The Refuge Center for Counseling

Project Statement

Nestled into a wooded hillside in Franklin, Tennessee, the new home of the Refuge Center for Counseling was designed to embody welcome, transparency, and the organization’s familial culture. Serving primarily Williamson County, the non-profit offers behavioral and mental health services on a sliding scale, ensuring access to quality care for all.

The lodge-like building is carefully sited parallel to the slope, tucking into the hillside to create a natural transition between the lower-level public entry and the secure upper level that opens to the woods. North and south counseling wings extend outward, drawing in daylight and woodland views to every occupied space. These wings also frame a central courtyard, symbolically embracing patrons and marking the transition from the busyness of the outside world to the introspective refuge of the center.

At the upper level, an open-air plaza expands therapeutic activities into nature, linking the building to gathering areas and the surrounding landscape. A freestanding glass and stone enclosed pavilion at the south end of the plaza provides a retreat for larger sessions. From this vantage point, patrons experience sweeping woodland views with access to hilltop trails, a prayer labyrinth, outdoor chapel, water feature, fire pit, play structure, and celebration and memorial gardens—each enriching the healing mission of the center.

Gabled rooflines and natural materials—stone and board-and-batten siding—establish a strong architectural identity while accommodating a wide variety of program needs. Interior spaces include counseling rooms for individuals and groups, specialized play therapy spaces for children with discreet observation rooms, along with adult clinical areas. Outdoor and indoor play facilities encourage young clients to connect with counselors in familiar, engaging ways.

Together, the indoor and outdoor environments create a safe, restorative setting that reflects the Refuge Center’s mission—providing true hope and a pathway to healing for its patrons.

Framework for Design Excellence Narrative

# **Design for Equitable Communities**

**Access and Inclusion for Vulnerable Populations:** The Refuge Center was designed to extend the organization’s mission of accessibility and inclusion beyond the walls of the building. By supporting a sliding-scale counseling model, the facility removes financial barriers to mental healthcare and affirms the dignity of all who seek services, regardless of background or circumstance. The planning process prioritized vulnerable populations—including children and families in crisis—by providing specialized play therapy rooms, observation areas, and flexible group counseling spaces.

**Community, Resilience, and Human Connection:** Courtyards, outdoor plazas, and gardens create a human-scaled environment that symbolically embraces patrons while promoting connection and resilience. These welcoming spaces also serve as resources for the broader community during times of need or emergency, embedding equity into both program and place.

# **Design for Ecosystems**

- **Stewardship and Site Preservation:** Carefully sited into a wooded hillside, the Refuge Center preserves the natural character of its landscape while minimizing disruption to existing ecosystems. By following the slope of the land and retaining mature trees, the project strengthens ecological health over time and reduces its overall footprint. Orientation and building form bring daylight and woodland views into every space, deepening users’ awareness of and connection to the surrounding environment.
- **Water Management and Habitat Restoration:** An extensive rainwater capture and detention system minimizes the building’s impact on the site, detaining all water from the building and upper hillside onsite to reduce runoff and support ecological balance. Trails, gardens, and play areas extend the mission of healing outdoors while also supporting habitat and biodiversity. Equitable access to these restorative landscapes ensures that connection with nature is a central part of the therapeutic experience.

# **Design for Well-Being**

- **Holistic Healing and Comfort:** The Refuge Center creates an environment that prioritizes physical, mental, and emotional health for patrons, staff, and the wider community. Every program element—from counseling wings and play therapy spaces to chapels and gathering areas—was shaped to promote healing and comfort. Natural light, woodland views, and access to outdoor spaces encourage movement, reflection, and play.
- **Safety, Inclusion, and Engagement with Nature:** Healthy, low-toxin materials ensure safe environments for occupants of all ages. With inclusive spaces that welcome children, families, and adults alike, the design fosters a sense of belonging while strengthening connections between people and place. By blurring the boundary between indoors and outdoors, the building itself becomes a partner in the therapeutic process. Additionally, acoustic upgrades to the walls and floors and integrated white noise sound system throughout fosters a sense of safety and privacy, critical to the function of the counseling environment.