Westminster’s West End Place facility, housed in a former historic African American schoolhouse, is home to a senior daycare service and affordable supportive housing. To meet growing programming needs, a new adjoining facility was designed to house their emergency domestic violence housing and counseling program for Carroll County.

The client wanted to consolidate multiple offices into a central location that would include counseling, case management, and emergency housing services for Carroll County. The new building is tasked with resolving numerous design constraints, many relating to the unique nature of the triangular site. Circulation hierarchy and a secure entry were high priority. The design reflected these needs with a new circular drop-off loop and entrance canopy on the west side of the site. The new canopy between the two buildings allows residents and employees to utilize both facilities, while expanding the reach of the family support center.

The massing and form of the new building is a modern foil to the formal composition of the historic schoolhouse structure. The ridge beam is skewed from the long axis of the building to give a sculptural quality to the gable roof, and the standing seams are evocative of the surrounding sheds and outbuildings. Simple, crisp detailing highlights the geometry of the structure.

The double-height glass lobby frames views of the courtyard and hosts the intake desk. The blue glazed block elevator core and surrounding stair serve as wayfinding devices and access to both levels.

The first floor is half a level down from the entry lobby and is home to Springboard’s mental health counseling and case management services for both building and community residents. Intake-oriented spaces are placed closest to the building entry, along with flexible meeting and group counseling spaces. Farther from the entry, as the facility becomes more private, there are workspaces for therapists, case workers, and administrators. Adjacent to the open work area are smaller offices for focused counseling and one-on-one discussions.

The second floor contains six studio and one-bedroom apartments to provide short-term emergency housing for survivors of domestic and family violence. Apartments are designed to be light-filled and inviting. Units feature eat-in kitchen counters, provide ample storage, and are fully furnished so that residents can move in turnkey. A central lounge, computer area, and laundry facilities provide common support space. Multiple layers of security are subtly integrated into the design, allowing the units to maintain a cozy, residential feel while providing heightened protection for residents.

Sustainability was an integral part of the design and construction process. Passive design strategies such as insulating and air sealing created a high-performance building envelope. This reduces energy consumption, prepares the building to be zero energy ready, and improves thermal comfort and air quality for building occupants. The passive design improvements of the building exterior allowed for a reduced mechanical system size, thus reducing energy demand and ongoing utility costs. This will allow Springboard to allocate additional budget to client programs rather than operational costs.