John Cary | An Island Press Author

John Cary

An architect by training, John Cary has devoted his career to expanding the practice of design for the public good. John's first book was The Power of Pro Bono and his writing on design, philanthropy, and fatherhood has appeared in The New York Times, CNN, and numerous other publications. John works as an advisor to an array of foundations and nonprofits around the world and frequently curates and hosts events for TED, The Aspen Institute, and other entities. Deeply committed to diversifying the public stage, he is a founding partner in FRESH, a next-generation speaker’s bureau that represents young women and people of color. For seven years, John served as executive director of nonprofit Public Architecture, building the largest pro bono design program in the world, pledging tens of millions of dollars in donated services annually.

Design for Good

A New Era of Architecture for Everyone

"I can't recommend John Cary's book, Design for Good, highly enough. His argument...is clear and revolutionary." —Melinda Gates

“That’s what we do really: we do miracles,” said Anne-Marie Nyiranshimiyimana, who learned masonry in helping to build the Butaro Hospital, a project designed for and with the people of Rwanda using local materials. This, and other projects designed with dignity, show the power of good design.