The Triumph

In 2015 the Mayor of the District of Columbia announced a comprehensive program to build a facility in each Ward of the City to house 6,000 homeless residents.

With the construction of the new short term family housing facility, the city was able to move homeless residents out of an existing over-populated and dilapidated shelter. Families are afforded the opportunity to rebuild their lives as they transition out of homelessness and back into society. The Triumph is a new 38,000 SF housing facility comprised of 50 residential family units, administrative functions, and resident amenities.

A significant challenge in designing the facility was accommodating the full program of requirements on a steeply-sloping site, while respecting the neighborhood context of modest structures. Creative siting and modulation strategies with projecting bays were employed to scale down the mass of the 6-story structure.

After suffering the trauma of homelessness, residents have a critical need to feel safe and secure. The organization of the building program thoughtfully separates residential units from public amenities located on the ground floor. Interior planning maximizes natural light into each unit and shared common areas. Sensitive to the unique nature of the user, the design captures a welcoming and personal experience, rather than being cold and institutional.

This work was designed and completed by Suman Sorg while at Sorg Architects.