stage 2 EMPOWERING

OBJECTIVEs:

Reinforce the sense of autonomy

A fundamental factor in reclaiming power after abuse is to feel independent and autonomous. Shelters normally have rules to ensure the safety of the women who live there, which might also limit their sense of control over their lives, especially when this feeling was too familiar in their former house.

encourage the user to take control

Having control over the environment can reduce stress and make us feel content. It also empowers the users and allows them to make choices. 28

Rediscover Their Identity

Bedroom Areas Therapy Room

13. Implement wayfinding tactics.

The ability to move easily from one space to another impacts on comfort and wellbeing, while disorientation and confusion can lead to stress, feelings of anxiety and negative thoughts about self-esteem and competence. Clear indications of entrance and exit points and signs or distinctive objects can make a person feel more secure in approaching or navigating a building.

Reinforce the sense of autonomy | strategies

12. Propose a logical arrangement of spaces.

A friendly layout with reasonable transitions from public to private areas directly influences the sense of privacy that users experience. The amount and length of corridors should be reduced, as they give a sense of isolation. Wide hallways with natural light are recommended: they feel pleasant, encourage movement, and give a sense of having personal space when transiting them.

encourage the user to take control | strategies rediscover their identity | strategies

The possibility to change the space can empower and give the user a sense of contentment. Flexible spaces give control regarding the way users choose to use it, and it allows a space to be transformed to adjust to their needs. This can be encouraged by designing flexible partitions in residential units to accommodate families of different sizes, for example.

This can range from lighting and dimming controls, the ability to open windows, adjustable shading devices and room temperature, to access to secure storage facilities, or certain level of control over what and when to eat.

16. Enable the exploration of hobbies.

The ability to work towards achieving goals is important in building confidence. Whether that is going back to an activity they used to do, learn a new skill, or engaging in introspective activities (e.g. meditation), it is part of the process of reclaiming the self. This can be encouraged by including activity rooms or workshops.

17. Encourage physical activity.

When we are active, we produce endorphins which positively affect our moods and help reduce stress, and we get a sense of independence and we feel connected with ourselves, which may give a clearer sense of identity.

Spaces that encourage the user to exercise are not limited to gyms, but rather spaces ready for use at any time: walking tracks, recreational parks, or even large staircases in social areas that encourage the user to engage in physical activity.

Stage 3 Reconnecting

Objective: connect with others

Two of the most common effects in DV victims is disempowerment and distancing from others. Creating new connections and relationships is fundamental in the recovery process.

connect with others | strategies

18. Encourage the presence of people.

Propose sitting areas and open plan spaces which prevent isolation. These spaces could have different functions: as activity rooms, exercise areas and workshops mentioned earlier.

Having private personal areas is encouraged but having shared facilities of regular use may help create a community life which is important in the recovery process. Communal kitchens offer opportunities to bond and motivating users to be in their kitchen may result in healthier eating habits, giving them flexibility, control, and options to choose from.

This space could also benefit users who enjoy cooking or would like to learn by providing them with a comfortable space to engage in this activity.

Kitchens should be pleasant and easy-to-use spaces, and the needs of families with small children must be considered, providing them with flexible access hours, or separate kitchenettes to prepare snacks or bottles as required.

Ecotherapy is an approach to improving mental health by participating in activities in nature. Benefits of proximity to nature have been discussed previously in this work, but additionally, engaging in activities such as gardening can make people feel more included and connected, improve self-esteem and combat depression. It also gives a sense of belonging, and taking care of plants, in the same way as caring for other living beings, produces an emotional reward in the user.

Consider integrating ponds, fountains, or pools into the project as proximity to water tends to make people happier.

Key Moments Relevant Spaces Acknowledge

Arrival and initial adjustment to their temporary residence.

Establish the feeling of “home” and evidence the support available.

EMPOWER

Activities for recovery, including therapy sessions for women and children.

Security Checkpoint Reception

Staff Room Storage Rooms

Laundry Area

Individual dormitories

Family dormitories

Children’s Rooms

Resting Area Therapy Rooms

Reconnect

Given its “temporary” nature, spaces for developing skills for an independent life must be included, as well as social areas to enhance relationship building skills.

Workshop Area Kitchen Garden design elements and strategies ground floor

The trees covering part of the site will create an area for connecting with nature.

The working spaces are near the entrance to separate “public” and private areas, considering the workshops and therapy rooms could also be used by women who are not living in the shelter but still need the support it offers.

Sequence of barries for entering

Security checkpoint, followed by a reception. Flexible outdoors, covered, and indoors spaces.

Multi-functional spaces

Pocket of calm

Small space for quiet retreat, distanced from noisy social areas.

Interior courtyard

Meeting space articulating living, social, and active blocks.

Connections and corridors design elements and strategies

Minimized number of corridors except for exterior galleries (transition from indoors to outdoors and protection for the Northwest façade).

TOP floor

Elevated residential spaces

Bedrooms, private living rooms, and communal kitchens on top floors.

Relationship with nature

Living areas with natural views, either of the trees at the back, towards the inner courtyard, or towards vertical gardens which protect Northwest façades.

Separate individuals from families

Individual residents have calmer living areas while families are near social areas and children’s rooms.

Encourage the presence of people

Residential floors broken at the middle with a shared living area.

Kitchen as a gathering place

Domestic Violence leaves in the victim physical and mental consequences. The recovery from this abuse varies from person to person, but it could be categorized in stages for a better understanding and support throughout the journey.

The support and tools victims receive with during the process are fundamental in the recovery, and so is the space in which these come together. This project provides insight on both the process and the factors that contribute to users’ wellbeing during this period, which can be implemented through design.

The strategies can be summarized as follows:

This paper exemplifies these strategies in a design proposal in the city of Ciudad del Este, Paraguay. By considering constructive and spatial elements that positively impact on mental wellbeing, the recovery process can be more pleasant and the assimilations during this period may be integrated deeper into the women’s perception of themselves and their reality.

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List of Figures

Comparison of the number of femicides and orphaned children as a result during the years 2019 and 2020. Source: Ministerio de la Mujer. 2021. Resumen de víctimas de feminicidio en el Paraguay. Observatorio de la Mujer. 07

Comparison of Total Homicide Rate per 100.000 inhabitants in South American countries during the years 2019 and 2020. Source: Asmann, P. and Jones, K., 2021. Balance de InSight Crime de los homicidios en 2020. [online] InSight Crime. Retrieved from: https://es.insightcrime.org/noticias/analisis/balance-insight-crime-homicidi os-2020/#:~:text=Las%20autoridades%20de%20Paraguay%20registraron,ofi ciales%20del%20Ministerio%20del%20Interior. 08

Location of Paraguay within South America. Image by Author. 09

Map of the population density in Paraguay, where Ciudad del Este can be seen as the second most dense urban center in the country. Source: Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). 2000. Population Density, Paraguay 2000. SedacMaps Retrieved from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/54545503@N04/6171916797/in/album-721576

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Percentage of the Paraguayan population who live in the Department of Alto Paraná. Source: National Institute of Statistics. 2021. Alto Paraná: Proyecciones de población por sexo y edad, 2021. Asunción, Paraguay: Instituto Nacional de Estadística. 11

Cities in the Triple Frontier. Image by Author. 12

Population of Alto Paraná and average income per gender. Source: National Institute of Statistics. 2021. Atlas de Género. Asunción, Paraguay: Instituto Nacional de Estadística. 12

Ciudad del Este city limits and zonification. Source: Google Earth Pro. 13

Location of the selected site within the San Lucas and Santa Ana neighborhoods. Source: Google Earth Pro, Google Maps. 14

Shelter for Victims of Domestic Violence, by Amos Goldreich Architecture + Jacobs Yaniv Architects. Source: Amos Goldreich Architecture. 15

Analysis of relevant design elements and strategies in the Shelter for Victims of Domestic Violence. Source: Amos Goldreich Architecture. 16

Refuge for Women Victims of Domestic Violence, by Origen 19ª 41’ 53” N Arquitectos. Source: Plataforma Arquitectura 17

Analysis of relevant design elements and strategies in the Refuge for Women Victims of Domestic Violence, by Origen 19ª 41’ 53” N Arquitectos. Source: Plataforma Arquitectura. 18

Comparison between different Models of Recovery from Domestic Violence.

Sources: Isobel Heywood, Dana Sammut & Caroline Bradbury-Jones (2019) A qualitative exploration of ‘thrivership’ among women who have experienced domestic violence and abuse: Development of a new model, BMC Women’s Health; Paulina Flasch, Christine E. Murray, and Allison Crowe (2015) Overcoming abuse: A phenomenological investigation of the journey to recovery from past intimate partner violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence; Karen Neuman Allen L & Danielle F. Wozniak (2010) The Language of Healing: Women's Voices in Healing and Recovering From Domestic Violence, Social Work in Mental Health. 20

Programatic Proposal and physical, visual, or proximity connections considered between spaces. Image by Author 44

Distribution of spaces and connections with the outdoor space. Image by Author. 45

Analysis of relevant design elements and strategies in the design proposal, Ground Floor. Image by Author. 47

Analysis of relevant design elements and strategies in the design proposal, Top Floor. Image by Author. 49