A community-based initiative undertaken as a collaborative effort between Safe Shores – The DC Children’s Advocacy Center and the Metropolitan Police Department. With the support of the philanthropic arm of a private real estate firm, this project supports families and children during challenging periods by providing warmth, security, and cohesion, while also serving as a community beacon with integrated public areas and an inviting atmosphere.
This new center is home to both the Safe Shore organization and the Youth and Family Services Division of the MPD to aid in the processing, support and health services of children and their families. Unlike their current environment, it was important to create a space that projected an image of safety and security while being welcoming and inviting. From interviews and conversations with stakeholders and community members, the program was shaped to not only include administrative functions, but also greater health services, publicly accessible community space and temporary housing. PFP conceptualized the programmatic stack of public to private spaces as “welcoming” at the ground floor, “guidance” on the second floor, and “individualized” care at the top floor.
Through an iterative process that carefully evaluated the requirements of both MPD and Safe Shores, several massing concepts were developed, each offering a distinct approach tailored to the surrounding context. These concepts include ‘The Corner,’ ‘The Kink,’ and ‘The Shifted Box.’ Each design considers visual and physical connections to various elements of the neighborhood, including the adjacent Bundy Field and the existing building to the south while also mediating movement through and around the site. The designs include an outdoor gathering area that leads to a transparent entrance, inviting the neighborhood into the ground floor and gradually transitioning to more private spaces on the top floors.
