Addressing Camden's Issues on DOMESTIC VIOLENCE how Architecture can Protect + Heal Victims of Abuse

Addressing Camden’s Issues on Domestic Violence, How Architecture Can Protect + Heal Victims of Abuse.

University of Huddersfield Department of Art, Design and Architcture Junaid Ali Boota U1954552

The pandemic and the recent murders of Sarah Everard, Sabina Nessa, Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman and closer to home Nicole Hurley, have put into sharp focus that there is an epidemic of violence against women.”

Helene Reardon-Bond, Camden’s Gender Equality Champion and Co-Chair of the Camden Women’s Forum.

01 abstract abstract

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introduction camden tackels domestic violence facts

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02 domestic violence [realities]

03 victimology

survivor’s journey 01 abuse 02 escape 03 admission 04 recovery 05 transition survivor’s journey - design focus

04 site contextualisation

domestic violence shelters location traffic & public noise sun path analysis site context pedestrian zone & cycle routes bus routes & road types noise pollution site model SWOT analysis 6

05 research + concept

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case study say no to violence shelter/jacobs-yaniv + amos goldreich architects inside/outside harmony people + building interaction sustainable community + social justice DV shelter stratagies concept scaffold [breaking the grid] design structure exploration concept James Wine highrise of homes

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DV cases in camden [breaking the grid] formation + organisation [on site] formation + organisation [strcuture] formation + organisation [spatial layout] formation + organisation [spatial layout] hierarchy of structure [perspective] movenment through spaces [section 1:1500] elevation structure [1:2500] pod units, main living [1:1000] communal area [1:1000] main hub entrance [1:1000]

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06 design theory + output

47 48 49 50 52 53 55 56 57

w

ground floor first floor rooftop garden/play area

82 83 84

materiality + ventilation nature intergration shadow study [summer months] flooring resolution technical section detailing

88 90 91 92 94

07 technical agenda

08 render + DV project video [final output] top view perspective close up roofttop garden/play area canalside views rooftop views - top floor movenmnet through spaces exterior facade refrences

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1

98 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 1

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Domestic Violence is a major concern around the whole of UK that sadly shows no sign of abatement. Thousands of women each year fall victims to their partner’s abuse. Not just women as this is a stereotype, men are victims of the abuse and some way abandoned by society. While there are, of course, serious physical ramifications from ongoing abuse, the mental impact is far greater. The combination of physical and verbal violence often leads to anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, obsessive compulsive disorders, thoughts of suicide, and substance abuse.

The victims who make the choice to leave their abuser typically either live with a friend or family or seek the protection of domestic violence shelters.

These shelters were born from the domestic violence awareness movement of the 1970s, As the history of the battered women’s movement reveals, the shelter movement in Great Britain and the United States took similar turns at roughly the same time. The first refuge for battered women in the movement against domestic violence was Chiswick Women’s Aid, which was established, quite by accident, in Britain in 1972.

Some non-profits have redesigned and expanded their facilities to include a variety of services from legal counselling, planned parenthood awareness, and safety planning. Shelters today still provide their services to people in crisis but fall short in assisting them who are no longer in immediate danger or who may choose to never seek shelter. Through the combination of research and design, this project looks at how architecture can create an environment of growth stability, protection, and rehabilitation, rather than simply a holding cell’ for victims in crisis.

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The project is set in Camden, researching from the beginning the town suffers from infrastructure that are in place in many other boroughs of London.

Camden is devalued in many ways it is ranked in the top 10 for worst places to live in London. The issues of Camden are countless and there could be ways of improving resources and helping the community. The campaign ‘Know this isn’t love’ is an awarding winning campaign in 2014 for tackling domestic violence in the borough. There is a system in place to talk to experts and the campaign will walk the victim through the violence they have received and showing them a way out. This is where the campaign stops unfortunately, the campaign doesn’t have any resources in terms of accommodation, they would advise the victim to live with family or friends but the lack of shelters in a town where there are high numbers of victims shows the lack of investment in Camden. This project designs accommodation for the victims of abuse in Camden and how architecture would help heal and rehabilitate victims as soon as they enter the shelter and once, they have left.

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Domestic violence is a major concern in our country today that sadly shows no signs of abatement. Battered women fortunate enough to survive their partners abuse still suffer severe physical, mental, and emotional trauma, each year, millions of women in Camden are victims of intimate partners violence, The physical and mental long-term effects of abuse is the constant state of terror that these women live in every day perhaps even worse than the horrors these women face is its permanent Impact on children who often witness instances of abuse. This exposure leads to lifelong mental health issues that normalise violence in the household resulting in individuals that, as adults, become abusers or the abused the cycle of violence therefore permeates through the generations, inevitably contaminating other families through marriage, resulting in an exponential growth of fear and abuse across the borough.

For this project I have first Identified the definition of domestic violence and shared critical statistics of abuse to understand the ultimate “why of it all: We have also looked at the symptoms of abuse hat Victims often experience understanding the mental and emotional state of battered women as they enter an emergency shelter is imperative for us, as designers, to begin our work, what must an environment look and feel like so that it can promote physical and mental healing? A matrix was gathered from a survivor and telling there journey as how to come back to society, this is not just for women but also men. Men do go through violence and this could also lead a better understanding I society as women are the one being looked after men are being neglected by society.

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The campaign Know this isn’t Love is a major concept for my design. The project will look to work with the campaign already set up in the area, however the growing issue of domestic violence means the city do not have ethe facility and the capability od design and housing these victims. The project would look to house these vulnerable people from women to men and children that are also part of this growing issue. Having this piece of architecture in the bough would firstly house the victims of violence this is the first aim of the project but to also make the architecture and interior space eel homely and protected. This would be at the forefront of the design strategy. The design would empathise on the architectural environment and special coordination. The project would work together with the campaign to facilitate the victims.

On the Camden Bourgh websites it states ‘one in four women and one in six men will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime. The message of the campaign is that domestic abuse can happen to anyone regardless of age, gender identity, sexual orientation or culture and we have worked with partner organisations and community groups to develop the video’s six scenarios. While it isn’t possible to depict every situation, the campaign aims to highlight the diversity of what abusive behaviour can look like, who it can happen to and where to go for help.’ This shows the campaign is to spread awareness and so that there is a hotline in place for these victims to connect this would be beneficial to the town if there was a shelter to go to rather than relaying on family and friends.

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More than 1 in 3 women in the United Kingdom have experienced rape, physical abuse, and /or stalking by an intimate partner.

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More than 1 in 6 men in the United Kingdom have experienced physical abuse, felt controlled by there partner, and dealing with PTSD from the mental trauma.

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More than 1 in 6 teens in the United Kingdom have experienced sexual abuse, in school and been sent unwanted ‘dick pics’.

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More than 1 in 20 men in the United Kingdom have experienced rape and sexual assault as an adult.

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Abuse

Escape

Admission

After interviewing specialists, from the already established organisation Know this isn’t Love, I was able to clearly identify the journey of a women ranging from the overarching journey of abuse, to abuse itself, the journey once she arrives at a shelter and the process for when she is discharged from the facility.

(01) This operational model provided me the guidance and background essential to moving forward with a design for a new recovery community. The trajectory of survivor of abuse is that she initially experiences the abuse whether it is verbal, emotional, physical, or sexual.

(02) The second step is when she escapes from her abuser, which is the most vulnerable time for the women. When she does leave, there are several options for where she could go to seek shelter and safety - her family, friends, and admitting herself to a domestic violence shelter (03) The process for when a woman arrives at the shelter, usually by bus, taxi transport, typically involves being greeted by an campaign member, police officer and/or solicitor then she is immediately taken to her room.

This allows the survivor to be able to grieve and come to terms with the situation. She is more frequently left to herself at this point after doing a few paperwork that include giving the police officer a profile description of her abuser, for her safety and everyone else at the shelter.

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Recovery

Transition

(04) During her typical 120 day stay within the shelter, women are empowered, have counselling services, education classes are held, and legal advice is provided (05) Upon her maximum stay within the shelter, the survivor meets with an advocate to determine a safety plan and reminded of the services provided.

A woman is either moving into an apartment on her own, returning to live with family, or moving to another shelter.

This diagram shows the different stages of a which a victim goes through, there are many variables that could occur as victims may not think it is abuse but later find out. Many women do not try to escape especially the vulnerable with children, so there are many outcomes. However, this is the main journey and there is already a system in place in Camden with the campaign offering up to admission.

Recovery and transition comes from the shelter and homes these often helped from charities; shelter may be provided for a short term which maybe insufficient to the victim. The brief is to create a master plan for victims of domestic violence and create a space where they can be secure but also interact and further socialise with people which have also been a victim of the abuse.

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Abuse

Escape

Admission

Recovery

Transition

Control

Verbal

Mental

Physical

Sexual

Within the survivor journey diagram there are also sub divided categories which is indicated above. This journey shows the longevity and the brutality.

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Abuse

Escape

Admission

Recovery

Leaving

Family

Friends

Shelter

Most Vulnerable Time

Transition

Self admission Safe place

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Abuse

Escape

Admission

Recovery

Entry

Welcome

Room

Intake

Self admission Safe place

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Reception security

Individual Shared Family Dorms

Paper work forms solicitors

Transition

Tour

Abuse

Empowerment

Escape

Counselling

Single Group

Admission

Education

GED classes Workshops

Recovery

Transition

Legal

Court order Child custody Restraining order

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Abuse

Escape

Discharge

Apartment

Safety plan outreach

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Subsidised transitional

Admission

Family

Recovery

Shelter

Stay at provided shelter (no time frame.)

Transition

Abuse

Escape

The campaign, Know its not Love, have the system in place to assist the victims.

Admission

Recovery

Transition

The project would focus on to create a space for victims that they can admit to the shelter, recover from the abuse and transition.

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Pedestrian Zone

Cycle Routes Domestic violence is a major concern in our country today that sadly shows no signs of abatement. Battered women fortunate enough to survive their partners abuse still suffer severe physical, mental, and emotional trauma, each year, millions of women in Camden are victims of intimate partners violence, The physical and mental long-term effects of abuse is the constant state of terror that these women live in every day perhaps even worse than the horrors these women face is its permanent Impact on children who often witness instances of abuse. This exposure leads to lifelong mental health issues that normalise violence in the household resulting in individuals that, as adults, become abusers or the abused the cycle of violence therefore permeates through the generations, inevitably contaminating other families through marriage, resulting in an exponential growth of fear and abuse across the borough.

For this project I have first Identified the definition of domestic violence and shared critical statistics of abuse to understand the ultimate “why of it all: We have also looked at the symptoms of abuse hat Victims often experience understanding the mental and emotional state of battered women as they enter an emergency shelter is imperative for us, as designers, to begin our work, what must an environment look and feel like so that it can promote physical and mental healing? A matrix was gathered from a survivor and telling there journey as how to come back to society, this is not just for women but also men. Men do go through violence and this could also lead a better understanding I society as women are the one being looked after men are being neglected by society.

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Bus Routes

Road Type

Main Road Secondry Road Primary Roads Pedestrian Crossings 39

Noise Pollution Roads

75.0 and Over 70.0 - 74.9 65.0 - 69.9 60.0 - 64.9 55.0 - 59.9 40

Noise Pollution Rail

70.0 - 74.9 65.0 - 69.9 60.0 - 64.9 55.0 - 59.9

British Trasport Police headquarters

Overground Rail Camden Gardens

Site

Main Road Camden Street Sainsbury Supermarket

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Strengths a] Strategic Location - Site is surrounded by residential area. Commercial area within a walking distance. b] Flexible Spaces - Different range of activities can be engaged by users. Activities can also be done by different age groups, and this encourages inclusivity. c] Accessibility - Access to site is immediate from the A road and enters into a quiet space which is beneficial to my scheme. d] Site acts as a node and a connection to other areas such as Sainsbury supermarket and the British Transport police.

Opportunity a] Strategic Location - Opportunity to build a structure that could help with domestic shelter in the area and help the campaign with the infrastructure of know this isn’t love. b] Potential for site to be a landmark. Due to its strategic location. c] Site can be a community centre and has the potential to bring the community together closer and be visual to many victims of abuse.

Weakness a] Noise Issue - Site is near the A road which is noisy majority of the time and would cause distress to the victims. b] Canal - Another issue is the canal which could cause flooding and would harm the structure the people and wildlife.

Threats a] Safety issues - Lack of site boundary and no fencing which needs to be added within the structure. Children might run into the canal. b] Negative activities Social activities such as being drunk in Camden could be an issue to the victims and the rate of crime in the area would mean the site needs to be highly protected.

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1] White blocks are residential building which is in the main surroundings of the site.

2] Sainsbury supermarket is the main shopping area for the people of Camden and who live in this area the site being very close to this is a major advantage.

3] This is the empty park of the site in which my structure would be placed 4] These building would be knocked down so that my structure could be placed onto the site.

5] The canal river could be an issue to the site as when the high tide of the river comes in this would be a major impact to the structure.

6] British Transport Police is in the way of the site and would create a shade which would impact the structure and the erosion process to the materiality.

7] The Camden over head rail line is opposite the site which could be busy at any given time and easily at peak times this would be an issue to the surround areas as there would be a high level of consistent noise every few minutes.

8] Camden gardens could inspire my design into added more nature to the site and add more trees and greenery to the London Borough of Camden.

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This will be the charity’s first purpose-built shelter, as well as accommodating its administrative headquarters, and has been designed to house families from diverse ethnic and geographical backgrounds. The site for the shelter measures 1600 square metres, is located within a quiet residential neighbourhood and surrounded by a mix of private residential houses and blocks of flats.

The brief specified a location within reach of local community resources, i.e. stores, jobs, health clinics, schools, parks and other green spaces, counselling centres and recreational facilities. The new shelter replaces an existing one in the same city which was established 37 years ago. Like most existing shelters in Israel are not purpose-built.

The charity was very involved in the development of the brief and the design discussions, stipulating that the shelter needed to accommodate up to twelve families, all of whom require individual privacy, yet need to coexist with each other and with the staff who look after them. Each family has three children on average, so the design of the building was predicated on a floating population of more than 24 residents at any one time.

Another paramount request was to create a sense of home and security for the inhabitants, without it feeling like a prison. The green sanctum of the inner courtyard plays a crucial role as a meeting place for the residents.

It also serves a functional purpose, providing optimum visual connections between the house mother and the families, as well as between the women and their children. The surrounding internal corridor connects the inside and outdoor spaces and creates a free-flowing space in which women and children can interact.

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This will be the charity’s first purpose-built shelter, as well as accommodating its administrative headquarters, and has been designed to house families from diverse ethnic and geographical backgrounds. The site for the shelter measures 1600 square metres, is located within a quiet residential neighbourhood and surrounded by a mix of private residential houses and blocks of flats.

The brief specified a location within reach of local community resources, i.e. stores, jobs, health clinics, schools, parks and other green spaces, counselling centres and recreational facilities. The new shelter replaces an existing one in the same city which was established 37 years ago. Like most existing shelters in Israel are not purpose-built.

The charity was very involved in the development of the brief and the design discussions, stipulating that the shelter needed to accommodate up to twelve families, all of whom require individual privacy, yet need to coexist with each other and with the staff who look after them. Each family has three children on average, so the design of the building was predicated on a floating population of more than 24 residents at any one time.

Another paramount request was to create a sense of home and security for the inhabitants, without it feeling like a prison. The green sanctum of the inner courtyard plays a crucial role as a meeting place for the residents.

It also serves a functional purpose, providing optimum visual connections between the house mother and the families, as well as between the women and their children. The surrounding internal corridor connects the inside and outdoor spaces and creates a free-flowing space in which women and children can interact.

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This will be the charity’s first purpose-built shelter, as well as accommodating its administrative headquarters, and has been designed to house families from diverse ethnic and geographical backgrounds. The site for the shelter measures 1600 square metres, is located within a quiet residential neighbourhood and surrounded by a mix of private residential houses and blocks of flats.

The brief specified a location within reach of local community resources, i.e. stores, jobs, health clinics, schools, parks and other green spaces, counselling centres and recreational facilities. The new shelter replaces an existing one in the same city which was established 37 years ago. Like most existing shelters in Israel are not purpose-built.

The charity was very involved in the development of the brief and the design discussions, stipulating that the shelter needed to accommodate up to twelve families, all of whom require individual privacy, yet need to coexist with each other and with the staff who look after them. Each family has three children on average, so the design of the building was predicated on a floating population of more than 24 residents at any one time.

Another paramount request was to create a sense of home and security for the inhabitants, without it feeling like a prison. The green sanctum of the inner courtyard plays a crucial role as a meeting place for the residents.

It also serves a functional purpose, providing optimum visual connections between the house mother and the families, as well as between the women and their children. The surrounding internal corridor connects the inside and outdoor spaces and creates a free-flowing space in which women and children can interact.

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Known/Unknow Place The diagram shows the three variability of a typical domestic violence shelter. The known/unknown place which could be in a neighbourhood where the architecture or the building itself stands out to people as if it stands for victim of abuse. This could be identified by many factors.

The 2nd type of DV shelter could be the anonymous which blends in with the surroundings and would be safe for victims as it does not stand out to the abuse hence why the place would be anonymous and hard to find. In the last decade this DV shelters wouldn’t be made public and not many people would know of such shelters. This was so that the abuser wouldn’t haunt to come back key people in the town and cities would know of specific location which could not be found by the public hence why hotlines and campaign were started so that the victim could escape and be transferred to an anonymous location.

Anonymous

Landmark Shelter

Lastly, the landmark shelter. This would be a community of victims which would be managed by staff this would be held by larger organisations and surviving of charities. This would be a learning and rehabilitation scheme rather than a staycation, people who are specialist would help the victim overcome the trauma to be let back out int society by his/her accord.

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Through my research, I have found that there are two types of domestic violence shelters institutional and residential. Institutional shelters are typically master planned as a small campus with several buildings including spaces for administration, resident living units, and shared multi-purpose / dining space. Security in these facilities usually includes a single secure entry point, a fenced perimeter, and security cameras. Shelters are usually builtin unsafe neighbourhoods with high levels of prostitution, crime, and drug use, so these security measures are used to protect survivors from their own community as much as their abusers. These institutional shelters, while safe, have little to no feeling of community. Residential shelters are set across the town, the campaign will sort out a resting place for the victim, they do this by having contacts with landlords that have vacant facilities in which charities would be paying off bills of the victim. These shelters typically have a sense of community, but shared living environments prevent women from having ownership of their space.

This is when most women will return to her abuser, choosing to face familiar violence than a fear of the unknown.

In the short-term, the current shelter model keeps survivors of violence safe and secure, but also offers a certain level of rehabilitation, Institutional services such as advocacy, legal advice and counselling are often available either onsite or nearby. Survivors of violence have shared that simply being educated about domestic online is incredibly empowering and positively influences the choices they make for the future guidance from advocate who also have survived histories of abuse are similarly an asset to the shelter community. Unfortunately, the shelter model does not offer a long-term solution for recovery shelter stays typically last for 120 days before women must then go back through the trauma of moving to transitional housing, often far away from the services and support system the shelter provided.

The architecture should present the two typologies of residential and institutional; this could be done so that the transitioning of the journey maybe smoother and quicker, also creating this sense of achieving and thriving through the community. As though the architecture should be helping the victims not just to overcome fears of there abuser but to be bold and evolve to become a better person of themselves from when they arrived to when they leave.

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The project thesis proposes a domestic violence recovery community that combines the most successful elements of the institutional shelter (on-site counselling, advocacy, education) with the best parts of the residential shelter (community support by knitting together the institutional and residential elements, a third space is created. it is here that there are opportunities for women and their children to come together for spontaneous activity and take ownership of their community This new typology also allows women to take control of their personal space with individual residential units for each family since support from other residents also plays a major role in the healing process, we propose a community where women in the 120-day max mum stay is eliminated so women may instead focus on long-term healing and recovery.

Institutional + Secure Environment - visually identifiable

Neighbourhood + Sense of Comunity - Reduced security

New Typology for DV Shelter

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While being at the site I would like to influence my design of what is currently in place. The site chosen was under construction with scaffolding and boards. This was just not repent on the site but around Camden. A huge scale of infrastructure is being placed Camden levelling up the town so that it can compete with the top tiers of London boroughs.

The conceptual diagram will be evolved from the new typology of a dv shelter this would need to be more thought out by using the structure of scaffolding. The idea of scaffolding could enhance and produce spaces within floors and so that I can use a grid like system so showcase the coordination of the homes which will have the neighbourhood community feel. Bringing the two (institutional and residential) would have an impact on my design but the use of scaffolding would be used to help stack and organise the spaces. The diagrams are very conceptual at this stage so that I could have a basis of design going further and would help me structure my own brief by using my research and theoretical exploration.

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This is when most women will return to her abuser, choosing to face familiar violence than a fear of the unknown.

The project thesis proposes a domestic violence recovery community that combines the most successful elements of the institutional shelter (on-site counselling, advocacy, education) with the best parts of the residential shelter (community support by knitting together the institutional and residential elements, a third space is created. it is here that there are opportunities for women and their children to come together for spontaneous activity and take ownership of their community This new typology also allows women to take control of their personal space with individual residential units for each family since support from other residents also plays a major role in the healing process, we propose a community where women in the 120-day max mum stay is eliminated so women may instead focus on long-term healing and recovery.

The architecture should present the two typologies of residential and institutional; this could be done so that the transitioning of the journey maybe smoother and quicker, also creating this sense of achieving and thriving through the community. As though the architecture should be helping the victims not just to overcome fears of there abuser but to be bold and evolve to become a better person of themselves from when they arrived to when they leave.

Scaffold Grid

Intergrate with Neighbourhood strcuture [New Typology]

Recovery Community + Secture Environment + Sense of Community 53

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James Wines, a founding member in 1970 of the SITE (Sculpture In The Environment) architectural group, described the Highrise of Homes project as a “vertical community” to “accommodate people’s conflicting desires to enjoy the cultural advantages of an urban centre, without sacrificing the private home identity and garden space associated with suburbia.” The plan calls for a steel-and-concrete, eight-to-ten-story, U-shaped building frame erected in a densely populated urban area. The developer would sell lots within this frame, each lot the site for a house and garden in a style chosen by the purchaser. The result would be a distinct villagelike community on each floor, with interior streets. A central mechanical core would serve these homes and gardens, while shops, offices, and other facilities on the ground and middle floors would provide for the residents’ needs.

Whereas urban skyscrapers are normally made up of identical, stacked, boxlike units, the Highrise of Homes would allow flexibility and individual choice.

The wide variety of house styles, gardens, hedges, and fences described in this intricate rendering provides a sense of the personal identity and human connection that are generally erased by the austere and repetitive elements of architectural formalism. Placing the sociological and psychological needs of the inhabitant over the aesthetic sensibilities of the architect, Wines produces a merge of suburb and city, a collage of architectures collectively created by its inhabitants and by the art of chance. Developers considered Battery Park City, New York, as a possible location for the project, but it was never built.

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The Highrise of Homes by James Wine is very influential to my design. The architecture and the output of media presented in his artwork would influence my design. The strategies and the theoretical understanding gone into this by James Wine shows that there needs to be a living community which is in a very dense urban location. The design thinking is similar to what I would like to achieve but rather than creating sensory spaces and interaction of victims so that they can transition between spaces but also through life.

The stacking diagram before shows the new typology of which I think would work and would help the cause of tackling domestic violence in Camden town. James Wine proposal would let people buy the plot so that whatever design they choose it would reflect the person choice, this shows the different styles and cultural background hence why the irregular shapes of homes.

The structure of my proposal would be similar but would be a block structure as the victims would heal but rather them feel encouraged to spend more time within the community within the people staying there rather than being trapped in the room.

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The Issue

Domestic Violence is a major concern around the whole of UK that sadly shows no sign of going away. Thousands of women each year fall victims to their partner’s abuse. Not just women as this is a stereotype, men are victims of the abuse and some way abandoned by society.

While there are, of course, serious physical ramifications from ongoing abuse, the mental impact is far greater. The combination of physical and verbal violence often leads to anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, obsessive compulsive disorders, thoughts of suicide, and substance abuse.

The Solution

Some non-profits have redesigned and expanded their facilities to include a variety of services from legal counselling, planned parenthood awareness, and safety planning. Shelters today still provide their services to people in crisis but fall short in assisting them who are no longer in immediate danger or who may choose to never seek shelter. Through the combination of research and design, this project looks at how architecture can create an environment of growth stability, protection, and rehabilitation, rather than simply holding a cell’ for victims in crisis.

The Brief

The project will work with the campaign ‘Know its not Love’ The shelter will allow women to enter a sensory environment that taps into the subconscious mind. A series of intimate courtyard spaces to encourage women and men to engage in different inclusive activities and social interactions. The shelter is accessible to locals and filled with resources. It is visible within its context while also able to offer privacy and security achieved through multiple entrances. The space will be accessible to everyone who is a victim, the project would investigate into evidence-based design, shelters that have been a success and talking to experienced people to share their knowledge on this high rising issue. To conclude the project will consist of a hybrid, a housing scheme but also a centre and many outdoor activities and clinics. Creating a social stable neighbourhood.

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Function

Area

56 Pod Structure

2,960m2

6 Kitchen and Clinic out buildings

294m2

Main Hub - Reception

975m2

Car parking

1025m2

Communal Gardens

850m2

Circulation

tbc

Building Services

70m2 - main hub

Utility Space

100m2 - main hub Total – 5,506m2

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Some 13,000 people in Camden suffer domestic violence each year according to a Town Hall estimate, but progress to help them is slow. A long-awaited report on domestic violence and abuse in the borough was approved by the council last week, meaning that its recommendations can start to be implemented. It was produced by the Women’s Forum, an independent committee formed two years ago. On the basis of a consultation with survivors of domestic violence, the report recommends that the council funds free legal support, trains all staff in responding to domestic violence, provides more emergency housing in the borough, sets up a service for children who witness domestic violence, and gathers more data on the extent of the problem. By the Town Hall’s own estimate, every month they do not act, more than 1,000 vulnerable people experience abuse in their homes.

The force field diagram is an illustrative way for me to respond to this project. Text is a strong idea in a project like this, however illustrating data and diagramming would make it easy for me to manipulate a design further within my project. The field diagram is unique to Camden. Page 57 shows the diagram in a diagrammatic way of the current cases that have been reported to the police or to the campaign hotline. The bigger the circle the more volume of reports, and the lines connect to different parts of the towns. This creates a diagram of the dense nature of this issue. The cross mark in the diagram signifies already DV victims living in an Know/Unknow location, which I created a diagram before. These shelters do the job of escaping but neglect the pashes of empowerment, transition and being able to heal. The new proposal would house these victims. Further on the lines that overlap the site would create a force field diagram for myself to manipulate and consider these lines into my design and creating a form with the use of these lines.

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Main Structure Pod Units

Path/access

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Elevation of structure

The sun path has impacted the design as the curvature of the structure doesn’t get sun light as a staggered approach to the building is created.

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The structure elevated to 45 metre at its peak.

Services to the building are inserted 3 lifts are added to the structure as this would connect each floor but also stairs are placed on each floor. 5 set of stairs are placed to recognise the survivors journey route.

The paths are created from the formation that I have achieved from the field diagram.

Circulation of the building, the structure consists of 7 floors and resolves the issues on lack shelters in Camden.

Ground Floor Car Park

Third floor is resloved this is where the oudoor stairs are placed which leads to intimate coutyard and spaces for children to play.

First floor and main hub, this consits of pods and intimate courtyard spaces.

Forth floor is resloved this is where the oudoor stairs are placed which leads to intimate coutyard and spaces for children to play.

Secound floor is resolved by having a floor dedicating to the vics this also consist of pods and intimate spaces.

Fifth floor is resloved this is where the oudoor stairs are placed which leads to intimate coutyard and spaces for children to play.

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Sixth floor is resloved this is where the oudoor stairs are placed which leads to intimate coutyard and spaces for children to play.

Main hub spaces and how it connects to the pods.

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Seventh floor is resloved this is where the oudoor stairs are placed which leads to intimate coutyard and spaces for children to play.

Intimate outdoor space which would be gated off and have high level security.

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The structure is based on scaffolding, the vertical beams are placed for structural purposes but also has an affect psychologically on the residents that would be placed there. The use of beams creates sections of individually spaces this also helped me in determine the circulation of the building, the information I have received comes from the force field diagram but the way it has been manipulated is all under my rules and using the site to determine the shape and layout of spaces also mentioned on the spatial organisation page.

The hierarchy of the structure is placed to bring into place an movement in which I wanted to create an harmony atmosphere on each floor of living.

Each set of stairs has its on level of bereavement throughout the survivors journey as they progress they would level up until they are at the top floor in which they have transitioned and be able to continue with the wider society, but within the building there need to be dialogue and creating a sense of unity and community, not just addressing a problem relating to social justice in Camden but to also create a sustainable community which would influence more victims to come out of their comfort zone and admit themselves to the shelter. This creates a new way of living for these victims, but also makes us understand that these victims are humans and have feelings just like the rest of us.

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The final resolution of the pod units is very simple but rather effective, the main aspect of this design structure is how it helps with the transition of feeling from one stage of abuse to another. This project looks at how to structure and its surroundings could help improve a new system for domestic violence victims.

The pod units are there for intimate private spaces mainly for sleeping, however there are activities throughout the day and mingling in with other dv victims so that the transition would be faster, and the victim could be allowed to improve and heal from the abuse, rather than just being away in a private room.

The pod units could take up to two people and other arrangements could be in place as for a family of a few children the living area would be turned into a bedroom as the sofa turns into a bed. The kitchen spaces are revolved through another structure as this will be one on every floor so a kitchen and clinic would be available throughout the majority of the day. These units are small in size as this would enhance the surroundings spaces of the structure and would help in the landscaping of each floor, the circulation of the people is a vital element of my design as I wanted the people to come out of these pods and try to come back to society as shown in the section previous.

Front Elevation 74

Back Elevation

East Elevation

West Elevation

Bathroom

Bedroom Sitting Area

Floor plan

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West Elevation

East Elevation 76

Front Elevation

Back Elevation

Seating Area

Clinic Clinic Storage Kitchen Seating Kitchen

Children Play Area

Floor plan

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Ground Floor

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First Floor

Rooftop Graden

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Steel Beams

Grass Flooring

Glass / Window

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Reinforced Concrete

Resprayed Shipping Containers

Rain water drainage integrated with steel beam.

Open structure ventilation

Sound Barrier from oncoming vehicles.

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Thermal Comfort

Air Quality

Noise Absorption

Biophilia

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To provide lateral restraint to the steel beam and to meet sound/fire requirements, it is necessary to fill the void between the hollow core unit and the steel beam with C25/30 grade concrete. The concrete is hollow so that there is a less weight impacted onto the structure and the use of concrete would create the construction of the structure at a faster process.

The system is very different and unique to my design as for a new typology the flooring would be created from concrete slabs and onto would be a layer of natural grass which works as a rooftop garden. These spaces would be filled with greenery so that the rehabilitation process of the victims is helped made quicker. Also, this high energy of natural sources such as the grass and trees this would create better healthier environment for the victims, but Camden would be a beneficiary to this nature reserve structure.

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Membrane 300mm gravel edge Retention Trim Filter Edge Vegetation Soil Membrane Drainage and Root Barrier Waterproof Membrane Rigid insulation Undercourse Finishing Concrete

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Metal Furring Drywall Flooring Finish Membrane Resiviour Lightweight Concrete Metal Decking Truss Frame

Drywall Conctrete Curd Fire Stop Steel Beam Galvanised Metal

Structual Steel Beam

Structual Column Bond Beam/footing Drywall Metal Furring Footing

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The final output was created through a rendering process using twinmotion and in the next few pages shows the interchanging spaces and spaces in which other victims could access as this was the whole aim of the project.

The spaces create an atmosphere that hits two aspects given in the assignment, it looks into the social justice part of the assignment and the sustainable communities as this space could be used as a transitional spaces but also long terms stays in which would be beneficial for new victims to be welcomed and feel part of the community.

The courtyard spaces and the rooftop area makes it welcome for children to play in a safe secure environment. The hub acts as the main point and the entrance to the facility. The lifts can old used by a key card in which is only given to the victims and they can access the other two lifts rest of the people need to access through the main hub in which security is present there’s also a reception and help desks which are placed so that victims could talk and seek help from professionals.

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Aunia Kahn (2018). Building Rapport with a patient who has experienced domestic abuse: Abuse [Image]. Professional ethics. p.14 https://physio. uwc.ac.za/pht402/2018/10/08/building-rapport-with-a-patient-who-hasexperienced-domestic-abuse/

Amos Goldreich Architecture archdaily. (nd). No to Violence Shelter / Jacobs-Yaniv Architects + Amos Goldreich Architecture [Image]. p. 44-46 https://www.archdaily.com/773055/firms-from-london-and-israel-design-ashelter-for-domestic-abuse-victims-in-israel

Camden Council (nd). [Image]. know this isn’t love. p.15 https://www3. camden.gov.uk/notlove/

Eric Baldwin (nd). “Dependence on the Computer Kills Creativity”: James Wines Makes the Argument for Hand Drawing [Image]. Architizer. p. 54 https://architizer.com/blog/inspiration/stories/james-wines-interview/

Alexandra Mitroshina (2019). ‘I didn’t want to die’: Why are Russians using bloody make-up to tackle domestic abuse? [Image]. bbc news. p16 https:// www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-49081045 William Hirsh RIT Report. (2013). UNSPOKEN ABUSE: MEN IN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS [Image]. Reporter. p17 https://reporter.rit.edu/features/ unspoken-abuse-men-abusive-relationships Alan Dennington (2021). Sexual Assault Awareness: Creating a Safe and Supportive Campus Environment [Image]. timely md. p.18 https://reporter. rit.edu/features/unspoken-abuse-men-abusive-relationships Edward Schlosser (2015). I’m a liberal professor, and my liberal students terrify me [Image]. vox. p.19 https://www.vox.com/2015/6/3/8706323/college-professor-afraid Camden group UBB University of Huddersfield. (2022). London - Design Studio 6 Camden, urban building blocks [Image]. Brightspace. p.38-40

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James Wine (nd). High-rise of Homes [Image]. Behance. p. 55 https://www. behance.net/gallery/8440373/High-rise-of-Homes

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