The architects of Laurel House, a supportive housing project in Grand Junction, Colorado, used the principles of trauma-informed design to shape the building’s indoor and outdoor elements.
Photographer: Matthew Staver/Shopworks
Buildings That Can Heal in the Wake of Trauma
Practitioners of the emerging architectural movement called trauma-informed design see buildings as “the first line of therapy.”
The generous windows that line walls of this new apartment building in Aurora, Colorado, do more than just flood its hallways and bedrooms in sunlight: They’re part of a suite of design decisions that reflect the unique needs of its residents.
Providence at the Heights, or PATH, is a supportive housing facility operated by the prison re-entry nonprofit Second Chance Center; the three-year-old building is filled with apartments for people who have been previously incarcerated.