Beyond the Wall: Reimagining Campus Architecture to Support Sexual Assault Survivors
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Robin Puttock
Department
CACM – Architecture
Abstract
This thesis explores how trauma-informed design principles can be integrated into Kennesaw State University’s Marietta Campus to promote psychological safety, emotional resilience, and reduction of trauma triggers for survivors of sexual assault. While trauma-informed approaches have been implemented in healthcare and counseling, their application within academic architecture remains limited. This gap is important to consider given the rising rates of sexual assault, which have increased 62.5% since 2020. Current data shows that four in five women (81%) and two in five men (43%) experience sexual assault in their lifetime, specifically noting that college-aged women are three times more likely to experience it than the general population. Given the ongoing emotional impacts of trauma among students, this research focuses on addressing that gap, establishing the built environment as an active agent in student healing and resilience. A qualitative research approach will be utilized, combining historical analysis, precedent studies, and site-specific observation. Behavioral and sensory mapping, the implementation of trauma-informed principles, and biophilic design strategies will inform an understanding of how architectural elements such as light, circulation, materiality, and spatial thresholds influence perceptions of safety and wellbeing, along with improvements in student performance despite the presence of anxiety, depression, and PTSD among sexual assault survivors. Through adaptive reuse of existing structures, proposing new “hubs” within the campus framework, and reimagined campus circulation, this thesis proposes a new composition of campus design that not only educates and spreads awareness but also restores trust, dignity, and emotional refuge.
Disciplines
Architecture
Beyond the Wall: Reimagining Campus Architecture to Support Sexual Assault Survivors
This thesis explores how trauma-informed design principles can be integrated into Kennesaw State University’s Marietta Campus to promote psychological safety, emotional resilience, and reduction of trauma triggers for survivors of sexual assault. While trauma-informed approaches have been implemented in healthcare and counseling, their application within academic architecture remains limited. This gap is important to consider given the rising rates of sexual assault, which have increased 62.5% since 2020. Current data shows that four in five women (81%) and two in five men (43%) experience sexual assault in their lifetime, specifically noting that college-aged women are three times more likely to experience it than the general population. Given the ongoing emotional impacts of trauma among students, this research focuses on addressing that gap, establishing the built environment as an active agent in student healing and resilience. A qualitative research approach will be utilized, combining historical analysis, precedent studies, and site-specific observation. Behavioral and sensory mapping, the implementation of trauma-informed principles, and biophilic design strategies will inform an understanding of how architectural elements such as light, circulation, materiality, and spatial thresholds influence perceptions of safety and wellbeing, along with improvements in student performance despite the presence of anxiety, depression, and PTSD among sexual assault survivors. Through adaptive reuse of existing structures, proposing new “hubs” within the campus framework, and reimagined campus circulation, this thesis proposes a new composition of campus design that not only educates and spreads awareness but also restores trust, dignity, and emotional refuge.