Placer County Children’s Emergency Shelter

Located in the Sierra Foothills near the historic town of Auburn, the Children’s Emergency Shelter was designed as a protective refuge for children in crisis. The Design Partnership took cues from the naturally peaceful and tranquil qualities of the site, with its large native oak trees and a freshwater pond, to create a village-like campus that is familiar, reassuring and restorative. The four buildings on the campus include the main shelter which has four cottages housing six children each, an administrative building, a school, and a gymnasium. The secured landscaping, protected and formed by its campus buildings, includes a playground, as well as areas for reflection and group discussions. The building forms and detailing tie in with the local vernacular and the rural nature of their extraordinary setting.

Location: Auburn, CA

Client: Placer County

Size: 20,000 sq. ft.