services at various locations in the war-torn city is difficult, so the Somali government donated a 4-acre site for the center. All that’s needed is a basic design to help raise money for construction. That is where AWB-Oregon comes in. Blumthal said that preliminary design is being completed for Elman to use for a fundraising presentation in Germany in January.

Volunteering with AWB-Oregon is a great way for students and young architects to gain valuable experience, Blumthal said.

Kent Wu, who is working on the Somali project, certainly thinks so. He graduated from the University of Oregon with a bachelor’s degree in architecture a couple of years ago and now works for GBD Architects.

鈥淲hen I first thought of going into architecture, the U.S. was at war in Iraq and Afghanistan,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 wanted to be part of a creative force in the world, and AWB has been a way for me to do that 鈥� the reason I got into architecture in the first place.鈥�

Wu said it’s exciting to be working on the center in Somalia for someone as renowned as Ilwad Elman. The work will include a preliminary design or proposal package for a four-acre campus.

鈥淚t’s like an early feasibility study or master plan for the campus,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t’s very preliminary, and she (Elman) understands that this is one more step in making it real for her and hopefully get more energy and excitement on her end.鈥�

Also working with Wu on the Somali project are retired architect Derek Goad, Portland State University student Lauren Sanchez, Amanda Gresen of GBD Architects, University of Oregon student Keegan O’Neal and Musse Olol of the Somali American Council of Oregon.

Most of the work is for schools and health care facilities in developing countries, Blumthal said, but AWB-Oregon does not compete with local architecture firms.

鈥淲e are here for nonprofits and communities that can’t afford an architect,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e can help them get concept designs and set a budget and scheduling that will help them with their fundraising. Then they can hire or get a pro bono architect if they need to.鈥�

The whole idea is to give back to help make the world a better place, Blumthal said.

鈥淚’ve always been interested in the things we can do as a profession,鈥� he said. 鈥淎rchitects Without Borders is a way to channel that generosity and interest.鈥�