Announcements January 18, 2022

Inspiration Abounds: Clients and Designers Share Powerful Stories From Our Social Purpose Program

From housing security to healthcare access, the projects covered in "Together, We Design" offer plenty of community-driven design

Amid the many challenges of the last two years, we’ve been reminded that there is still good in the world, and a lot of it. Through our Social Purpose program, we’ve partnered with inspiring organizations that extend a hand to people in need. These everyday heroes make people’s lives better, which makes us proud to collaborate with them on projects designed from the heart. The projects within “Together, We Design” are spread across housing security, education, healthcare access, climate justice, and community building. But what they all have in common is that they show that design has the power to make people’s lives better, too.

The Nest

Named to evoke a close-knit, nurturing environment, The Nest is a free preschool in central Los Angeles that serves families experiencing economic hardship and homelessness. Run by the Hope Street Margolis Family Center, the new school features low, curved walls and a felt curtain reminiscent of bird feathers to separate the classrooms while keeping kids engaged.

A Space to Soar

For over 30 years, Atlanta-based nonprofit Moving in the Spirit has been teaching after-school dance lessons in a variety of spaces, but none of which felt like home. Now, partnering with us on A Space to Soar, their new two-story dance academy, the organization has been able to double its student capacity to 250. The new building contrasts gray exterior paneling with large purple windows, referencing the organization’s colors.

Family Tree Clinic

A regional leader in affordable medical care for the LGBTQ+ community, the Minneapolis-based Family Tree Clinic serves seven U.S. states and Canada, and thus outgrew its current home. The organization tapped our local studio to see if a new space could be designed and built on a slim budget. The design for the new facility subtly employs bright colors to reflect the LGBTQ+ flag without being overbearing. The highlight, however, is a skylight that shines down the yellow stairwell, representing a beacon of hope to the now 33,000 patients the clinic can serve over a year.

"Together, We Design"

Download the book here and explore more of the stories.

Inspiration Abounds: Clients and Designers Share Powerful Stories From Our Social Purpose Program

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