DArch Graduate's Design Research is the Basis for Winning A UNDP Design Award

Currently, Joohyun Park is a project designer at the G70 design firm. He received his DArch degree in 2017. While a student in the UHM School of Architecture, Joohyun lead his team mates Alicia Kukut Arroyo and Henry Palm in designing an affordable housing project for Arch 744 Architecture Comprehensive Design studio. Many of these design planning concepts and programming research principles were used as the basis for his entry for the Housing Design Challenge (HDC) 2018 competition hosted by UN Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Phnom Penh Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and Building Trust International.

This design proposed an affordable and sustainable housing solution for low-income workers within and nearby Phnom Penh SEZ. As in many developing countries, Cambodia is experiencing rapid economic growth and has a need for sustainable communities for workers and families as they transition from rural areas to urban centers. Joohyun developed his proposal using the Arch 744 project design, which was originally conceptualized for a similar worker housing project located in Danang, Vietnam.  His entry received one of four runner up HDC 2018 awards.

Arch 744 was taught by Professor David Rockwood.