Architecture for Social Change

Architecture for Social Change

40

+

Years of Design Established in 1982

Architecture Driven by Community.

8

Primary Markets Transit • Civic • Non-Profit • Aviation • Education • Housing • Commercial • Operations & Maintenance

DBE • MBE METRO SBE PORT HOUSTON SBE State & Municipal Certifications

TSA & AIA FIRM OF THE YEAR

About RDLR TRANSIT

E D U C AT I O N

CIVIC

COMMUNITY

HOUSING

AV I AT I O N

COMMERCIAL

O P E R AT I O N S & MAINTENANCE

Founded in 1982, Rey de la Reza Architects, Inc. (RDLR) is recognized throughout Texas as a community-driven architectural firm providing design excellence and outstanding project management services in the Houston area.

With a 40-year history, the firm has been involved in the design of a variety of transit, commercial, educational, urban design, residential, and renovation projects and continues to provide exceptional service to public entities including: City of Houston, Fort Bend County, Houston Airport System, METRO, HCTRA, The Harris Center, numerous ISD’s, GSA, USPS and TxDOT. Our firm is certified MBE and DBE. RDLR believes in community driven architecture. Capital investments should respond to user needs as well as benefit the overall community. RDLR looks beyond project limits to seek opportunities to enhance the public realm and create places for communities. We believe that good design is not contingent upon the schedule or budget but rather the result of an inclusive design process that includes stakeholders, community leaders and design and construction professionals. Successful projects reflect

cultural influences and are contextually sensitive. They are sustainable developments which are cost effective to maintain and operate.

Strong design solutions are the result of a collaborative, interactive process led by the design team that involves all stakeholders including users, community residents, transit agencies and specialty consultants. We are well versed at techniques for generating ideas in various settings. Careful attention is given to achieving a balance between building, surroundings, landscape, and site-specific issues.

Through an inclusive process, we involve active participants, first in the programming sessions, and later in design workshops. This results in an accelerated design process, where concrete design ideas are generated respecting the programmatic and budgetary constraints. The process creates client/user consensus at an early stage in the project.

Another benefit of this process is the creation of effective communications avenues among the participants.

PARKS & COMMUNITY CENTERS Alief Park and Community Center Allen Parkway Village Community Center Amateur Sports Complex Bear Creek Pavilion Black Hawk Park City of La Porte – Little Cedar Park City of Houston – Over 20 Park Projects Copper Lakes Recreational Center Cuney Homes Community Center NON-PROFIT

Cynthia Woods Pavilion

Brazos Valley Food Bank

Finca Tres Robles

Buffalo Bayou Partnership

Godwin Park and Community Center

Eternal Gandhi Museum

Little Cedar Bayou Park and Pool

Finca Tres Robles

Moody Park and Community Center

The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD

Northline Park

H.E.A.R.T. Program

Oxford Place Community Center

Houston Food Bank

Reveille Park

India House Community Center

Settegast Park and Community Center

ISGH Senior Housing

Squatty Lyons Park

League of United Latin American Citizens Clubhouse Renovation

Swiney Park and Community Center

Memorial Assistance Ministries

Turner Park and Community Center

North Texas Food Bank

Texas Hindu Camp

Sheltering Arms Senior Service Center

Turner Park

The Tejano Center for Community Concerns

Harvest Green

The Harris Center Housing Community

Cross Creek Community Recreation Center

SER Jobs For Progress

The Reserve Pool Building

Non-Profit & Social Innovators

Architecture can enable and promote positive change in communities. Healthy communities are not static. They evolve physically and socially to meet needs. Through thoughtful planning, facilities provide environments that enable change to occur and architecture that conjures emotion and inspiration.

Facilities for non-profit organizations are unique in that they must be designed for function and for messaging.

RDLR goes beyond meeting functional requirements.

We interpret an organizations values and mission into architecture that addresses their societal issue as well as provides positive messages of hope.

C O NS ENS U S B U I L D I N G EX P ER TI S E

Non-profit organizations often involve diverse groups with a wide range of interest and concerns.

We take pride in our ability to work well in such environments, with the ability to listen and address concerns as well as to facilitate a consensus regarding project direction.

Through design charrettes, public outreach forums, preliminary code reviews and open dialogue with contractors, we gently guides stakeholders such as board advisory committees, staff and user groups to appropriate solutions.

We seek opportunities to create a positive force for social good.

Repurpose with Purpose SER JOBS FOR PROGRESS Houston, Texas

AWARDS

2021 ULI Development of Distinction Award

For over 50 years, SER Jobs for Progress has provided education, training and employment services for individuals and businesses in Houston. To meet the growing need for job training services, SER purchased a 2.4 acre property with 1930’s era office and warehouse buildings which were renovated to serve as their headquarters.

Inspiring Global Peace ETERNAL GANDHI MUSEUM Houston, Texas

A place-base arts initiative, the museum will be the first of its kind in North America dedicated to addressing the complex social issues of our community—violence, discrimination, social inequity, and racial injustice—by studying and applying the teachings of the world’s greatest peace advocates, beginning with the apostle of peace, Mahatma Gandhi. EGMH will create a multi-generational, local model for sustainable social good - one that is sure to become a model for communities globally.

C O M M I TM EN T T O F UND R A I S I N G S U P P O R T

Unique to the team is our commitment to support fundraising efforts.

RDLR has been recognized by non-profits and professional nonprofit consultants as an extraordinary partner in fundraising and grant preparation efforts. We believe that designers are an integral part of the fundraising team throughout the project.

We participate in creating vision statements, translate the vision into physical manifestations, identify donor opportunities, design donor recognition opportunities and provide graphics support for fundraising efforts. We attend PR events, fundraising meetings, and announcements to share our enthusiasm and vision of the Project.

F ID UC I A R Y RES PO NS I B I L I T Y

Non-profit organizations have the fiduciary responsibility to use funds wisely.

It is imperative that new projects consider life cycle costs and community well being. The fact is, operational and maintenance costs impact funds available for community services.

Our team analyzes and evaluates material and system life cycle costs throughout the design process to ensure final designs are long lasting and low maintenance with minimized operational costs.

Design strategies include: use of low water consumption fixtures and landscaping; use of efficient mechanical and electrical systems; and environmentally sensitive designs that consider vegetation, solar orientation, and wind direction. Our designs are pedestrian friendly to encourage access to transit for patrons and reduce parking needs.

Designed with a Mission HOUSTON FOOD BANK Houston, Texas

AWARDS

AIA Houston Design Award, AIA Texas Society of Architects Design Award, AIA National Public Architecture Social Impact Merit Award, Urban Land Institute Development of Distinction Award, Contract Magazine Inspiration Award

To meet the growing issue of hunger and expand its distribution capacity over three-fold, the Houston Food Bank (HFB) renovated a neglected, thirty year old, “tilt-up” warehouse.

The renovation of the 308,000 SF building includes dry and refrigerated warehouses, staff offices, volunteer community rooms and café, social service offices, correction department facilities, food pantry and conference facilities.

Nurturing Community FINCA TRES ROBLES Houston, Texas

Finca Tres Robles, an urban farm and grocer, is relocating to a new facility designed by RDLR Architects, expanding its reach to 450 households. This community-driven project tackles food insecurity, offering fresh produce, a grocery store, events pavilion, and a teaching kitchen, fostering positive change and community engagement.

C O L L A B O R AT I V E DES I G N APP R O A C H

Our approach to design is to search for the essence of the problem, establish clear and concise directions, build client/ user consensus, and generate ideas and discourse in the belief that collaboration enriches the entire process.

We are sensitive to financial restraints, and believe that exceptional design is not

Typical project challenges and opportunities include:

contingent upon high budgets.

Design Reflects Purpose: Creating a facility with an architectural

Our designs often include master plan

expression that reflects its purpose.

visions and consider urban/suburban context, orientation, landscaping, and lighting

Holistic Approach: Responding to current and ongoing site and master

considerations. It is, therefore, essential for the

plan issues.

team to comprehend a broad range of complex issues. We search for project opportunities, which are often found in the project’s unique context.

Site Context: Carefully integrating architecture and urban/suburban design goals to give added significance to the project.

Welcoming Design: Extending an invitation to the public with exterior spaces that engage the community.

Inspirational Architecture: Animating the structure with creative details and unique aesthetic structural solutions.

Flexible Spaces: Developing flexible spaces that accommodate numerous uses.

Facilities for non-profit organizations are unique in that they must be designed for function and for messaging.

Community Hubs INDIA HOUSE Houston, Texas

This 2-story center serves as a community hub for the Indo-American community.

Designed to build on India’s rich architectural principles, this community center houses various organizations, provides community services including cultural and language education, immigration services, medical and legal services.

800 Sampson Street #104 Houston, Texas 77003 | tel 713.868.3121 | www.rdlr.com