Established in 1981, Architects / Designers / Planners for Social Responsibility (ADPSR) works for peace, environmental protection, ecological building, social justice, and the development of healthy communities. We believe that design practitioners have a significant role to play in the well-being of our communities.

Goals

1.  
   1. raise professional and public awareness of critical social and environmental issues;
   
   2. further responsive design and planning; and
   
   3. honor persons and organizations whose work exemplifies social responsibility.
The goals of our programs are to:


Nationally, ADPSR is currently engaged in three primary initiatives, including our Prison Design Boycott, annual Lewis Mumford Awards program, and New Village Press, our publishing partner.

There are currently four ADPSR chapters in the United States: New York, Chicago, Seattle, and the San Francisco Bay Area chapters.  New chapters are currently being formed in Boston, Los Angeles, Portland,  and Salt Lake City.  ADPSR Members-at-Large can join a National Forum listserve. ARCPeace is ADPSR's international affiliate.

History

ADPSR was originally established in 1981 as a 501(c)3 public benefit organization to promote nuclear disarmament and correct the imbalances caused by military excesses overshadowing domestic needs. Throughout the 1980s, ADPSR initiated numerous peace projects including peace parks, conferences, traveling exhibits, and citizen diplomacy exchange programs with the former Soviet Union.

Since 1990, ADPSR has focused much of its effort on ecologically and socially responsible development. The New York and Chicago chapters have been offering non-partisan forums on various aspects of community development, with particular attention given to preserving a balanced ecology and social and economic equity. The Northern California Chapter has focused on ecological architecture and sustainable development. They publish an Architectural Resource Guide on ecological construction materials and established a Green Resource Center in downtown Berkeley. ADPSR NorCal has been conducting a monthly "Building Ecology Lecture Series" in San Francisco for nearly a decade, and also produces an annual tradeshow of ecological construction called the Green Materials Showcase. They also support research and testing of non-manufactured, natural building materials.

Other ADPSR projects include the facilitation of citizen participation in regional planning, low-income housing advocacy, support for the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (HABITAT), and the creation of online evaluation tools for monitoring the sustainability of community development. Four chapters have developed regional Green Maps, combining an international icon system developed by ADPSR member Wendy Brawer and HUD GIS tools, to encourage ecological awareness in their communities.

Diversity

Architects/Designers/Planners for Social Responsibility (ADPSR) and its project, New Village Press, are committed to non-discrimination, as well as to encouraging the equitable inclusion and participation of minorities in the activities of the organization and within the professions we represent and influence. ADPSR and New Village employ, compensate and advance personnel without regard to sex, gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, age, national origin, veteran status, physical disability, sexual orientation or marital status.