Meriam Murray

Interior + Spatial Design

Confined spaces, lack of privacy, and rundown properties are just some of the problems domestic violence victims must face when seeking shelter from their abusers. With no design standards in place for shelters, a resident’s need for privacy, dignity, and independence are often neglected. Designing shelters with a disregard for the residents most impacted by these spaces have a direct impact on the victims staying there, with studies that find that residents are just as stressed in these shelters as they were when they first arrived.

The goal of this research is to create a design for a meaningful shelter, one that takes into account the needs of the residents and providers who use the shelter daily. This design seeks to empower and instill confidence in the residents in order to provide better stress relief, proper mental health counseling, and faster recovery times. It is my goal as a designer to always seek efficient and meaningful solutions for all users through research, observation, and empathy. Creating a design in which users remain the focus of each space.