{"id":13700,"date":"2024-11-27T21:05:01","date_gmt":"2024-11-27T21:05:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/how-and-why-ikea-embraced-trauma-informed-design-in-crafting-housing-for-the-homeless\/"},"modified":"2024-11-27T21:05:01","modified_gmt":"2024-11-27T21:05:01","slug":"how-and-why-ikea-embraced-trauma-informed-design-in-crafting-housing-for-the-homeless","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/how-and-why-ikea-embraced-trauma-informed-design-in-crafting-housing-for-the-homeless\/","title":{"rendered":"How (and Why) Ikea Embraced Trauma-Informed Design in Crafting Housing for the Homeless"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Hopefully, most of us won\u2019t have to deal with being homeless during our lives \u2014 however, that shouldn\u2019t keep us from feeling empathy for those who are in this situation. Ikea<\/strong> has turned its empathy into action by helping drive the construction of a Small Home in San Antonio\u2019s Towne Twin Village that is grounded in trauma-informed design and now serves as the residence for a formerly homeless person.<\/p>\n

What is trauma-informed design (TID)? It\u2019s a philosophy that supports healing, reduces the risk of re-traumatization and promotes overall wellbeing. TID emphasizes safety, trust, beauty, joy, choice, empowerment, community and connection<\/strong>, and translates these traits into physical form \u2014 in this case, a small home (with a 365-square-foot<\/strong> interior) modeled on a cocoon<\/strong>, \u201can incredibly safe space from which the butterfly emerges,\u201d said James Andrews, Design Director of WestEast Design Group, which specializes in TID, in an interview with Retail TouchPoints<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The initiative that led to this Small Home began approximately three<\/strong> years ago, when Ikea started an exploratory program to \u201csee how we could work toward creating systemic change for society\u2019s biggest issues, and move away from one-time donations toward positive impact,\u201d said Samantha Eisenman, Sustainability Business Partner at Ikea in an interview with Retail TouchPoints<\/em>. \u201cConversations with internal and external stakeholders were around figuring out what we, with our unique capabilities as a home furnishings retail company and design experts, would bring to these types of problems.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Focus Groups Fed Into Design Decisions<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Mockup of Small Home in Ikea store<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

These conversations led Ikea to San Antonio, where WestEast and Social Impact Studios had already been involved in TID projects. WestEast created a mockup of the planned home that was then placed in a San Antonio Ikea store, where it served as fodder for focus groups with people who had experienced homelessness. Their input affected key design decisions before the Towne Twin Small Home was finalized and built.<\/p>\n

\u201cTID is about ensuring that [a built environment] is not just beautiful or functional but that it can really support wellbeing,\u201d said Eisenman. \u201cTake the safety principle. It\u2019s not just about actual safety, like doors and locks, but perceived safety.\u201d<\/strong> Ikea realized it needed to be sensitive to occupants who, for example, might need such a home because they are fleeing domestic violence.<\/p>\n

That perception of safety (or danger) inspired a key change from the home\u2019s original design, which had featured floor-to-ceiling windows in an effort to get as much natural light in as possible. \u201cFeedback from the focus groups indicated that [this design] didn\u2019t make them feel safe,\u201d said Eisenman. \u201cIt felt like someone could be looking in or could kick in the window \u2014 it didn\u2019t give them that sense of safety and comfort. It\u2019s so telling and interesting, and it\u2019s an incredible example of how people\u2019s experiences really impact how they feel and exist in the space.\u201d<\/p>\n

The windows\u2019 sill heights were raised, and layered window treatments, including blackout blinds, were added. \u201cHopefully, one day, the person will find joy in those big windows,\u201d said Eisenman. \u201cWe wanted to allow the flexibility that they could keep them closed, or open, as much as they wanted.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Ins and Outs of TID<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The structure is not just a safe retreat from a dangerous world; it\u2019s meant to be a place where people can start to heal. For example, even though the structure is small, the rooms are designed to be large enough that the occupant can have people over for a visit or a meal. \u201cThere\u2019s a \u2018safe space\u2019 in the back that gives [the occupant] the opportunity to invite someone in,\u201d said Andrews. Additionally, a six-foot<\/strong> glassed-in porch \u201cprovides an interstitial space between the home and the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

WestEast is uniquely qualified for this project because the studio was \u201ccreated specifically to look at human trauma,\u201d said Andrews. \u201cIt\u2019s a studio [within] an architectural firm that\u2019s directed by a social worker, and that now includes researchers, policy experts, human performance experts, as well as designers who are passionate about this connection.\u201d<\/p>\n

For the Ikea initiative, \u201cwe started with trying to understand the impacts of trauma on the brain, which is that it puts you into a \u2018fight or flight\u2019 mode,\u201d said Andrews, noting that the brain typically takes at least three <\/strong>months to recover from a traumatic incident. \u201cDuring that time, you don\u2019t make rational decisions because you\u2019re still in that fight-or-flight mode,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

Some eventual residents might be dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can be triggered by external stimuli. \u201cWith soldiers [suffering from PTSD], there\u2019s a period of recovery \u2014 it doesn\u2019t just go from bad to good overnight,\u201d said Andrews. \u201cWe\u2019ve all seen the movies that feature triggers \u2014 it could be something visual, words said to the person or just a sense of being intimidated in engagements with people, when you feel you\u2019ve got nowhere to go. We\u2019ve looked at trauma and the psychology of space and the impact of clutter, which can make people feel overwhelmed. Some people are looking for a place that\u2019s simple, clean and tidy to reduce their stress.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

The mandate to create a space that both is<\/em> safe and feels<\/em> safe affected numerous design and construction decisions. Noting that trauma often interferes with people\u2019s sleep patterns, \u201cwe took a lot of care regarding acoustics, in the materials for the walls, the insulation and also the air conditioning and heat pump units, which have \u2018smart\u2019 motors that can run at very low speeds, gently feeding the air into the space and nearly silent,\u201d said Andrews. \u201cAlso, there\u2019s no external compressor; they\u2019re self-contained. We also used good glazing and good quality windows to make it calm and quiet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Additionally, there is a storage shed at the back of the unit where residents will be able to lock up a bicycle or outdoor furniture. \u201cThat way people can know their stuff isn\u2019t going to get stolen,\u201d said Andrews.<\/p>\n

Creating Cost-Effective Cocoons<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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