Michael Hsu Office of Architecture Launches Second Annual Design for All Partnership
Feature Illustration: Artist rendering for the Austin Angels facility, the recipient for the inaugural partnership. Image: MHOA
Posted: 3-22-2023
Austin (Travis County) — Texas-based architecture and interior design firm Michael Hsu Office of Architecture (MHOA) has announced its second annual Design for All Partnership, a seed program supporting community-driven partners through design.
The nationally recognized practice is seeking a new nonprofit partner that demonstrates a need for design services in the Austin or Houston area, where the firm’s offices are located. MHOA has just released its Request for Proposals (RFP) for interested nonprofit organizations and is now accepting submissions through May 19.
In June 2022, nonprofit Austin Angels was selected as the recipient for the inaugural partnership, where MHOA is currently designing a welcoming community center that will support children and families in foster care and is part of a 2.5-acre former church facility in Buda located near Main Street. MHOA selected Austin Angels because of the way the organization’s deep understanding of the needs of the foster community pairs with the firm’s background in hospitality design.
The renderings for Austin Angels’ vision can be viewed here and the project is currently in fundraising phases. With the 2023 Design for All partnership, MHOA hopes to continue to impact the greater community by providing design services to a new partner organization.
“Our firm has always done our best to balance community-focused work in our project mix,” said Michael Hsu, FAIA, IIDA, principal. “Similar to Austin Angels’ project, we’re looking for a partner who is actively contributing to our communities in Austin or Houston.”
The goal of the Design for All initiative is to provide design solutions that are realistic, affordable and that directly support an organization’s mission. MHOA designers will establish beneficial relationships between the design industry and their selected nonprofit partner through research, charrettes and design exercises.
Once a proposal is selected for this partnership, MHOA will develop a custom design package to suit an organization’s needs. The partnership award will provide $20,000 in pro-bono design and consultation services. Services may include visioning, site analysis, feasibility studies, master planning, site planning, conceptual design, architectural and interior design consultation.
In order to be eligible for Design for All, organizations must be registered 501C3 and should be located within a 50-mile radius of the Austin or Houston metropolitan area. Master planning projects should be 50 acres or less and architecture, and interior design projects, should be less than 20,000 square feet.
Interested nonprofits can submit the application form and submit optional supplemental information via this link by May 19 at 5 p.m. central time. Any submissions entered after that time will not be considered. The timeline is as follows:
Call for entries – March 20
Questions due – April 14
Q&A posted on website – May 5
Submission deadline – May 19 at 5 p.m. CST
Shortlist interviews – June 5-9
Partnership announced – June 22
The initiative, which is a direct result of the leadership team’s desire to do more for the surrounding communities, will continue every year. MHOA holds a strong belief that design is for everyone. The recipient selected will be released to the public in June and design services will officially kick off in July.
As the firm continues to grow its leadership and expand ideas, future initiatives such as this will continue to develop to better reinforce the community. MHOA recently formed an internal research and development leadership team to look at all aspects of inspiration and innovation in order to continue pushing design forward.
If you have any questions regarding the submission process or the Design for All Partnership, please email: designforall@hsuoffice.com. For more information, please visit: hsuoffice.com/design-for-all.
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Edited from news release.
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