A view from the field: An adaptive reuse project with a trauma-informed lens, to benefit a child abuse intervention center

Abstract

This practice and research project is an adaptive reuse project designed for a child abuse-intervention center. The center purchased a large (8,000 sq ft) building built in 1980, originally designed for financial services. The abuse-intervention center has led a multi-year design process to remodel and expand the building to facilitate an increase in quality and quantity of services. The project described here used both a rapid ethnography process and trauma-informed design knowledge, which may be seen as an exemplar of seeking balance between practicality of practice and of epistemological standards.
Although there is some evidence to inform the physical design for domestic abuse residential shelters and for substance-abuse centers, there is a notable lack of evidence to inform child abuse-intervention center built design. Similarly, although there has been some advance recently, there is still sparse trauma-informed design evidence for any setting. The current design process for child abuse intervention centers often seems to be determined by center staff preferences and the architectural teams’ understanding of precedence. This project seeks to address this gap in the trauma-informed evidence-based design (EBD) knowledge.
Upon engagement as the environmental designer for the project, the researcher applied both a trauma-informed design evidence and a rapid ethnographic process. Expectations for an on-going design iteration process, amongst the interdisciplinary team, strengthened the design outcomes. Photographic documentation of the existing center, the new building before renovation, and the 18-month long design journey as it led to the final trauma-informed EBD adaptive reuse project will be presented. Detailed field notes accompany the research process. The ‘how’ of the evidence translation, into the final designs, will be described in detail. An understanding of the trauma-informed design process in a child-abuse intervention setting will arm both scholars and practitioners with creative, timely and pragmatic tools for complex environments.

Learning objectives

Understand trauma-informed design needs in an abuse-intervention center.
Appreciate the process followed with an interdisciplinary team and decision making rubric of design priorities.
Realize the steps taken to incorporate research and evidence into the design specifications of the adaptive reuse project.
Be aware of lessons learned and successes from the project.

Full text

A view from the field: An adaptive reuse
project with a trauma-informed lens, to benefit
a child abuse intervention center
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
J. Davis Harte, PhD
The Boston Architectural College
Paradigm Spaces, llc
May 25th, 2019
J. Davis Harte acknowledges the ancestral and
traditional territories of the Lenape and Canarsie
People, who are the original owners and custodians
of the land on which we stand today.

From: http://nysteachs.org/info-topic/schoolsuccess.html
Can design buffer children’s stress?
•Settings can be a place of sanctuary or can contribute further to
trauma and stress
•Understandings about restorative environments in healthcare
settings contribute to trauma-informed design for other settings
Balonon-Rosen, 2014

The ecological approach (to recovery) must,
therefore, address the stresses in one’s life. It’s
impossible to cool the circuitry of the (addicted)
brain if we leave it heated by chronic stress. –
Maté, 2010 p. 397
Are traumatized people condemned
to seek refuge in what is familiar? If
so, why, and is it possible to help
them become attached to places and
activities that are safe and
pleasurable? –van der Kolk 2014, p. 31
Kids who experienced unresolved trauma or
carry around toxic levels of stress simply
can’t learn. –Balonon-Rosen, 2015

From: https://donnajacksonnakazawa.com/childhood-disrupted-pub-date-has-arrived/

Why? Trauma and toxic stress alters brain chemistry and
neural pathways (Walkley & Cox, 2013), leading to
behavioral challenges.
From: http://www.larrysroadmap.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/CDC-Brain-Comparison-658x300.jpg

Links between childhood ACEs and adult illness
From: https://donnajacksonnakazawa.com/childhood-disrupted-pub-date-has-arrived/

Why?
https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/acestudy/about.html
ACEs lead to lifelong consequences

ABC House –Albany Oregon
an abuse intervention center

Local muralist Erica Greminger hired to do exterior mural to:
•brighten under cover parking area,
•create connection between interior and exterior
•guide wayfinding
•communicate both dignity, restorativeness and whimsy
Later expanded the scope with 3 additional interior murals ABC House
ABC House
Paradigm Spaces, llc

Main entrance
Donor funded large fish tank = positive distractors
(Drahota, Ward, Mackenzie, et al., 2012)
Acoustic ceiling clouds throughout building
(Reinten, Braat-Eggen, Hornikx, et al., 2017).
Curvilinear furniture and finishes when possible
(Dazkir + Read, 2011)
ABC House
Oceanic ripples on carpet tiles
ABC House
Paradigm Spaces, llc

Main entrance
Donor funded large fish tank = positive distractors
(Drahota, Ward, Mackenzie, et al., 2012)
Acoustic ceiling clouds throughout building
(Reinten, Braat-Eggen, Hornikx, et al., 2017).
Curvilinear furniture and finishes when possible
(Dazkir + Read, 2011)
ABC House
Oceanic ripples on carpet tiles
ABC House
Paradigm Spaces, llc

120 gallon fish tank in main entrance
Finishes to represent ‘above ocean/nautical’
+ ‘below ocean’
AC House
ABC House
Paradigm Spaces, llc

144 custom ceramic tiles* throughout
• facilitates positive distraction, sense of place +
landmark/wayfinding
• tactile + visual senses
• child expert design opinion sought throughout
* Mary Hubbard at White Clover Kiln, Maryland
ABC House
Paradigm Spaces, llc

ABC House
Paradigm Spaces, llc
Window cut lace vinyl graphic to allow light to
permeate yet obscure the identity of families

Passthrough window between advocates office + waiting rooms,
diffused with fish tank to provide positive distracters + safety
View from the waiting room
View from the advocates office
ABC House
Paradigm Spaces, llc

Private waiting rooms to respect family privacy rules
Teens, youth and children spend multiple hours in and
out of these spaces
ABC House
Paradigm Spaces, llc

BC House
ABC House
Paradigm Spaces, llc
Waiting rooms are geared towards younger children and older youth

ABC House
Paradigm Spaces, llc
One of the 2 themes represents the
deeper work that clients undergo
(below ocean) such as forensic
interviews and medical exams. The
color of the ceiling clouds and the
images on the walls helps communicate
these two related yet distinct themes.

ABC House
Paradigm Spaces, llc
One of two rooms for upset
adults + difficult conversations

Staff break room
ABC House
Paradigm Spaces, llc

ABC ouse
ABC House
Paradigm Spaces, llc
Donations from local companies
provided finishings, such as three full-
wall printed wallpapers from HP

ABC House
Paradigm Spaces, llc
Medical exam room.
Awaiting curtain for dressing room corner by window

ABC House
Paradigm Spaces, llc
Forensic interview room, equipped
with video and audio recording
Monitor room

ABC House
Paradigm Spaces, llc
Counseling wing –office, counseling
space and hallway

ABC House • Paradigm Spaces, llc
Thank you! I welcome connection on this or related topics:
Davis –davisparadigmspaces.com or
paradigm.spaces@gmail.com
Some next steps:
•dissemination
•POE
•Actualize local business offers
to print images on stretched
canvas to soften stairwells
and various other spaces
For more info:
Visit abchouse.org