IIDA Take Two was an opportunity to revamp the living spaces at People Serving People (PSP), a local homeless shelter. PSP primarily serves families. Sixty percent of guests are children and half of the children are under age 6. The goal of the project was to create a space for adults and children to relax and play.
"By melding a world of fantasy and exploration with an environment rich with dignity and respect, we will create a space that will inspire all who use it to dream past today to a future bright with possibilities, stability, and hope." - concept statement
The original space was uninspiring, institutional, and depressing. It had a mix of mismatched furniture, cold linoleum floors, and jarring salmon colored walls. There was no space for the children to play and no comfortable space for the adults to watch TV or have a conversation.
During concept and design development stages, we prepared multiple floor plans, elevations, and perspective. The final redesigned space was broken out into separate spaces for the adults and children. A donation from Target allowed us to fill the shelves with toys and books.
We kept the adult seating space simple and centered around the television. Floor pillows and ottomans provided additional seating in the small space.
A desk was incorporated to give older kids a place to do homework and adults a place to fill out job applications and pay bills.
A reading nook was filled with pillows to create a comfortable space to enjoy a book.
A chalkboard was incorporated into the mural to give the children a space to color and draw.
An "I spy" was incorporated into the castle mural to give children and adults an additional opportunity to interact with the space.