design for good

The San Francisco Design Center is leading the way to a greener future for the Bay Area. Led by Margaret Collard of IAP, a SFDC initiative called “Green and Bold” brings together interior designers, architects, landscape designers and showrooms to help add some green to some of the drearier parts of our community, including St. Dominic’s church in SF and St. Vincent’s School for Boys in Marin.

A Santa Monica non profit has set a high bar for low-income housing.

On Thursday December 3rd at the Presidio Officer’s Club, Children of Shelters held their 2009 Designer Wreath Auction to raise $200,000 to benefit homeless children in San Francisco.

 

Photography by Drew Altizer

The Enterprise Rose Fellowship teams emerging architects with community-based organizations in order create spaces—from homes to businesses to parks—that benefit the neighborhoods they are built in and the lives of people that use them. Theresa Hwang (Los Angeles) and Katherine Williams (San Francisco) are two of California’s fellows. They have each taken on exciting new projects in their local communities.

Sophie Azouaou, the Founder and President of SophiSticate Interiors , has been an interior designer for 16 years and has earned a list of credentials including a law degree with a minor in art.

Project: Children’s Bureau Family Center at Magnolia Place

 

Location: Los Angeles

Last October, 10 teams of architects, designers, builders and engineers worked tirelessly to create structures never intended to be habitable. Instead of bricks, they used cans of food for the Fourth Annual Canstruction LA, a design/build contest. Built and exhibited at 5900 Wilshire Boulevard, when disassembled, the structures resulted in a donation of 60,000 cans—around 20 tons of food—to the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank. “The Foodbank is grateful for the design community’s support,” said Michael Flood, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank. “This creative architectural display offers something for the local community to enjoy while they help us end hunger here in Los Angeles.”

Project: Madison @14th Apartments

 

Location: Oakland

Project: Step Up on Fifth

 

Location: Downtown Santa Monica

More than 250 people gathered to enjoy an evening of wine tasting, delicious hors d’oeuvres and divine auction items at the Bently Reserve on Friday, November 6, to benefit Catholic Charities CYO’s St. Vincent’s School for Boys and the San Francisco Boys & Girls Homes. Vincenzo 2009 raised more than $160,000 to support youth residing in these residential youth programs of Catholic Charities CYO.