Given the challenging economic climate our public institutions have faced in recent years, pro bono design projects can make a remarkable difference for the communities they serve. At the same time, these projects can have an incredible effect on the architects and designers who work on them. The Power of Pro Bono is a new book that documents the benefits of pro bono in case studies of 40 architectural projects, told from the perspective of both the architects and clients. Produced by Public Architecture, an organization that puts the resources of architecture in the public interest, and published by Metropolis Books, the book demonstrates architecture as social act: pro bono projects give architects an opportunity to contribute to their communities, build relationships with clients, and teach nonprofit and philanthropic leaders the value of good design.
Pentagram has a longstanding commitment to pro bono service, and The Power of Pro Bono was itself designed pro bono by Pentagram. The book's projects include schools, housing, community centers, clinics, gardens, and galleries designed by a range of firms including SHoP Architects, Morphosis, Perkins+Will and HOK. One of the case studies highlights the L!brary Initiative, the program, supported by the Robin Hood Foundation, that engages architects to create new or renovated libraries in NYC public schools and features environmental graphics designed by Pentagram. Each of the book's case studies presents testimonials from the architect and client who collaborated on the project, helping to encourage formalized commitments for pro bono design work and demonstrating that pro bono is good business.
