Based on an original blog by Tan Zhen Ron here All photos by Tan Zhen Ron Arkitrekkers, Nick Nearchou and Zhen Ron with two other volunteers from the United Kingdom, Holly and Annabel spent a lovely time contributing to the Community of Kampung Bongkud (Village Bongkud). It is considered exciting for me, Zhen Ron as this is my very first trip working (and of course enjoying) with Arkitrek outside the office. Photograph above shows the main common area at Camp Bongkud where meals are served and most activities being held. Being...

Text and photos by Nick Nearchou Arriving into the Arkitrek office on my first day I really had no idea of the technical challenges confronting me during my internship in Sabah. After the initial briefing I was presented with the impossible Mantanani Kindergarten construction task. “We need you to somehow lift six enormous roof rafters (large 2’’ x 8’’ timber sections and around 15’’ long) over 16ft into the air and connect them to the top of present Kindergarten structure. You will have a very limited work...

The Independent Saturday 31st December 2011 Traveller's Guide: Life-changing holidays Read the original article in full Whether you learn a new skill, volunteer abroad, or venture out into the unknown, make 2012 the year of meaningful travel Camps International offers volunteer programmes for professionals, including month-long "Arkitrek" expeditions to Borneo for architecture and design professionals. Two of the days are spent on a marine conservation project, with time for swimming or beach volleyball. But the purpose...

In true Arkitrekking fashion, Arkitrek trekked into the forest around Lupa Masa last week to “Forget Time, Think Arkitrek.” Everyone had thought of something they wanted to impart to their colleagues and had designed a task around this. Nick was first to kick things off with his programme: 'Building Engineering Basics for Architects - Buildings need to stand up and look pretty' Our task: to build the highest tower possible, capable of holding an egg with just 9 sheets of A4 paper. We were all put to shame by Charlie,...

“We believe the accepted model of capitalism that necessitates endless growth and deserves the blame for the destruction of nature must be displaced”Yvon Chouinard, from his book ‘Let My People Go Surfing’ Arkitrek wants to operate as a successful business and generate profit, but how that profit is used, and the motivation for making that profit is driven by social, rather than capitalist objectives. How we define our social objectives and how we measure the success of these though, has been the subject of much research...