Recommendations for designing supportive housing for women and gender-diverse individuals

Abstract

The design of a building or space can have an impact on our quality of life. The purpose of this report is to provide recommendations to building developers on the built form of supportive housing designed for women and gender-diverse individuals. A literature review was conducted to inform the policy-to-practice recommendations found in this report. The literature review gathered the available theoretical considerations and practices of various supportive housing models and other developers. The findings encourage developers to use trauma-informed design and be adaptive to intersectional needs. Housing developers should design spaces that avoid re-traumatizing women and gender-diverse individuals who have trauma associated with institutions, such as hospitals and prisons. Design that incorporates nature and natural materials is one way to make space feel safer for residents. The eight recommendations provided in this report reflect these main three safety and security considerations (i.e., trauma-informed design, intersectional design, and biophilic design).