Be Original Americas is a nonprofit that advocates for design that’s authentic, sustainable, ethical, and successful. “The organization is committed to informing, educating and influencing as many people as possible about the value of original design,” as Be Original Americas stated in a press release.
This summer, the organization is expanding its membership to include architecture and design firms across the country. Studio O+A, a New York and San Francisco–based firm (and winner of a 2016 National Design Award from the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum) was the first architecture and design firm to join Be Original Americas.
Primo Orphilla, principal and cofounder of Studio O+A, stated in a press release, “The next generation of designers is coming into the profession at a time when their work will be recognized and valued. That’s good for everybody because originality and authenticity—we just call it “good design”—makes every experience richer, happier, more meaningful.”