New York-based studioAgency–Agencyrecently completed a new, light-filled headquarters for大兄弟姐妹(BBBS) Lone Starin downtownHouston. Designed alongside local firmMethod Architecture, the 20,000-square-foot structure increases the visibility of the national nonprofit and connects it with its core demographic of volunteers and lower-income families nearby.

Featuring a pentagonal plan, the muted, beige-gray building sits three stories tall and includes massive windows that cut through the facade, unveiling activity within. A full-height, yellow-walled atrium invites visitors into the facility while pops of coral and teal are painted throughout, adding to the interior’s playful atmosphere.

“An old idea of nonprofits is to lean heavily toward modesty and frugality to show philanthropists a greater sense of need,” Pierce Bush, CEO of BBBS Lone Star, toldTexas Architect.“Here, the decision was made to go bold.”

BBBS Lone Star services GreaterHouston,Dallas, and Tarrant counties, as well as West CentralTexas. Agency–Agency wanted the design to speak to the organization’s leadership and influence across half of the state. Creating dynamic views in and out of the facility was an important priority for the project. The interior program houses community spaces on the first floor, offices on the second, and a flexible event and activity space on the third along with an outdoor terrace.

“The scale of the building responds to the need to be visible in that part of the city,” said Tei Carpenter, director of Agency–Agency, toTexas Architect. “It’s meant to be seen at the speed of traffic.”