Authors: Brandon Rojas
Mentors: Kristen Arnold
Insitution: Weber State University
The Mountain Haven building in Salt Lake City, a mixed-use facility, offers a wide range of services, including housing, childcare, and healthcare. The Single Parent Project, a non-profit organization, is working to provide suitable housing solutions for single parents and their children. The primary challenge is creating a secure, private, and healthy living environment that supports the emotional, financial, and mental growth of single parents and their children.
To address this challenge, the Mountain Haven building must be designed to meet the unique needs of single-parent families. This includes providing access to quality childcare, flexible work arrangements, and efficient household management solutions. It is also important to foster a sense of community and neighborliness and to ensure that single parents have access to affordable and safe housing in a safe neighborhood (Johnson, 1986). Additionally, the arrangement of the home should be flexible to accommodate both work and childcare responsibilities.
The design of the Mountain Haven building should also consider the latest research on daycare centers, healthcare facilities, and interior design. This includes using materials that are free of harmful substances, creating spaces that promote learning and nurture children's development (Monoko, Mukurunge, Bhila, 2021), and using light and color to create a healing environment for parents and children to reduce stress and strengthen the mood, mind, and body. (Khaleghimoghaddam, 2023)
By incorporating these principles into its design, the Mountain Haven building can provide single parents and their children with a safe, supportive, and nurturing environment in which to thrive.
Citations:
Khaleghimoghaddam, N. “Understanding the Interplay of Light, Color, and Interior Design in Healthcare Spaces”. Journal of Design for Resilience in Architecture and Planning, vol. 4, no. 2, Aug. 2023, pp. 72-84, doi:10.47818/DRArch.2023.v4i2094.
Monoko Tlaitlai, Mapallo & Mukurunge, Tawanda & Bhila, Takura. (2021). GREEN DESIGN AS A MODEL FOR HEALTHY DAYCARE CENTERS IN LESOTHO: "AN ENHANCING AND NURTURING ENVIRONMENT FOR CHILDREN". 2. 2582-1008. 10.6084/m9.figshare.21617556.
Johnson, Katrina. (2012). Housing for single-parent families.