Common Justice | Designing Spaces for Survivors of Violence

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Common Justice – Designing Spaces for Survivors of Violence

The circle room is an oasis in the center of the office that leans on the healing and calming characteristics of nature to help settle and uplift the body and brain.

Project Overview

The Common Justice Office, completed in 2025, is a 7,000 square foot tenant improvement project that establishes a dedicated home for the restorative justice organization Common Justice. Common Justice works with people involved in the justice system using relationship-building means of resolving conflict and healing from harm.

This alternative to incarceration program benefits from the healing design elements of color, biophilia, curved surfaces, intentional soft lighting, and clear navigation to support staff and clients’ wellbeing and mood.

Project Details

Project Type: Commercial tenant improvement (7,000 sq ft)
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Space for: A restorative justice organization supporting survivors of violence and people impacted by the justice system through alternative-to-incarceration programming.
Program Partners: Myles Paisley, Chelsea Convery, Nina Pena, Corina Alexander (Common Justice Team), Barb Toews (Research), Light Follows Behavior (Lighting Consultants), ARUP (Acoustical Engineers), Ombrellino Construction (General Contractor), Cooper Robertson (Design Consultant)
DJDS Team: Deanna Van Buren, Garrett Jacobs, Shannon Diamondstein, Lucia Castello, Tola Thomas
Services Provided: Engagement and Research, Design, Construction Administration, Evaluation
Status: Construction completed 2025

Design Process and Collaboration

Designing Justice + Designing Spaces (DJDS) partnered with Common Justice in 2021 to conduct research with staff, clients, and other members of their community as part of a trauma-informed design process. The virtual creative workshops and visual surveys informed the conceptual design of the spaces.

DJDS was then hired to develop the design and oversee the construction and selection of furnishings and finishes for the project.

DJDS brought in global leaders in engineering, Arup, as well as lighting specialists Light Follows Behavior, to support the creation of an environment sensitive to lighting and acoustics at no cost to the client.

DJDS also received a National Endowment for the Arts grant to conduct a post-occupancy evaluation of the space to better understand the impact of the environment on the wellbeing of those using the space.

Research will be conducted through 2025.