Session 2 | A Camel is a Horse Designed by a Committee: The Case for Open Source Architecture

What is meant by the phrase “a camel is a horse designed by a committee”? Is this true? Or is a camel really just a creature of an entirely other nature – an expression of function over form that evolved from a different set of circumstances?

This session will present a rationale for open source architecture; explore notions of a democratic design process; review examples of participatory design in architecture; and the manner in which standardization for off-site manufacturing can inform architectural design. Lastly, the session will illustrate the application of these ideas/principles through a review of the Standardized Housing Designs Catalogue published by the British Columbia Ministry of Housing in fall 2024, and discuss whether the project has had any identifiable impact on the housing crisis in British Columbia over the past year.

Date & Time: Wednesday, November 5 from 12–1 p.m.
Location: Online via Zoom
Cost: $50 (Architect AIBC & Architectural Technologist AIBC); $40 (Intern Architect AIBC & Retired Architect AIBC)
Learning Units (LUs): 1 Core
Registration: Register by 12 p.m. on Monday, November 3, 2025
Presenters: Michael Leckie Architect AIBC