Friday, February 26, 2010

Even in this down economy, architects are increasingly putting their skills to work for the public good, according to the recent survey of nearly 600 firms by Public Architecture in collaboration with researchers from the Harvard Business School.

For the third year in a row, the survey queried architecture and design firms that have pledged a minimum of one percent of their billable hours through “The 1%” pro bono design program of Public Architecture. The organization’s goal is to direct at least one percent of every design firm’s time to pro bono service.

“Pro bono service has been a hallmark of the legal and medical professions for decades, but largely under the radar of the architecture profession, says John Cary, Executive Director of Public Architecture. “Our collaborators at Harvard Business School have helped make this the most comprehensive and substantial survey ever conducted on the pro bono pursuits of our country’s leading architecture and design firms.”

The firms surveyed ranged from single-person offices to some of the largest firms in the country, such as HKS, HOK, and Perkins+Will. To date, Public Architecture has recruited nearly 750 firms, of which 560 had signed on by the time the survey was administered. Recently, Gensler, a global firm with more than 2,000 employees, pledged a staggering 43,680 hours, a major gesture of generosity during a time when pro bono design services are more needed than ever.

“This survey demonstrates that design firms are beginning to understand that pro bono service can, and should, be a routine part of their business,” says architect John Peterson, AIA, Founder & President of Public Architecture. “It can be a powerful tool for improving firm culture, networking, and innovation, while in service of the public good.”

In an effort to measure trends, the survey included nearly identical questions to the versions that Public Architecture administered the previous two years. Furthermore, this year’s survey was expanded by fifty additional questions to better gauge pro bono practice in U.S. architecture firms.

Preliminary Findings:

• 83 percent of firms reported meeting or exceeding the goal of 1 percent;
• like 2008, more than two-thirds of firm respondents devoted 2 percent or more of their time to pro bono service over the past year, and 6 percent of firm respondents committed more than 20 percent of their time;
• the three most important variables in selecting pro bono projects, in order of importance, were “social relevance,” “design opportunity,” and “project type;”
•  “community benefit” and “client readiness” were the largest contributors to firms’ pro bono work;
• “financial constraints” and “available staff time” remain the greatest obstacles to engaging in more pro bono work, while “selection process” and “buy-in by firm decision-makers” became much more substantial limitations to firm’s pro bono work

Thanks to all participants for taking the time to complete the survey. With this snapshot of the results, we hope to instill some excitement about pro bono design work in you all, as it has certainly instigated some well needed changes to the program. Please watch for the launch of The 1% Firm Survey press release and data graphics mid-March.  Welcome to the new firm and nonprofit participants who joined in February.

Firms

Abraham Bloch Architect (New York, NY)

Amy Campos, Architect (San Francisco, CA)

da Silva Architecture Inc. (Santa Fe, NM)

E."Manny" Abraben, AIA RIBA Architect (Ocala, FL)

Gist Architecture + Design (Seattle, WA)

Hannon & Associates (Arlington, TX)

Jessica Davenport AnD (New York, NY)

Kay Van Dyke, AIA (Newport News, VA)

Latitude Architects, Inc. (San Antonio, TX)

Lyman Davidson Dooley (Nashville, TN)

(re)design (Northport, AL)

Mallet deVarga Architecture (Austin, TX)

Spacio Design inc. (Fresno, CA)

Stephen Bryce Liebert, AIA (Louisville, KY)

Studio | SKETCHWORKS (Harrisonburg, VA)

Studio East Architecture (Austin, TX)

Warrenstreet Architects, Inc (Concord, NH)

 Nonprofits

ACLA...art...community...land...activism (Los Angeles, CA)

Family Health Care Centers of Greater Los Angeles (Bell Gardens, CA)

JWCH Institute, Inc. (Los Angeles, CA)

Lifeline Theatre (Chicago, IL)

Mount Baker Community Club (Seattle, WA)

Near Northwest Art Council (Chicago, IL)

Shaw Avenue Children's Center (St. Louis, MO)

The Aparecio Foundation (Chicago, IL)

The Arc of The Three Rivers (Charleston, WV)

The Harlem School of the Arts (New York, CA)

Youth Justice Institute (San Francisco, CA)

Zachariah AME Zion Church (Walstonburg, NC)

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