Traction Design champions design activism, field research and peer education to improve social, economic and environmental well-being in at-risk or neglected communities in Peru, Nepal and the U.S. Design activism, a term first coined in 2004, refers to the growing movement of architects, landscape architects and their allied professions (engineers, planners, etc.) who are using their skills to make a positive change in the world. Traction’s niche in design activism is to harness the power of participatory planning in designing and implementing incremental, small-scale projects that benefit these resource-limited communities. Equally important, Traction is committed to assessing the impacts of its actions (the field research) and sharing its findings with peers in the building and lands