All Work

HELP Women’s Center

The first of its kind intake and assessment center for women entering the New York City homeless shelter system, HELP Women’s Center provides 200-beds for single women in East New York, ushering in a new national standard and creating a facility built to support HELP USA’s person-centered care model. The building serves the entire shelter system and is one of two intake shelters for single women in the five boroughs.

A monochromatic mural by acclaimed artist Shantell Martin anchors the lobby, commissioned through HELP USA’s Art of Resilience program. Circular fixtures echo the mural’s gestures overhead. Bold supergraphics and a distinct color palette for each floor make wayfinding unmistakable, while keeping the interiors bright and reassuring. Support spaces include lounges, accessible bathrooms with individual shower stalls, and therapy rooms. Barrier-free planning ensures accessibility throughout.

HELP Women’s Center applies trauma-informed principles to support dignity, choice, and ease. Dormitory rooms are intentionally uncrowded, organized into semi-private cubicles, and finished with warm, residential materials to soften institutional cues. A shallow floor plate brings beds closer to windows for abundant daylight, while circulation around a central core creates clear sightlines for intuitive orientation. The landscaped outdoor areas, from roof terraces to a rear yard, extend the building’s restorative intent through natural light and air and offer yoga, gardening and greenery.

The five-story building combines a welcoming interior with on-site support services, including dining and a commercial kitchen, community and lounge spaces, a computer lab, music and art therapy rooms, a medical clinic, and offices for HELP USA and support staff.

• Size: 60,000 SF
• Client: Camber Property Group and HELP USA
• Photographer: Inessa Binenbaum
• Award: Big Apple Brownfield Awards for Community Space and Support Services, 2026