Public Architecture, a think tank and grassroots organization

Public Architecture, a think tank and grassroots organization in San Francisco, has launched “1% Solution,” a program aimed at getting design professionals to commit one percent of their time to pro bono work. The new organization, at www.theonepercent.org, is collecting pledges of time from design firms and is building a database of pro bono projects throughout the US as part of its effort to increase both the quality and quantity of pro bono work in the public interest. Later, 1% Solution will establish an online forum to match nonprofit organizations and communities that need design professionals. Public Architecture (www.publicarchitecture.org), chaired by John Peterson, started three years ago in the office of his firm, Peterson Architects. One of Public Architecture’s first projects was an attempt to generate innovative, small-scale open spaces in the transitional South of Market district in San Francisco — a place where “traditional parks typically fail because they end up with discarded syringes,” says senior advisor Tim Culvahouse. The group came up with ideas such as replacing a few spaces of street parking at a time with paved areas for cafe seating; a small dog run in an area where there is no place to exercise dogs; a skate park; an outdoor community gym; and a bus stop cafe.