Compass Family Services is a San Francisco non-profit that provides the tools low-income and homeless families need to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness. The agency's six programs provide services to more than 3,000 parents and children each year, 50% of whom are under age 18.
Our collaboration with Compass includes many projects that are part of an overall renovation of their offices.
Renovation of Computer Lab:
The computer lab will host two programs designed to teach homeless and transitioning families how to utilize the computer and internet as tools to better their lives. This project focuses on designing for spatial efficiency, organization and flexibility. Design aspects include tables that are easily movable and will store cables and CPU towers cleanly and securely, much-needed storage cabinets and a marker board that will serve as a writing and projection surface. Another design goal is to create an inspiring educational space through lighting, material choices, and a wall mural painted by a local volunteer artist.
Storage space divider at Children's Center:
This project is focused on dividing a room into two separate uses: a storage area and a conference room. We have designed three different options according to budget allowances. Our primary design focuses on a partition that can open and close easily, but also panels for presenting children's drawings or writings.
Facility and program study/Relocation of main office:
We studied the Compass main office and the current and future needs of each program that it houses. The organization wanted to study the feasibility of relocated to a new space. After receiving a list of possible locations, we provided a facility study and schematic diagrams of how Compass could fit in each space. They decided to pursue one of the locations and we provided designs for renovations. The relocation has since fallen through, but our studies have helped them re-evaluate their spatial organization, and we will move forward with renovations to the current Compass offices.
