Open Hand Studio

For almost a decade, Open Hand Studio has worked as an incubator for public interest design projects within our firm. Through the studio, we take a two-pronged approach to giving back: connecting individuals to organizations that provide design services for the public good, and identifying and providing pro bono or reduced-fee design services to those who would otherwise lack access to them.

In addition to actively designing projects through Open Hand Studio, we host an annual Meet & Match event bringing together design professionals offering services and non-profit organizations with design challenges. In 2016, more than 100 nonprofits and designers gathered in our Chicago office to develop the critical connections necessary to moving the city forward. Over the years, we’ve held similar events in our Boston, Buffalo, San Francisco and St. Louis offices — creating powerful platforms for civic connections.

Additionally, CannonDesign was the first design firm to pledge to A Billion + Change, the leading effort in the United States to organize pro bono and skills-based service on a national scale. We further advance our dedication to public interest design through partnerships with leading institutions in this arena, including Public Architecture, Taproot Foundation and Archeworks.