August 2009
 Dear Friends of Public Architecture:
Coinciding with the fifth anniversary of The 1% program in 2010, Public Architecture is editing a book on pro bono design, slated to be published by Metropolis Books / DAP and designed by Paula Scher of Pentagram. Showcasing project case studies, practice profiles, and client and designer testimonials, the book will illustrate the power of pro bono design to dignify the human experience. Pro bono projects of all kinds--particularly in the realms of education, health, housing, and open space--are now being sought to round out a roster of exceptional projects by a range of firms. Click here to review and respond to the call for submissions.
 Executive Director John Cary is spearheading the book with assistance from Summer Associates Heera Basi and Trudy Garber as well as VISTA Program Advancement Fellow Amy Ress. John is presently using a four-week residency at the Rockefeller Foundation's Bellagio Center on Lake Como in Northern Italy to begin work on the book. Among the youngest-ever residents of the Rockefeller Foundation, he is there alongside 11 other exceptional leaders from six other countries, including India, Japan, Kenya, The Netherlands, Nigeria, and South Africa. The Bellagio Center is a one-of-a-kind, interdisciplinary, international study and conference center, which focuses on artistic, scholarly, and public affairs pursuits, but warmly welcomes conference and residency applications addressing architecture, design, and the built environment. Public Architecture is proud to have this special affiliation with the Bellagio Center and the Rockefeller Foundation.
John Peterson, AIA
Founder & President
Contents:
1. Harvard Business School Study of The 1% Program Firms
2. The 1% Program Welcomes 13 Nonprofits and 13 Firms in July
3. Partner Spotlight: Bay Area Community Resources
4. Volunteer Spotlight: Diana Mangaser
5. Summer Associate Spotlight: Trudy Garber
6. 17th Street Plaza Pilot Extends Toward Permanence
7. Reminder: Lifecycle Building Challenge III
8. Upcoming Presentations & Participation
1. Harvard Business School Study of The 1% Program Firms
 Public Architecture is proud to be partnering with Harvard Business School to conduct a major survey of architecture firm culture, specifically focused on pro bono service. This survey--building on two previous annual firm surveys conducted by Public Architecture--is a critical first component of a larger, longitudinal study on how architecture firms and individual employees create and manage compatibility between professional identities and service. The preliminary and ultimate results are expected to assist firms and other stakeholders in improving the quality, quantity, and impact of pro bono service.
The survey will be administered to the more than 600 architecture and design firms that have pledged their time through The 1% program of Public Architecture. Firm leaders that are registered with The 1% program will be emailed directly in the coming month with further details.
Special thanks to Public Architecture friend and partner, Lakshmi Ramarajan, PhD, Post-Doctoral Fellow in the Organizational Behavior Unit at Harvard Business School.
2. The 1% Program Welcomes 13 Nonprofits and 13 Firms in July
 Since our July newsletter, The 1% program has welcomed 13 firms and 13 nonprofits, expanding the program roster to 607 total firms and 276 current nonprofit participants. We would also like to highlight two pro bono projects in-progress:
A first project is being undertaken by Bower Lewis Thrower Architects (BLT), who are providing design services for the Philadelphia Society for Services to Children. The partnership is being facilitated by the Community Design Collaborative of AIA Philadelphia. BLT performed an assessment of existing conditions and examined the efficiency of current uses, contributing over 250 hours of staff time. The analysis produced a comprehensive list of recommendations, including improvements to storage, spatial organization, access, and circulation for staff working areas.
 The second, ongoing project involves the West Suburban PADS of Oak Park, Ill., which serves the needs of individuals and families in need of shelter, housing, and supportive services. With the help of the Chicago office of Perkins+Will, the organization plans to open a new day-use Support Center in the basement of a recently-acquired former convent, which also houses their administrative offices. Program services will include a "home base" where clients can access lockers, take showers, receive clothing, and meet with case managers to address health, mental health, and substance abuse needs.
Visit www.theonepercent.org for more information.
3. Partner Spotlight: Bay Area Community Resources
 Contributing to the growth of The 1% program of Public Architecture, we would like to highlight Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)--a nonprofit promoting the healthy development of individuals, families, and communities through direct services, volunteerism, and partnerships in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Facilitating the national call to service, BACR acts as a regional intermediary between community organizations, including Public Architecture and the Corporation for National & Community Service (CNCS). We are indebted to BACR for the realization of the first-ever Program Advancement Fellowship at Public Architecture. Awarded to Amy Ress, it is a renewable one-year position offered through the national AmeriCorps*VISTA program.
4. Volunteer Spotlight: Diana Mangaser
 Every week, Public Architecture fields a multitude of inquiries from people wanting to volunteer their time. One of our best-ever has been Diana Mangaser, a young architectural designer who has generously given of her time for the past few months, tackling The 1% Matching Audit, alongside Amy Ress. Diana's work has also included assisting in the refinement of The 1% matching process through research and interviews with precedent organizations.
With her undergraduate education at UC Berkeley in architecture and landscape design, Diana is interested in the cross-evolution of our cities and natural spaces. Although based in San Francisco, her myriad experiences have taken her around the globe, from planning and design at an international multi-disciplinary firm, to ecological resort development consulting in Costa Rica, to design/build work on the Thai-Burma border. Whether tending her own urban garden or donating pro bono services for Philanthropy By Design for the renovation of SOMArts Cultural Center, she believes in the power of people to actively shape their own space.
Diana will begin pursing her Master of Architecture this fall from the Rhode Island School of Design, where she hopes to merge the principles of local, sustainable, and socially-responsible design into her studies. We are sad to see her go, but we wish Diana the very best.
5. Summer Associate Spotlight: Trudy Garber
 Each year, Public Architecture issues a call for applications for outstanding students to join our staff as Summer Associates. This year, among the dozens of applications, two exceptional candidates, Heera Basi and Trudy Garber, rose above the rest. Working together, they have contributed greatly to myriad efforts. Heera will be profiled in next month's newsletter, but we want to take this opportunity to recognize Trudy's great work over the past two months.
Trudy is currently pursuing her Master of City Planning and Master of Landscape Architecture degrees at UC Berkeley. She is interested in preservation and design of open spaces in urban areas. Trudy completed her undergraduate education at Georgetown University, where she majored in science, technology, and international affairs. Trudy reports that she is excited for the Persieds meteor shower this month.
6. 17th Street Plaza Pilot Extended
 In May, we reported on the opening of the 17th Street Plaza, design by Public Architecture as a component of our long-running open space strategy and San Francisco's Pavement to Parks initiative. Recently, the two-month trial period for the plaza, located at the intersection of 17th and Castro Streets in San Francisco, was granted a four-month extension. The plaza was designed as a temporary installation, but may ultimately be made permanent if it receives community approval. The decision to extend the street closure period was made by the San Francisco Interdepartmental Staff Committee on Traffic & Transportation (ISCOTT), which examined statistics from the Departments of Traffic & Planning and other sources, indicating that the closure has not increased traffic or crime.
A companion report by the San Francisco Great Streets Project showed high levels of support for the plaza within the general public and among local businesses. The latter report concluded that the 17th Street Plaza has "enabled and encouraged users to linger and interact with one another while improving the overall perception of the neighborhood and pedestrian experience."
To see how the plaza was constructed and get a feel for the flavor of the space, check out the brief video, "San Francisco Carves a Park from the Midst of Its Pavement," by clicking on the image above. The film, which also features commentary from residents and project team members, was created by "Streetfilms, a national initiative that produces videos illustrating how cities around the world are reclaiming their streets for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users.
7. Reminder: Lifecycle Building Challenge III
Deadline: August 30, 2009
 The Lifecycle Building Challenge is a free national competition that challenges creative minds to facilitate deconstruction, local building material reuse, and greenhouse gas emission reductions. Organized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and The American Institute of Architects, the Lifecycle Building Challenge is aligned with the goals of Public Architecture's Material Reuse Design Initiative. Both are intended to demonstrate how design for reuse can be integrated into the building process.
Professionals and students can submit built and conceptual design entries for this year's theme, "Whole Buildings & Building Products." In addition, there will be outstanding achievement awards for Best Greenhouse Gas Reducing Design, Best Green Job Creation, and Best School Design.
Visit www.lifecyclebuilding.org for more information.
8. Upcoming Presentations & Participation
ASID/LA The Coming Out Party | Los Angeles, CA | August 13, 2009
Invited speaker
Corp. for National & Community Service | Denver, CO | August 18-21, 2009
VISTA Site Supervisor Training
Humanscale | Dallas, TX | August 19, 2009
Invited speaker, "Design Smart Seminar Series"
Corp. for National & Community Service | Atlanta, GA | August 24-28, 2009
VISTA Pre-Service Orientation
Louisiana State University | Baton Rouge, LA | September 16, 2009
Invited speaker
Humanscale | Seattle, WA | September 24, 2009
Invited speaker, "Design Smart Seminar Series"
AIA Utah Design Conference | Salt Lake City, UT | September 25, 2009
Keynote speaker
DFC Summit on Sustainable Design | Chicago, IL | Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2009
Delegate & Chair, Emerging Leaders Scholarship Program
In addition to the aforementioned, other Public Architecture presentations this fall are scheduled for Chicago, Geneva (New York), New York City, Phoenix, and elsewhere. To request a lecture or presentation, email info@publicarchitecture.org.
Click here for a complete list of upcoming presentations.
 Established in 2002, Public Architecture identifies and solves practical problems of human interaction in the built environment and acts as a catalyst for public discourse through education, advocacy, and the design of public spaces and amenities. Visit www.publicarchitecture.org for more information.
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