Creating a civic hub within a revitalized urban park

At a Glance

  • LEED

    Silver Certified

  • 70K

    Square Feet

  • 5

    Awards

Location
Houston, Texas
Offices
Client
  • City of Houston, General Services
Partners
  • SWA Group, Associate Architect
Awards
AIA Houston, Design Award, Architecture Greater than 50,000 SF, 2024
Urban Land Institute Houston, Development of Distinction, 2024
Society of American Registered Architects, National Design Merit Award, 2023

Alief Neighborhood Center and Park

Nearly 25 years ago, a small group of community activists came together with a vision for a neighborhood center. After years of discussion, the City of Houston General Services Department set out to make this dream come true. They engaged our architects, interior designers, branding and furniture specialists, and sustainability specialists, in association with SWA Group, to create this community hub.

We collaborated with the community in sustained outreach meetings to gather input from residents on program and priorities. Our design emphasizes access and inclusiveness, community connection, and resilience. The resulting Alief Neighborhood Center establishes a new paradigm for delivering city services, redefining how government facilities can better serve diverse communities.

The center serves as a one-stop shop, bringing together health, parks, library and other services under one roof so residents can access multiple services in one visit. We leveraged synergies between departments in the design—for example, locating health services and active recreation areas near each other.

We designed the center with a focus on inclusiveness and cultural sensitivity to create a welcoming facility. The center’s covered plaza—the “biggest front porch in Texas”—acts as a vibrant, flexible gathering space. And intuitive wayfinding strategies go beyond traditional text-based navigation, and selected furniture that enhances diverse uses.

Raised above the floodplain, the LEED Silver-certified center supports resilience in post-Harvey Houston. When Hurricane Beryl struck in 2024, the center remained structurally sound, stayed open late as a cooling center and distributed supplies through its adaptable garage.

What began as a dream for a diverse neighborhood has transformed into a multifaceted community hub and civic resource.

At a Glance

  • LEED

    Silver Certified

  • 70K

    Square Feet

  • 5

    Awards

Location
Houston, Texas
Offices
Client
  • City of Houston, General Services
Partners
  • SWA Group, Associate Architect
Awards
AIA Houston, Design Award, Architecture Greater than 50,000 SF, 2024
Urban Land Institute Houston, Development of Distinction, 2024
Society of American Registered Architects, National Design Merit Award, 2023

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