Body fit- Use of sliding doors for entering the classroom, door lever handles, and adjustable kitchen counter accommodates a wide range of body abilities and sizes.

Comfort- A range of seating options is included to fit an individual student’s social and spatial needs. Students can sit and read or study on softer, more lounge-like furniture, small group tables, or large group tables.

Awareness- Each area and function is physically and visually separated from the remainder of the classroom by low partitions, ceiling heights, or different flooring materials and colors.

Understanding- The classroom is designed to be a modular element that can is repeated throughout the school. The use of distinctive floor patterns, colors, and materials helps guide students and visitors through space by clearly defining circulation paths.

Wellness- The soft floor surfaces and toxic-free materials can reduce injuries and allergies.

Social Integration- Central courtyard and external garden space nurtures a sense of community and encouraging social interaction.

Personalization- Lightweight modular furniture can be moved and stacked in different ways that can be adapted to the individual needs of the teacher or student.

Cultural Appropriateness- Classroom is designed for people of all cultures and backgrounds.

● Around 79.5 million people around the world have been forced to flee their homes. Twenty-six million are refugees, around half of whom are under the age of 18 and 4.5% are older adults.

● According to the UNHCR, more than two-thirds of all refugees came from Middle Eastern countries.

● Over 6.7 million people have fled Syria since 2011, seeking safety in Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan and Iraq and Egypt.

● The World Bank projects that 143 million people will be forcibly displaced by 2050.

Design Issues Identified (Zaatari Camp, Jordan):

+ Built environment’s design does not account for the rapid increase in population in the camp. Resulting the camp’s individuals to have limited access to resources, inadequate infrastructure, and shelter

+ The shelter’s thermal performance and design are often overlooked, and the design lacks sustainability, which significantly affects the health and wellness of the users

+ The camps are designed in a way that creates a barrier between the refugee and the community. Consequently, creating hardship for the individuals to adapt to a new environment

+ The street scape design lacks integrated green spaces, and walkable paths which negatively impacted users’ mental health in the camp

The purpose of this proposal is to create a safe environment for people who identify as transgender or gender non-conforming to use the restroom or other public facilities such as changing rooms and locker rooms. The most inclusive approach will benefit this demographic of people, as well as everyone in the built environment, no matter their age, race, sexual identity, gender identity, or abilities. This design creates a safe, inclusive restroom that maintains privacy and does not exclude access to any person. The space includes private stalls with full height partitions and doors, an area for hand washing, a separate area for grooming, and an area for people to wait or rest.

The design solves the problem of safety, by making an open corridor that allows people to “keep an eye on” what’s going on, and allows sound to travel from the washing/ grooming stations to the outer lounge area, while still maintaining privacy. There are ADA inclusive stalls, larger stalls for somebody that may be with a companion, and rooms for lactation and baby changing or relaxation. The sink counter and grooming counter are open underneath to accomodate users who have a wheelchair, and there is a 42” clear path at all points throughout the space. The space encourages health and wellness by offering a social lounging area with a water bottle refill station and water fountains.

The design prototype could be modified to fit a locker room, shower room, or changing room. For example, if it was a locker room, each stall on one side could include a shower and dressing area instead of a toilet. Furthermore, the breastfeeding rooms could function as changing rooms instead.

The United States is not universally inclusive in terms of its urban centers. Some cities are betters than others at accommodating a diverse population. This research focuses on LGBTQ+ exclusivity in these urban settings, specifically looking at Buffalo as a research model.