Hi!

Hi there! I'm GlobalTribe Network's newest blogger.

I'd like to introduce myself as Linz, a student reading Architecture at Oxford Brookes University, UK. I'm in my 6^th year and now specialising in Humanitarianism, Human Rights and Development Practice - something of a mouthful but basically it's about understanding people, particularly those who are vulnerable: What makes them vulnerable? What can be done to stop them being so vulnerable? And how can we play a role?

I often get asked the question 'What do Human Rights have to do with Architecture?' And my common reply is 'It's my soul and my career all rolled into one: Anyone can be a human rights activist from a nurse to a lawyer to a student to an architect. Activism isn't just about protest marches and chaining yourself to trees, some of the most powerful activism takes place in offices, schools and even your own bedroom....!

I grew up in Nairobi, Kenya and now split my time between studying in England and seeing my family in Nairobi. Before starting uni I worked as an Environmental Volunteer in Nepal, building community toilets and smokeless stoves in a rural community in the Mt. Everest region.

During my studies I spent a year travelling overland with three friends from London through Europe, the Middle East and the length of Africa. We traversed 35 countries, visited 15 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, crossed 5 deserts and had 35 flat tyres, 5 of those all on the same day!

At the moment I'm designing a small community centre to be built in a deprived area of Oxford. I'm working with a friend and together we have just held a workshop to hear what members of the community want and need. The workshop was great fun and involved people of all ages, lots of colourful suggestion boards and plenty of stickers. It's great spending time with a community group that is beginning to realise architecture can be fun and involves everyone.

Just a bit of food for thought: have a look at this huge bench built in Barcelona by an architect called Antoni Gaudi. He really believed in community architecture and designing places where people could spend time with each other. The whole bench is covered in ceramic tiles and is really comfy to sit on. It is built as part of a huge public park high up on a hill in Barcelona with beautiful views over the city so people go there to read, sit, chat or just eat their lunch.

So that's me! It's great to be a member of GlobalTribe Network and I'm really looking forward to sharing some of my thoughts and experiences as the newest member to the blog.

It's great to be here!