Jun 27, 2025 _ news

YWCA Opens a New Door to Healing and Hope

The YWCA Greater Cincinnati recently celebrated the opening of its new domestic violence shelter. The project doubles their capacity to serve survivors in the Cincinnati region and was designed using a trauma-informed approach to promote dignity and healing for survivors.

GBBN and the YWCA approached the redesign of the existing building and the addition of a welcome center by first asking how we could make the spaces safe and secure, without creating a sense of surveillance. “The whole project, from site arrival all the way to a resident’s bedroom door, works to make sure survivors feel welcomed and supported,” says Liz Schmidt, who was part of the project design team “The addition is surrounded by healing and protective landscaping and offers natural light, soft materials, colorful inspiration, and a place of central access for all the units and the amenities.”

While the individual apartments provide essential privacy for families, survivors also need a variety of communal spaces to seek each other out for socializing or support from staff and partners. The ability to provide individual apartments with these communal spaces on site allows survivors to make decisions on how and when they find community and solace. These considerations result in a shelter where survivors can live a life that is as close to their “normal” as possible while being safe from their abusers. It’s designed to be safe and secure, but also welcoming, dignified, and hopeful.

GBBN provided environmental graphic design for the project that supports these goals by honoring the YWCA’s mission, values, and donors in ways that celebrate the wide variety of people who use the facility and bring joy, energy and hope.

“In these spaces, they’re able to be in their own haven with their family, cook their own meals, and not have to share a bathroom,” said YWCA Chief Program Officer, Jawana Glover. The shelter includes 21 apartment style units (including six that can accommodate family pets and have direct access to an outdoor pet area), dedicated space for children, outdoor pet area, outdoor play areas, and staff offices on site.

Read more about our approach to trauma-informed design here. 

See more of our not-for-profit work here.