On January 12, 2010 the citizens of Haiti were literally shaken to their core by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake. Daily reports have conveyed the tragedy and devastation as people search for loved ones, food, water and shelter. Mothers have unselfishly offered to give their babies to foreign workers so that they might have a better opportunity of survival. Volunteers, support agencies and government aid from around the globe have tirelessly spent the past nine days trying to provide the basics in food and water, as well as, rescue or recover victims trapped beneath the rubble.
As I have watched the nightly news coverage, I am awed by the practical compassion demonstrated from ordinary people around the world. They have temporarily stepped away from the security of their lives to willingly give, serve and comfort hurting people. I personally believe that this can only arise from a deep call within; which reveres the value of human life and humanity. Our true worth in time and talents can never be measured by what we get for them, but by how we are willing to serve.
The many volunteers in Haiti are a reminder that human service is the most sustaining resource available to mankind.

Submitted By: Cherie Anderson

Altruism is alive and well at i.d.o. Incorporated….

For many design firms finding ways to balance pro-bono or low-fee work with commercially based work is a common practice. Some firms set percentages saying that they will never go over 10 percent pro bono at anytime; while others subsidize low-fee work with other client relationships which typically pay a higher fee.

At i.d.o. we have discovered when we combine our fee based work with each associates desire to make contributions which support our community, the results proved amazing.

With this year’s support from our Clients and many business partners, mixing our commercial fee based work with our pro-bono work helped to stabilize our practice and at the same time allowed our associates to contribute their time and talent to our community.

In 2009, i.d.o. has through in-kind services, individual volunteer opportunities and contributions, been afforded opportunities to serve and support numerous organizations. We have been able to actively support and serve the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis, Boner Community Center Legacy 2012 Housing Project, East 10th Street Civic Association, Architects for Humanity, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Indianapolis Zoo, and Cristo Rey High School to name a few.

We pledge to continue our support for these organizations and we look forward to adding new efforts to our list in 2010. We acknowledge our ability to serve our community is based upon our ability to serve and support you. This is why we also want to hear from you. Especially if you have suggestions on how we may enhance our services. Feedback from those we serve would truly be considered a “GIFT” and will help us continue to develop and improve the quality of service we strive to deliver you; our Clients, Business Partners and Our Community.

With that, we send a “HUGE” THANK YOU, for the opportunities provided us in 2009 and look forward to opportunities to expand upon our existing relationships as well as develop new relationships in the New Year of 2010.

Submitted by: Jill Mendoza

As a designer how do you know when you achieve good design? Is filling the program requirements or getting the right number of seats in a space enough? Is pairing the right shade of paint with the carpet the answer? Or is it something more?

As I listened to the speakers at the dedication celebration for Ivy Tech Greencastle’s Center for Workforce and Economic Development, I was absorbed in their gowing enthusiasm and felt the magic of the power of good design. Their stories wove together like threads in a tapestry – each vibrant line intertwining with the next to create a fantastic whole cloth. From the Greencastle Mayor, Putnam County officials, State legislators, Greencastle business and industry owners, Ivy Tech Chancellor and Foundation, Students and faculty; all brought a passion and committment to the project to create a brighter future for Greencastle and the Wabash Valley Region.

On to this visionary cloth was added the gift of the Rokicki wetland site that set the tone for the architectural solution. The expanses of glass invites the daylight in and warms the interplay of textures and colors that creates a welcoming space for all who enter the doors. From the first day of class, this commuter school with historically low campus population began to experience a curious phenomenom. The students came and they stayed; lingering to enjoy the many opportunties to learn, study, and collaborate. Five years in the making, the promise of a brighter future is clearly on its’ way.

Congratulations Ivy Tech and Greencastle, Indiana!

Submitted By: Janet Thomas

At 6:30 a.m. on Friday, September 18, 2009 a small, enthusiastic and slightly crazy group of Architecture for Humanity – Indy members assembled at the corner of Meridian and Washington Streets. By 8:00 a.m. two metered parking spaces had magically transformed into park space and the first International PARK-(ing) day in Indianapolis had begun.

Originally invented in 2005 by Rebar, a San Francisco art and design studio, PARK-(ing) Day challenges people to rethink the way streets are used and reinforces the need for broad-based changes to urban infrastructure. “In urban centers around the world, inexpensive curbside parking results in increased traffic, wasted fuel and more pollution,” says Rebar’s Matthew Passmore. “The strategies that generated these conditions are not sustainable, nor do they promote a healthy, vibrant urban human habitat. PARK-(ing) Day is about re-imagining the possibilities of the metropolitan landscape.”

Architecture for Humanity Indianapolis Chapter was excited about hosting this fun, one day annual international event that afforded an opportunity to bring awareness to creatively thinking about how we as Hoosiers can utilize our urban spaces in downtown Indianapolis. This event celebrated and promoted sustainability, civic engagement and environmental awareness.

Many thanks to everyone who donated materials, participated or stopped to talk. Hope to see you next year!

Parking Day

Submitted By: Janet Thomas

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has traditionally been the domain of the corporate sector and has been well researched in large organizations. Small and medium-sized enterprises have received much less attention. A recent study of 24 small socially responsible enterprises in the United Kingdom found good examples of CSR limitations and opportunities by exploring exemplary characteristics of the companies.

Key areas of investigation were the influence of managerial values, the nature of CSR activities, motivation for and benefits from engaging in CSR and challenges faced. The study demonstrated that small enterprises tend to learn through networking and from their peers. CSR initiatives, therefore, require strong leadership or “championing” from highly-motivated individuals like owner–managers and examples set by other companies.

At i.d.o., we strive to be such an exemplary company and are pleased to share one of our CSR activities. Being a smaller company does create both limitations and opportunities related to CSR. We found that to overcome the limitations – a most notable one being money – we have to be creative in identifying meaningful opportunities that are appropriate and possible for us.

One example is our ongoing relationship with the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis. A few years ago, we assisted with the interiors as part of a major renovation of their local Jordan facility. We were inspired and gratified by the overwhelming appreciation the YMCA staff showed for the contributions i.d.o. brought to the overall project. A few weeks following the completion of that project, we received a call from a manager who needed assistance with a small project in his facility. Shortly thereafter, we got yet another request from a different facility.

These requests were small in scope but critically important to each of these managers and their facility. We determined that the organization had a real need for ongoing facility management support. Furthermore, facility managers had a sincere desire make the best, most cost-effective and appropriate decisions when it came to facility use. With that, i.d.o. prepared an unsolicited proposal for the YMCA’s leadership. Our proposal detailed an “in-kind” service program for all the YMCA’s facilities in Central Indiana. We set up a process whereby the managers could access a form on-line and request an i.d.o. designer’s assistance. All requests are managed against a monthly budget of 24 hours (3 days) of design work a month at no cost to the YMCA. Each month, at least one design associate is prepared to spend time working on a small YMCA project.

The YMCA of Greater Indianapolis operates 12 branches serving more than 171,000 people from very diverse neighborhoods. The organization maintains a long and rich tradition of building strong kids, strong families, and strong communities. They do so much more than serve the people in their communities – they help them thrive.

It is our hope that our small contribution of time and talent each month helps assure that the facilities and their interior environments remain as beautiful, functional and supportive as the important services their organization provides to our community.
We have learned that, as a small business, participation in the community goes beyond offering sales and quality service. We have demonstrated that a company need not be a large corporation or commit significant revenue to be a conscientious and socially responsible corporate citizen. At i.d.o., responsible corporate citizenship means being involved in positive ways to help others, finding ways to offer goods and services that make the world better, being a good neighbor, providing fair wages to those who work for us, and supplying the best goods and services that we can at a price that those needing our services can afford. As owners/employees of a small business, we aren’t only business people. We are also participants in the community within which we live and work.

Have you considered how you and your business might be more socially responsible? How can you help cultivate and grow positive change in your community that benefits both you and your neighbors?
We welcome you to share your ideas and experience on corporate social responsibility on our blog.

Submitted By: Jill Mendoza