building community

Texas architect behind top Houston restaurants searching for a nonprofit partner

A rendering of The Women's Home submitted pro-bono by MHOA.

MHOA has previously offered pro-bono design work to the Women's Home in Houston.

Courtesy of the Michael Hsu Office of Architecture

Modern nonprofit organizations often require slick, tasteful offices in order to attract donations, partnerships, and media attention. Michael Hsu Office of Architecture (MHOA) has opened their fourth-annual Design for All Partnership, which will donate $20,000 worth of office design work pro-bono in order to help non-profits improve their physical spaces.

"We are excited to continue our Design for All Partnership in 2025,” said Maija Kreishman, AIA, principal for MHOA. “As we celebrate our 20th year, we believe it is important to serve the communities that have enabled us to practice architecture and design.”

Applications are open through May 16. MHOA is specifically seeking non-profit organizations within a 50-mile radius of either Houston or Austin. In 2023, the Women’s Home in Houston was the partner chosen by MHOA. The company designed and consulted on a behavioral wellness and workforce-development space for low-income families. The Women's Home is currently fundraising to construct the space, according to MHOA. Other recipients from past years include Central Table of Grace in Round Rock and Austin Angels.

To qualify for the Design for All program, organizations must be recognized as 501(c)(3) entities. Master planning initiatives should encompass an area of 50 acres or less, while architecture and interior design projects must not exceed 20,000 square feet. MHOA will provide assessment of the building or site’s potential, initial site and floor plan, one architectural rendering, and a proposal outlining ongoing design services and timelines.

Founded in 2005, MHOA is responsible for several iconic designs in the Houston area, including Uchi, Loro, Da Gama, and the Montrose Collective. One of their more notable works is the Community First Tiny Victories tiny home subdivision from Mobile Loaves and Fishes in Austin, a master planned community for those coming out of chronic homelessness. More than 300 formerly unhoused people now call the neighborhood home.

MHOA will announce the winner of the partnership on June 21.

While many nonprofits prioritize cost-savings measures over nice office space, some are finding that skimping on real estate has negative effects. Employees and volunteers often feel demoralized in poor conditions, while at-risk populations who use the services may not trust rundown-looking facilities. MHOA's Design for All Partnership may help nonprofits increase their reach without costly design fees.

stadium switcheroo

Houston's NRG Stadium returns to reliable original name

Courtesy of NRG

NRG Stadium will return to its original name this fall.

Everything old is new again, they say. That’s about to be particularly true for a much-loved Houston venue.

NRG announced today that NRG Stadium and the surrounding buildings that make up NRG Park will be renamed Reliant Stadium and Reliant Park. The change takes effect this August, coinciding with the Houston Texans’ – and the stadium’s – 25th anniversary.

The change has already been approved by the Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation.

“Houston is Reliant’s home, and a name Texans know and trust,” said Brad Bentley, head of NRG Consumer and Reliant. “For more than two decades, Reliant has powered the moments that bring our community together—from the Texans’ first game and hosting two Super Bowls to every unforgettable RodeoHouston performance in between. Fans have told us what this place means to them. For many, it’s always been Reliant Stadium. We heard them loud and clear. Reliant Stadium is back.”

Those fans have been particularly vocal. Recent survey results show 90 percent of Houston-area customers support the return to the Reliant Stadium name. When the arena made its debut in 2002, it carried the name Reliant Stadium. It was renamed NRG in 2014 following that company’s acquisition of Reliant’s consumer business.

Current NRG signage is already coming down, as the city prepares to transition to “Houston Stadium” ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Prior to the August renaming, several of the stadium’s partners are cheering the move.

"As a founding partner of the team, Reliant has been a part of our Houston Texans family from the very beginning," said Mike Tomon, Houston Texans president. "Reliant Stadium has been our home since our first game in 2002 and we can't wait to celebrate 25 seasons of Texans football back where it all began."

Tomon noted that the team’s connection to the Houston community is deeper and more extensive than its home turf in the stadium. The Texas are responsible for a variety of community initiatives, including the Scholarships for Champions Program, which has recognized and awarded scholarships to deserving student-athletes across the greater Houston area over the last two decades.

Another scholarship-granting organization, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, is also synonymous with Reliant Park.

"For more than two decades, Reliant Stadium, Reliant Center, and Reliant Arena have been at the heart of everything we do, serving as the home of our livestock and horse events and the heartbeat of RodeoHouston,” said Chris Boleman, president and CEO, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. "These venues are more than just a name; they represent a feeling, a tradition, and a shared experience we’re incredibly proud to call home.”

NRG Stadium isn't the only Houston sports arena to get a rebrand. Last year, the Houston Astros changed the name of Minute Maid Park to Daikin Park, thank to a naming rights agreement with HVAC manufacturer Daikin Comfort Technologies North America, Inc.

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