A Center for Restorative Justice and Restorative Economics

Client: Restore Oakland LLC

Team: Shelley Davis Roberts, Kacper Bigosinski, Kyle Rawlins, Deanna Van Buren

Project Type: Adaptive Reuse – 20,000 square feet

Status: Complete

Website: restoreoakland.org

Located in East Oakland, Restore is the first center for restorative justice and restorative economics in the country. Restaurant Opportunities Centers United will have their first Oakland restaurant on the ground floor, where they will train individuals to get front-of-house jobs and incubate businesses from low-income communities of color. In addition, Restore will serve as a hub for the Ella Baker Center’s initiatives to end mass incarceration and provide dedicated space for Alameda County’s restorative justice programs, in which victims feel heard and supported, conflicts are resolved, and communities are strengthened.

DJDS worked with Restore Oakland LLC to locate the project site and negotiate the purchase and sale agreement of the property. Through a series of design workshops with the partner organizations, DJDS developed a design and renderings for fundraising. The DJDS team then provided full architectural services for the project through construction.

In 2024, DJDS completed a post-occupancy evaluation of the Restore Oakland building to determine the impact of design on those who might have experienced trauma in their lives (e.g. incarceration, disputes with housing and tenant rights, or the need for workforce development support) and would be accessing Restore Oakland spaces to address those traumatic events. As part of the evaluation process, DJDS interviewed staff and visitors of the Restore Oakland building to better understand how design can and does impact healing.

Request a copy of the Restore Oakland Post-Occupancy Evaluation PDF

If you would like to receive a copy of the Restore Oakland Post Occupancy Evaluation, or for more information, email gjacobs@designingjustice.org.