LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Keith Tamura’s handprint is on a number of casinos across the Las Vegas valley, from the South Point to the Suncoast and even the Gold Coast, but he’s started using his design skills to give back to the community in a different way.
“It's not just a profession to make money. It's really a way for us to give back to the community,” he said.
Tamura works for BRAZEN Architecture.
According to the company's website, it "works to improve people's lives through design, research, and strategic solutions that connect people to spaces, neighborhoods, and cities."
Tamura was part of the design team for the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth’s outreach, volunteer and operations center which opened at the beginning of the year.
The team reconstructed an existing house and added new elements including a trellis and a flower bed.
“This is just a place that we wanted to have flowers or something and then it evolved into a donor recognition area,” he said.
It’s this work that has a special place in his heart.
“The most important thing is when the people are using it, tell us that they love working here or they love being in this space,” Tamura said. “It's always good to see your intention fulfilled.”
He’s hopeful the next generation of architects will continue to do the same.
“Fortunately, the millennials seem to be already prone to thinking along those lines. They want to be more impactful to their particular community,” he said. “Whenever we have calls for volunteers, we almost always get a lot of people and a lot of them are the young people and they have a lot more energy than me.”
