Raksha Rajan

HEARTH

Introducing HEARTH, a trauma-informed transitional shelter for the homeless designed to uplift and create positive experiences in the built environment. Inspired by the comfort and warmth of being home, HEARTH gets its name from what used to be the central part of a house, the fireplace. We intend to translate the feeling of belonging to every user of this space and support them in carving and rewriting their lost stories.

Using a multi-disciplinary approach to design, HEARTH is a unison of Architecture, Community Inclusion and Social Work to redefine shelter environments while focusing on understanding and responding to personal experiences of Trauma within the built environment. Committed to designing for a more inclusive future, this project is a stepping stone into Designing with Empathy, a principle and value that motivates my creativity.