Griffin House | Dorchester, MA

Archventures, was a non- profit organization with the goals of partnering design and construction professionals with underserved communities, and offering youth exposure and involvement in enhancing our built environment.

The Griffin House was a neighborhood based, self-help program for women and their children recovering from substance abuse. While the house was in need of many additions and improvements, our first design build effort was to focus on the exterior. The backyard was overtaken by a large ramp, a deteriorating patio, nonconforming egress stair, and torn fences. Our hope was to transform the underused outdoor space, through the guidance of the residents of Griffin House, into a safe and nurturing place for mothers and their children. Could the ramp be occupiable? If oversized, the ramp can serve the purpose of both accessibility and a place for play.

Unfortunately, this project was not able to be realized and the following images are a summary of the design studies that were conducted with the staff and residents of Griffin House.