Jenna Koss

In the aftermath of a pandemic, how can domestic violence shelters be adapted to create a safe environment that serves human needs in a process towards resilience and healing? My creative practice research project is based at the Helpmate Domestic Violence Shelter in Asheville, North Carolina. The project affirms the value of creating a home space in transience, craft as a tool for collaborative placemaking, and the importance of humanity in designing for mental and physical health. This approach will be referred to as "transitional agency," meaning that the design will contribute to autonomy, provide opportunities for self-directed thought and action, and allow the opportunity to claim space while experiencing displacement. This research and development is manifested in two proposals: an intervention within the bedrooms of the existing shelter, and a proposal for a neighborhood design within a purpose-built shelter. These designs propose how interior space within a shelter can be layered in a way that empowers a survivor to form connections, reclaim agency, and build resilience over time. The learning achieved from this work will examine how shelters can be designed to be both healthy and healing environments, and honor the humanity of survivors residing in the interior space.