JKA 25 Years: 2024

n 2024 JKA began designing the conversion of a former 1970s Orange County tourist motel into a transitional housing support center. To update the facility for use by individuals transitioning from being unhoused to permanent housing, JKA was retained to design building improvements and open space influenced by domestic, hospitality, and trauma-informed design principles.

The existing two-story structure has a lot of deferred maintenance, with the original building systems at the end of their lifecycles, non-compliant exterior staircases along with energy-inefficient windows and doors. The site exterior was harsh and devoid of landscape. JKA approached the mix of environmental and technical challenges to plan complete new building systems, site improvements for storm water retention and substantial accessibility upgrades.

The proposed overall interior and exterior design utilizes an earthy and natural color palette and wood battens to screen rooms and provide a sense of privacy and comfort for occupants. Individual, small group, and communal outdoor gathering areas are placed around the existing structure’s perimeter, establishing a variety of landscaped open spaces. Units have unique color patterns to mark individual rooms and give residents a sense of personal identity. When completed in 2026, the new facility will provide a supportive and safe environment, facilitating individual's housing stability within a welcoming setting.