The recent design of domestic violence shelters called for a need to change the traditional definition of security as a fortress of fences, walls, and security cameras. These conventional means of security not only hid victims from the community but also secluded these vulnerable people who were already in a state of isolation and in need of community support. 

While abusers were their main source of concern, the domestic violence (DV) shelters also faced objections from the community who feared increased crime rates with the construction of these shelters. Past designs have focused on camouflage as a tool for secrecy, but this project explored the ways in which the highly secured, private space of the shelter could be merged with public community spaces through a programmatic gradient. Not only would the public spaces provide a space for the community, but it would also provide the space and opportunity to connect residents of the DV shelter and the community.

The convenience store and community meeting area are what activate the front of the building. Not only does it create an important vibrant space for the community to interact with the residents of the DV shelter, but also creates a passive form of security in which the workers or visitors in the space inherently become the “security camera” of the building.