The Architecture Is Free Foundation recently launched a mentoring and tutoring service to support architecture and design students who may not have access to in-person educational resources. AIF believes that a variety of financial, social, and geographic obstacles contribute to educational exclusion. For this reason, there are no student fees, no applications, and no pre-requisites. If you have access to the internet, then you have access to AIF. Students join AIF by following @architectureisfree on Instagram and connecting with a faculty member through direct message. A typical mentoring or tutoring session is one hour and takes place on Zoom.
AIF understands that representational technologies are becoming easier for students to master outside of the traditional academic Institution. Yet the most valuable teaching moments come during face-to-face conversations that foster critical thinking and encourage design logic. This is where AIF thinks it can make the biggest impact to the widest audience.
Daniel Horowitz, Founder of AIF says “if the world we live in is to be a valid expression of our collective cultural moment then it has to be designed by a representative cross-section of people that live in the world, not just the unencumbered elite few.”
The Architecture Is Free Foundation is a non-profit organization that serves a diverse group of students and faculty from all over the world, while funding charities that support inclusion and empowerment. AIF relies on the goodwill of both the faculty and the students to pay it forward. Our member faculty volunteer their time and harness their networks to improve student outcomes. Students do their part to support the community by donating what they can afford to charities of their choice.
AIF also provides a valuable networking platform for aspiring instructors who are well positioned to teach, yet find they are disillusioned with the lack of attractive teaching posts offered by traditional academic institutions.
AIF recently announced that the influential American architect, educator, and writer Denise Scott Brown has joined the Board of Advisors. According to Daniel, “This is a huge boost to AIF because Denise brings a long and well-known history of championing inclusion and representation in the field of architecture.” Currently the school consists of 20 faculty members and 500+ students and is growing rapidly. To learn more or join the community please visit architectureisfree.org or follow @architectureisfree.