In Winter 2025, I was selected to participate in SCAD SERVE, a community impact initiative focused on addressing real-world issues through design. Our team was tasked with reimagining Nicholas House, a historic home in Atlanta that serves as a transitional shelter for families experiencing homelessness, including multigenerational families of up to twelve people. The goal was to expand and redesign the space to better meet the needs of both the residents and the shelter staff.
Working in collaboration with SCAD architecture students who proposed two new building expansion options, our interior design cohort was split into teams to develop two distinct interior concepts. My team was assigned the “Payton” plan and created a trauma-informed design concept titled “Threads of Belonging,” which prioritized flexibility, dignity, and emotional wellness.
I was specifically responsible for designing the playroom and all residential bedrooms and bathrooms, including ADA-accessible suites and rooms accommodating families of four, six, and twelve. The design responded to client requirements for in-room seating areas, private bathrooms with tubs for families with young children, built-in storage, and flexible layouts that could expand or contract depending on family size, all without the use of bunk beds.
The project also included shared gathering spaces, an education room, staff offices, private intake rooms with acoustic separation, and a large kitchen and dining area with secure food storage. This experience deepened my understanding of trauma-informed design, supportive housing, and adaptive reuse within a community-centered context.
The presentation below features the design developed by my team.
Below are the presentation boards developed to support my team’s design concept during our final presentation to Nicholas House.
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