In the face of escalating displacement, the global refugee population has surged from 117.3 million in 2023 to 122.6 million in 2024—a startling figure underscoring the urgent need for safe and inclusive environments. Refugees, particularly children, face profound psychological and emotional challenges as they navigate loss, uncertainty, and the demands of cultural integration. This thesis explores how thoughtful design can transform temporary shelters into spaces of healing, safety, and community, especially for displaced children. My thesis envisions environments that foster belonging, empowerment, and resilience through child-centered play areas, educational spaces, communal gardens, and cultural retail zones. By integrating sustainable materials, spaces for cultural expression, and opportunities for economic engagement, the aim is to create pathways toward hope and healing. This project investigates how architecture and interior design can support displaced communities, asking: How can design cultivate a sense of home and community for those who have lost both? And can these spaces serve as catalysts for healing and empowerment amid profound adversity?

Public interior space is crucial to the development and support of communities. It supports civic engagement by providing spaces for connection, activity, and reflection leading to deeper belonging to and stewardship of one’s community. In public space, the transitional non-programmed spaces can create greater opportunity for a wide range of uses and interaction between diverse users. However, public space is unequally invested in. Socio-economic status, as well as race and gender have a huge impact on how public spaces are shaped. Public space should be equally accessible and supportive for all communities. I began this project considering my own experience of public spaces, and how they supported or failed to support me and my community. I am interested in how public interiors can be repurposed to support connection and activity, creating space that is approachable, inclusive, and can be community defined, supporting democracy and the fabric of our cities.