This new multi-services center consolidates critical homeless services including housing referrals, mental health services, and coordinated intake services under one roof. Formed as part of a unique partnership between Wake County, the City of Raleigh, and Catholic Charities, the center provides a welcoming, supportive environment for those experiencing homelessness. The program includes an intake lobby designed to feel more like a hotel lobby than an institutional space, laundry and shower facilities, multipurpose educational space, private offices for client interviews, and an outdoor gathering area with seating and shelter.
The design creates transparency through a series of vertical openings in the envelope; these openings provide abundant natural light in the lobby and encourage guests approaching the building to feel safe and comfortable entering the space.