HMC Architects’ Designing Futures Foundation (DFF) provided the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Los Angeles with a grant to renovate a 1,024 SF activity room at the heart of their South Los Angeles location. In conjunction with the grant, a team of three HMC interior designers then designed the project under the firm’s new pro bono program to create a bright and flexible new space for the club.

The South Los Angeles location of the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Los Angeles has served over 35,000 children in the South Los Angeles community for more than 50 years. The Challengers Clubhouse has been a safe refuge for local children to achieve academic success, develop their character, and build healthier lifestyles. When the club wanted to transform the outdated multipurpose room into a bright and inspiring educational hub for children ages 6-18, they asked us to add some “spark” to the space with a colorful material palette, inspiring graphics, and new flexible furniture and storage options to accommodate multiple programs.

The design team’s pro bono work allowed the club to save money on design services and use the full DFF grant to purchase materials and bring the vision to life. Understanding their budget, the team had to get creative to achieve the goal of a refreshed space with updated materials and new furniture. So, we presented the club with two design options. One option preserved their existing furniture to save money for new finishes and designs. The second design option preserved the room’s existing finishes to save money for new furniture. Both options incorporated the club’s existing resources into the design options as well as vibrant colors and bold graphics. We the presented the client with ways to incorporate flexible layouts and seating arrangements that can adapt to different group settings.

HMC designs for the human experience with an inherent desire to make a difference in our communities. In accordance with that mission, the firm founded the DFF in 2009 to build a better world. Over the past decade, the foundation has donated over one million dollars to the communities it serves in key focus areas that align with HMC’s core values and competencies, including architecture and design, education, and sustainability. To further impact our communities, in 2019 HMC introduced a new program that offers employees paid time off to work on pro bono projects that positively impact the community.