Project profile: EpiCenter, Artists For Humanity

Artists For Humanity (AFH) was founded in 1991 with a mission to bridge economic, racial, and social divisions and provide underserved youth with the keys to self-sufficiency through paid employment in the arts. Its new urban headquarters, the EpiCenter, provides fine and commercial art studios and a 5000 ft2 (465 m2) gallery space used to show student art; the gallery is also rented out for events.

The founder of AFH, Susan Rodgerson, saw the building project as an extension of the organization, with its social mission at the heart of the design principles. As the organization is invested in the education and empowerment of young people, so the building is designed to model environmental stewardship.
(2007 AIA/COTE Top Ten Green Projects recipient)