Street Bean Espresso and Shelter

We visited the New Horizon Teen Homeless Shelter. We were informed that many of the kids that came into the shelter were there due to family disruptions and/or were victims of adults. Many of those teens believe that the streets were safer than being at home, which is heartbreaking since home should give a sense of comfort and safety. I was glad to see that there was a place for teens to go to and that not only were they able to visit there, the shelter also assisted the teens with clothing, food and counseling. They also assisted them with job opportunities and other new possibilities. The shelter mainly got kids from the age of 13-22, but there have been children as young as 9 years old. The shelter wanted to redesign their space to be a more inviting space where the teens felt safe. They have been in business for about 15 years and renovated in 1996. Their idea was to make the upstairs an office space and dorm rooms where the kids could actually stay since the shelter is only open Monday through Friday from 10 AM-12 PM then 7PM-9:30 PM. It was great to hear that they don’t turn away anyone that needs help.

The space is very industrial because it is in constant use by many people. The shelter’s drop-in space was once a loading dock and is also the transition space. I feel that they tried to make it more inviting by painting it with bright colors but it is still quite dim and dark. They had a problem with graffiti so they painted a part of the wall with chalk paint so the kids could still draw on the wall if they pleased. One of their main goals is to keep the kids safe so this space is able to let them keep track of everyone coming in and can confiscate any possible weapons, as well as hold any pets the teens might have. Many of the basic needs such as food, laundry, and clothing are provided at the shelter. They do need to keep the space open and completely viewable due to the possible dangers that can occur in closed spaces. The shelter holds activities that the space must also be able to accommodate to.  Many of the people that come in are also handicapped so the area must be ADA accessible. It’s very sad to see that so many kids come into the shelter, but it is also reassuring to know that there is a place they can go so they can be safe and hopefully turn their situation into a positive one.

 

The Street Bean Espresso has a great sense of design. The flow of the space is functional and it is very aesthetically pleasing. When you walk in, the space is open and the color scheme suits a coffee shop. The decorations give the space a little unique flare and it is organized very well. Since the shelter wants to incorporate the coffee shop into their new design, I feel that it could enhance the space quite well.