Pros Go Pro Bono

Imagine you're an architect at a firm that usually does a brisk business, but with the economy in the tank, you find yourself watching YouTube videos with your feet on the desk. This can't be good. Even when business is down, isn't there something you could be doing to position the firm well for the future and enhance the partnership's reputation? I mean, honestly, how many times can you watch "Charlie bit my finger" before you lose your architecture license?

Luckily, there are plenty of worthy causes out there in need of architecture services. And all sorts of other services. With work a little sluggish due to the economy, businesses are keeping busy with increased pro bono work, says Forbes magazine. According to the article, “it's a way to put idle employee hands to work, to network and to get greater bang from a firm's charitable bucks.”

Back to our idle architect, the article discusses Seattle's CAST Architecture, which decided in March to do pro bono work to design the proposed Fremont Center, a building that will bring green subsidized housing, a health clinic and a daycare center to the city's Fremont neighborhood. Matthew Hutchins, a CAST principal, is quoted in the article as saying, "We view pro bono, besides giving back to the community, as a means to do research and development and market our firm."

So while enterprising people like these no longer have time to peruse the funniest site on the Web, they are doing good for themselves and spreading good around to others just when people need it most.

Photo courtesy of stock.xchng