Designing for Dignity: Elements of Practice

This book presents state-of-the-art research and practice on Dignified Design (also referred to as Trauma-Informed Design), which has become a best practice in creating environments for vulnerable and underserved populations. Shopworks Architecture is a recognised leader in studying, defining, and implementing this approach in housing, shelters, and service settings, and the book presents their extensive research, alongside over 30 of their projects. Dignified Design recognises the role of our built environment in supporting and fostering the health of individuals, neighbourhoods and communities. It acknowledges that nothing we design is neutral, as the places we inhabit shape our ideas about who we are and what we deserve. Drawing on multidisciplinary evidence and the lived expertise of end users, Dignified Design aims to create places that protect, promote, and celebrate the dignity of life.Dignity in design requires an intentional examination of the human experience—how we process information and connect with the world around us, how we fundamentally seek survival and pleasure in all we do, how we react in the presence of adversity and stress, surprise and delight. With this understanding comes empathy for what it means to navigate the world as complex, conscious human beings.
ISBN 9781961856950. ORO Editions. hb. 200 pages. 23 x 23.5 cm.
available