For over 100 years, the 19-acre Haven site, located just outside downtown Philadelphia, has been used for the detention and correction of individuals forgotten by society. The existing complex, built in 1956, served elderly and indigent city residents as the former Riverview Home for the Aged. 

Today, this publicly owned land is the site of a city effort to provide transitional housing for the chronically unhoused. Through an RFP solicitation process, the city sought to create a renewed facility that would include wellness spaces for various types of services for residents affected by addiction, homelessness, mental health challenges, and chronic and acute medical issues. 

Haven’s unique approach brings together housing and health, with wrap-around services for formerly unhoused individuals in a transitional housing program. This conceptual master plan is in response to the Mayor of Philadelphia’s vision to create a “wellness village” along the Delaware River waterfront. 

Building on evidence-based studies of therapeutic landscapes and incorporating empathetic practices of resident personas, we used a trauma-informed design approach for this new community. Our plan addresses four main resident neighborhood groups—veterans, men, women, and seniors. Each neighborhood offers a mix of inwardly focused resident amenities, campus-oriented therapy, and support and public spaces. Leveraging best practices of trauma-informed design, we strive to better serve individuals on the path to recovery.