A.Brown​​
PROJECT HOPE: SAFE HOUSE
Every year, over 700,000 children are confirmed victims of abuse or neglect, the leading causes of death for youth. A safe house can be thought of as a home designed to empower victims, breaking the cycle of oppression. Project Hope is an emergency shelter for at-risk female youth, between the ages of twelve and seventeen. The safe house has the capacity to house twelve girls, providing them with a structured environment as they recover from maltreatment. It is a place of healing. Project Hope creates a temporary home-like environment in which an adolescent victim feels secure, both physically and emotionally, having been introduced to this new atmosphere after being removed from a traumatic experience.
As a place of therapy, Project Hope was created under the belief that architecture can impact a person’s healing process and the right arrangement of intentional designs can inspire and empower. The idea is not that architecture alone can heal, but by considering daylight quality, a room’s mood, color, sound, the division of private from public, and an overall feeling of security, that both physical and emotional healing are promoted. The general intent is to generate an ambiance of stability, courage, and boldness, under the belief that architecture and design can make a person feel better, affecting their wellness and outlook on life.
FIRST FLOOR
SECOND FLOOR
Fundamental to the design of Project Hope are spaces that create a sense of community in the home such as bedroom suites, a family-style dining room and kitchen, therapy and counseling rooms, lively public areas, study spaces, and enclosed outdoor areas that support emotional healing. The shelter emits a home-like atmosphere, allowing the girls their independence and youth.
The bedroom suites help to establish a balance between spaces for private healing time and open areas for relationship building.
