Programmatically, the family dormitories needed to be physically separated from the community spaces. A secure separation would allow for the possibility of the shelter operating with less staff oversight. The existing corner lot posed challenges because of a substantial hill from one end of the site to the other. The solution was a divided floor plan with a minimal bridged connection between the two program areas.
The dormitory design drew upon the simplest geometry to suggest a home: a gabled structure, representing a safe place to bring a family in a difficult time. The repetitive shape of the steep gables and rhythmic openings can hold up to 16 families in private rooms with dedicated bathrooms.
The structure includes shared kitchenettes, residential laundry units, and is convertible to an emergency shelter for a larger catastrophic event.
The administrative wing of the building, built into the hillside, includes a double-loaded corridor with naturally lit spaces. Large window openings and ample borrowed lights admit light throughout the floor plan. The program includes a large commercial kitchen and cafeteria, counseling rooms, salon, clinical services, a training room or classroom, and commercial laundry. The building also houses Freedom House’s staff and robust program for transitioning families back into the community.
