Special Report: About Charities and Design

Steve Jones, for The Chronicle

DIGNITY BY DESIGN Making nursing homes smaller, more private, and more like home is the aim of the Green House Project, in New York, which hopes to establish one such facility in every state, to serve as a model for care of the elderly. In Tupelo, Miss., a Green House encourages residents to bring their own furniture to decorate their rooms.

THE QUALITY OF THE SPACE where a charity does its work can make a big difference, leading many nonprofit groups to seek the help of architects and designers.

FUN IS THE FOCUS of the new children's clubhouse built by the Boys & Girls Clubs of the North Valley, in California, while its center for teenagers feels more like a lounge.

NEW FRONT PORCHES were the key to creating a sense of home and community at a low-cost housing complex developed by Community Housing Partners, in Virginia.

THE HEALING GARDEN on the rooftop of Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center, in Phoenix, was designed to be an oasis for patients and visitors alike.

INTERACTIVE ART commissioned for its newly expanded facility helps the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh engage youngsters in its exhibits.

STICKING TO GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS can be challenging, a Chicago environmental group discovered when it renovated an old textile factory for its headquarters.

ATLANTA'S NEW AQUARIUM was designed with the priorities of scientists taking precedence over the views of architects, so it offers an unusual perspective on aquatic life.

INVITE AN ARCHITECT to join your board, experts urge charities embarking on a building project, and think hard about what you want your space to achieve.