Helena Andric
As a designer, I love colourful, maximalist, and feminine styles. I have had a personal journey of working my way back to feminine things after rejecting femininity at a young age due to the gender inequalities I was starting to experience in my own life. Designing spaces for girls and women is a way to interrupt and reclaim the community around us. Combining feminism and girly design styles creates a unique juxtaposition aimed at starting a conversation about what it truly means to be a girl in the built environment.
Project Overview
FAB is a not-for-profit adolescent girls' running club. The program currently runs out of community rec centers and school gyms, often being given only a classroom. This FAB Running Center is a new type of community center that caters to the empowerment of young women, exploring how a dedicated built environment can enhance this goal. The bottom level has staff spaces, an indoor third space/park, and a programming space for girls in grades 6-8. The top floor explores how space can influence new programming styles for FAB Empowerment girls in grades 9-12. The space focuses on feminist theory, Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and the overall development of a running space where the goal is community and personal achievement rather than winning.
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Feminist Theory
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Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
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Interaction Study Between Men and Women
Concept/Design Process
At an early age, girls start to notice the world around them and may begin to experience real-world situations. When conducting research, it was clear that girls have no spaces in their community that feel safe and welcoming, which is a big deal! So, utilizing Feminist Theory and Maslow's hierarchy of needs, I developed standards for how young girls behave.
They like to see without necessarily being seen, they prefer to talk face to face, they like to lie down and be comfortable, and they really like swings. Connecting this to the safety concerns when dealing with young girls, along with the idea of meeting the bottom tiers of Maslow's hierarchy through the building alone, allowing FAB programming to present them with the tools to reach the top tier. This is a space where the girls can practice being who they are outside of their parents for the first time, where they are truly safe and supported.
Site Plan/Floor Plan(s)
The first floor plan is for girls and staff. The lobby encompasses an indoor playground where girls are free to run around, explore, and relax. There is also a community closet which everyone has access to. The programming space holds a large open gym space with options for yoga and running gameplay. Additionally, there is a strong connection and resource center for coaches and FAB administration.
On the second floor, there is a large 50-meter track encompassing a learning kitchen, journal area, yoga studio, and changing rooms. Feminist theory was used when deciding where to place programming areas for each program. First, I did not want the older girls to have any connection to the younger girls. Often, programs for older girls focus on volunteering and supporting younger girls, taking away their right to programming. Additionally, programming spaces were removed from the main streets to provide privacy.
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First Floor Plan (grades 6-8)
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Second Floor Plan (grades 9-12)
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East Facing Section
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North Facing Section
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Track Diagram
Sections/Elevations
These sections showcase statement elements such as a slide, custom baffle sound absorption sculptures, a modular yoga studio, a kids' play park, and so much more. The track detail explores the science behind the meandering track approach. Where fun, choice, variety, and experience are at the forefront of the design.
3D Views
The first render displays the atmosphere at the end of a weekly running practice. After completing their 1km challenge, girls cheer on their friends and encourage them to complete their run. This area highlights some track features such as pacing lights, water station, warm-up and cool-down areas, technology to track times, and multiple seating options.
The second render highlights the indoor park. This space allows girls to hang out before or after their class or come down after school. They are free to chat, run, climb, pretend, play, read, or rest in a safe area of the building with adults nearby as needed. The last render showcases a change room design that promotes esteem and belonging. By providing the girls with this beautiful space, it tells them that they do belong in nice spaces, giving them some confidence. Along with individual changing stalls and minimal hygiene prep areas such as a mirror and counter to do your hair.
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Running Track (grades 9-12)
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Indoor Park (all grades)
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Change Room (grades 6-8)
Poster
This poster communicates two halves of my thesis project. The first board focuses more on the theory and concepts based on my extensive thesis titled "Utilizing Feminist Theory and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to Empower Adolescent Girls Through a FAB Running Center," which can be found in the Humber repository. The second board displays more of the design solutions based on my research. Each space is constantly developing as new questions arise; the design is far from done. These are just the beginning ideas of what a space that supports adolescent girls could look like.
