About us
Article 25 is the UK’s leading architectural NGO working in the Global South.
We do it differently. Here’s how:
We listen. All of our projects start with extensive community engagement. We co-design each building with the community who will be using it, ensuring it truly meets their needs.
We use a local workforce. We don’t parachute in a team from abroad. In fact, if there is local expertise to design and manage a project at the same scale and quality, Article 25 won’t take it on. As project managers, we form a diverse team of local builders, making sure to include women and people in need of employment.
We leave skills behind. We train local people in new construction techniques, improving the economy and giving them the knowledge to maintain and repair their own community assets far into the future.
We use local materials. We’re committed to using natural, sustainable building materials that are sensitive to the landscape and culture. Even in remote locations, we do our best to source materials locally.
We build things to last. We design buildings to withstand extreme weather events like hurricanes and flooding, using seismic design where earthquakes are a threat.
We use innovative technology to be climate-positive. We are experienced in using passive design and creating off-grid solutions, which benefit both the climate and communities without mains power.
We pass savings on to our NGO partners by using pro-bono and low-bono expertise.
Vision and mission
Our vision:
To improve access to healthcare, education and shelter across the Global South.
To deploy our professional skills as architects and project managers to make this happen.
Our mission:
Design and build high-quality hospitals, schools and homes in the places that need them most.
“Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of themselves and of their family”
We take our name from Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Sustainability
Sustainability is at the core of Article 25’s mission to design and deliver resilient, high-quality buildings where they are needed most.
We specialise in construction in challenging environments, from remote regions to disaster-prone areas, ensuring that every project is built to last. Our approach prioritises natural, locally sourced materials that respect both the environment and cultural traditions. We incorporate passive design, off-grid solutions and climate-positive innovations to reduce carbon impact and create self-sustaining buildings.
From schools and hospitals to homes, our structures are designed to withstand extreme weather, flooding, and seismic activity, protecting communities for generations to come. Our work directly supports 16 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals and we are committed to achieving Net Zero by 2050.
See our Carbon Reduction Plan to learn more about our sustainability commitments.