The MASS Design Group, co-founded by Alan Ricks MArch ’10 and Michael Murphy MArch ’11, was honored with a Buro Happold Effectiveness Award 2013 for their Butaro Doctor’s Housing in Rwanda. Presented each year by World Architecture News, the award recognizes and celebrates designs which have made a positive impact on society. The Butaro Doctor’s Housing provides invaluable on-site physician housing in an area where doctor retention is a constant challenge. After opening in 2012, the four duplexes have inspired dignity, fostered community and fomented sustainability of the Burera District’s rural healthcare system. In addition, Michael was featured in the November issue of The Atlantic. The magazine asked leading figures in technology, science, medicine and design for nominations on who they consider to be today’s greatest inventors. Designated by Tim Brown, CEO of Ideo, Michael was amongst a group of distinguished nominees. Including Janette Sadik-Khan (commissioner, New York City Department of Transportation), Jack Dangermond (founder, Environmental Systems Research Institute), and Jeff Bezos (founder and CEO, Amazon).

December 2013