Using Trauma Informed Architecture to Create Remarkable Homeless Navigation Centers — RPM Team
Practitioners of the emerging architectural movement called trauma informed design see buildings as the first line of therapy.
Multi-functional dining room at OHOH navigation center in Portland, OR.
In this blog post, we’re going to share our understanding of trauma informed design and its applications when designing homeless navigation centers. Adapting spatial layout helps create environments that foster a sense of safety, control, and comfort, particularly in behavioral health settings. Scroll down to the bottom to read bullets on how we’re creating physical spaces that help aide in recovery. If you would like to learn more about homeless navigation centers, please visit the link here.
What is mental trauma?
Mental trauma can be a result of a deeply distressing or disturbing experience that causes a long-lasting negative impact on a person’s mental health. Trauma-informed design can help address issues related to substance abuse and other adverse childhood experiences by creating environments that support mental health recovery. It can be caused by a wide range of events, such as physical or sexual assault, war, natural disasters, or the sudden loss of a loved one. According to a Psychiatry Times study, “More than 80% of homeless individuals report having experienced life-altering trauma at some point in their lives.”
What does trauma-informed design mean?
Trauma-informed design is an approach to designing physical spaces that are mindful of the impact of trauma on people’s physical and mental health. It is based on the understanding that people who have experienced trauma may be sensitive and easily triggered by certain sights, sounds, textures, spaces and smells.
Trauma-informed design seeks to create environments that are calming, supporting and help reduce stress. At RPM Team, we believe it is imperative to go beyond the basics of trauma-informed design and understand the local demographic through interviews and design our projects around their barriers to previously entering programs of shelters and services.
Physical spaces can impact our attitude, mood, health and well-being
Spaces with bad lighting, that are too bright or dark and spaces that are closed off from surrounding areas can initiate a memory of trauma and increase stress levels. Spaces with balanced lighting can have a calming effect and intentionally designing spaces with trauma-informed principles can promote a sense of safety and calm.
The physical environment plays an integral role in designing trauma-informed spaces, influencing safety, inclusivity, and overall well-being. Thoughtful design can mitigate trauma responses and promote healing by ensuring that spaces are both welcoming and sensitive to the needs of individuals who have experienced trauma.
“The design of a physical space influences the mental state of the people in that space. That shapes their attitudes and behavior.” Sally Augustin, Place Advantage, Applied Psychology for Interior Architects.
Pro-Tip: A sensory experience can make or break a space. Going beyond the light and space orientation, we purposely avoid creating claustrophobic spaces that trap smells. Interiors that have low ceilings have limited space for smells to travel thus creating denser odors and unpleasant sensory experiences.
Digital rendering of HOPE navigation center
In the context of homeless navigation centers, trauma-informed approaches can be used to create environments that address the well being and safety of unhoused demographics.
Faced with an influx of unhoused, homelessness agencies, local governments and shelters are limited in their space and allocated resources. In addition to the resource requirements, no two clients have the exact same challenges, therefore its essential to understand how unhoused population demographics can shape facility and design requirements. Trauma-informed design can help mitigate the impacts of traumatic stress in homeless navigation centers. Interviews, focus groups and conversations are necessary to gain a better understanding of the unhoused demographic that will be served.
The goal of trauma informed spaces is to deliver the following:
Safe and secure: This includes having adequate security measures in place, such as good lighting and visible security cameras that promote safety. It also means creating a sense of privacy and security for residents, away from the common areas and highly public spaces, and safety for their personal items such as clothing, bicycles and pets. Easy-to-find restrooms can quickly make a shelter feel accommodating and welcoming. Restrooms located near arrival and visible by reception and security can quickly make a shelter feel accommodating and safe. Providing spaces for the separation of genders for sleeping, showering and bathroom spaces will help residents to feel safe and secure.
Calming and relaxing: This can be achieved through the use of color psychology and an intentionality when considering natural light, cool colors or deeply hued warm colors, and calming textures. It is also important to avoid harsh lighting and loud noises when creating calming environments. Hard materials magnify noise where as softer materials dampen sounds. Offices, conference rooms, phone booths and intake rooms, require additional acoustical considerations with spatial layout. Isolation spaces are also necessary for residents that might have trouble sleeping at night in a group setting, may require CPAP machines or have covid or symptoms of illness.
Comfortable and inviting: This means providing comfortable furniture and bedding, as well as access to natural light and fresh air. Fresh air as a result of operable doors and windows is a simple solution to stale air and odors. Closed lid trash bins are also a quick way to reduce odors. Creating a sense of community and belonging, such as by providing shared spaces for socializing and recreation is part of the trauma informed approach.
Easy and Convenient: Plenty of restrooms, water stations and laundry. Residents should be provided with stress-free ways to fill their water bottles and have access to clean restrooms in a way that was not possible while living on the streets. Water stations should be located throughout the facility and not limited to restrooms.
Dignified and respectful: This means providing residents with the privacy and respect they deserve. It also means avoiding stigmatizing language or imagery, and creating a space that is welcoming to all people, regardless of their background.
There are a number of organizations that are working to promote trauma-informed design for homeless navigation centers. One such organization is the National Center for Trauma-Informed Care (NCTIC), which has developed a number of resources on trauma informed design, including a toolkit and a set of trauma informed care design principles.
“Exposure to trauma — like abuse, neglect, systemic discrimination, and violence — increases an individual’s risk for serious health issues and poor outcomes throughout life. A trauma-informed approach to care acknowledges that health care organizations and care teams need to have a complete picture of a patient’s life situation — past and present — in order to provide effective health care services with a healing orientation.” - National Center for Trauma-Informed Care
Drawing of Navigation center with curved walkways, separate outdoor spaces for men and women, pet amenities and bicycle storage.
Here are some specific examples of trauma-informed design features that can be incorporated into homeless navigation centers:
Comfortable and durable furniture: Soft, comfortable furniture can help people to feel safe and relaxed, but a balance must be maintained with the durability of the furniture because of the high traffic usage. Healthcare furniture is more durable and easy to clean in addition to its ability to fit all types of people and its general easier access to get in and out of.
Color psychology: Colors can be warm or cool with warm colors evoking feelings of positivity, liveliness and happiness. But to some people, these colors can create anxiety whereas cool colors can help people feel calm and relaxed but additionally make people feel sad. Balancing warm and cool colors with neutrals is a safe way to go and using a bright color for an accent wall is a way to get maintain visual interest but not overwhelm. There are also paints and coating that repel graffiti.
Green space: Access to green space, nature or open space can provide a calming and restorative environment. The natural world is usually more calming that the built environment for most residents.
Art therapy: Art therapy can be a helpful way for people to express their emotions and the healing process
Pet therapy: Pet therapy can provide comfort and support to people who are experiencing trauma.
OHOH Navigation center interior with natural light, vaulted interior and natural materials.
Applying Trauma Informed Design at RPM Team Navigation Center projects
Our goal is to create facilities that are attractive and are beacons of hope. Enrolling in navigation centers are voluntary so they need to be as welcoming as possible. We seek to understand our demographic in-need through conversations and partnering with firms that work with the community so we can provide the best product possible. Aesthetically we want to deliver a beautiful building with a welcoming interior and plenty of outdoor space.
Curved walkways in exterior open space to feel more park like
Private outdoor space for women
Landscaped bioretention areas
Lots of glazing facing to exteriors
Ceiling features that do not stand out, like painting of overhead utilities and ensuring ductwork matches color of ceiling
Fun way finding signage that is playful and not institutional
Gates and fencing that does not feel prison like or institutional
Ability to customize sleeping areas
Changing rooms in large open dorms that are not just in the bathroom areas
Lounging areas within the dorm areas
Classroom space for private groups like AA and NA
Wide hallways
Open spaces to eliminate interior mazes
If law enforcement on-site is a required design we incorporate their presence so a police car is not visible
Don't forget to involve considerations of the staff in the design process
Providing care and services for people that are transitioning out of homelessness is a heavy workload that impacts staff's emotional state. Staff members need a separate location to relax and also meet with other staff to work on issues without an audience. Ideally these spaces need to help staff feel calm and or energized.
Conclusion
Trauma-informed design is a complex and evolving field. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, and the specific features that are most beneficial will vary depending on the needs of the people who will be inhabiting the facility. However, by incorporating trauma-informed design principles into the planning and design of homeless navigation centers, we can create navigation centers that are more supportive and healing for the people who need them most.
Intentionally designing and maintaining healing environments promotes empowerment and resists triggering those who have already experienced so much trauma.
RPM Team has successfully managed and implemented homeless navigation centers that have helped thousands of people transition from homelessness to stable housing. We make a point to incorporate principles of trauma-informed design to enhance the experience of the clients, reduce stress, and cultivate an environment of mutual trust and support. We actively embrace input and advice from stakeholders with firsthand lived experience with homelessness to ensure that the final design will enhance the supportive housing program. We consider the overall client experience from their initial impression of the site to the arrival/intake, day room, and dining spaces with the goal of mitigating trauma.
View our Navigation Center projects here.
Navigation center incorporating balanced natural light and playful green furniture.
