1985年, 一名提供医疗卫生服务的土著领导人启发了建筑师保尔•蓬乐若思（Paul Pholeros），在澳大利亚南部的一个土著小社区内，开展了一个“不再有人生病“的项目计划。关键的理念是：不光要考虑治疗问题，而且要改善当地环境。在他充满激情的演讲中，蓬乐若思描述了他目前运营的减贫组织“Healthabitat”所开展的一些项目——通过实用的设计方案，解决澳大利亚内外的贫困现象。

要减贫，先修房

Improving basic housing functions like working showers and safe electricity can dramatically boost health and reduce poverty. In remote Australian communities, only 35 percent of homes had a working shower, leading to lifelong health issues for children. Practical repairs by local teams raised shower function rates to 86 percent and cut hospital admissions linked to poor environments by 40 percent. Simple, focused action in collaboration with residents transforms lives far more than complex policies or outside interventions.