From Classrooms to Comfort: Transforming Schools into Sanctuaries for Those Experiencing Homelessness

Abstract

As I am a couple of months out from graduating, I feel privileged to be able to receive my education at East Carolina University in the Honors College. These past three and a half years have taught me about patience, broadened my knowledge, and given me a passion for Interior Design through the struggles and achievements that I have faced. This past semester in Spring 2024 has challenged me to bring to life an idea that I have had since I was thirteen years old. Through research and my knowledge of Interior Design, I can proudly say that I am excited to share my signature honors project with you. For my signature honors project, From Classrooms to Comfort: Transforming Schools into Sanctuaries for Those Experiencing Homelessness, I redesigned an existing school building into a shelter for those experiencing homelessness. This shelter offers a range of amenities that allow those in the shelter to change the outcome of their lives. What once were classrooms are now bedrooms, counseling spaces, and medical rooms. Along with these areas, there is a main office, cafeteria, gymnasium, communal lounge area, library, classrooms, nursery rooms, laundry room, and a staff lounge. The reason behind designing a school building was to keep some of the existing floor plan such as the cafeteria, gymnasium, library, and classrooms. When creating the floor plan, each room was thought out to ensure comfortability and functionality. An issue faced within homeless shelters is that women do not feel safe sleeping in the same areas as men due to past trauma in shelters and in their lives. To solve this issue in the shelter, the women’s rooms are separated from the men’s and located in the front of the building where there is more security. Each men's and women’s rooms are dorm styled meaning that there are three beds to a room with a private bathroom. The family rooms are placed on the second floor to give privacy to each family and offer a community. In these family rooms, there is a kitchenette, bathroom, closet, living area, and a queen size trundle bed. Through research, it was discovered that green elicits the strongest positive emotions of peace, happiness, and calmness and that the color blue represents a sense of inner reflection. In the shelter, green and blue are seen in just about every room to not only evoke these positive emotions but to add color to the space and make it feel modern. Too much green and blue would have been overwhelming, so these colors have been toned down with a neutral color palette such as whites, tans, and woods. A neutral color palette allows the space to bring in lots of natural light and helps create a peaceful space. Color, lighting, and space planning were the most important aspects of this project to produce a shelter for those experiencing homelessness a place to feel at home and at peace. Although the reality of homelessness is that it is a problem that will always exist, creating a homeless shelter that offers a wide variety of services along with ample room for sleeping arrangements, bathrooms, lounge areas, and laundry facilities while making the space feel safe and peaceful through the use of colors, openness, and lighting will overall decrease homelessness and improve guests well-being. This shelter offers more than just a one-night stay, like most homeless shelters. This shelter inspires change and provides those experiencing homelessness with a sense of dignity.