HGA’s design facilitates learning for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Becoming Independent (BI) is a community-based, nonprofit service organization established 50 years ago that helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) live meaningful and productive lives through day programs, independent living, and employment support. HGA is proud to announce our role as designers bringing to life Becoming Independent’s vision for a new, 24,000-square-foot headquarters in Santa Rosa, California. Each space in the new headquarters, projected to open in mid 2022, is designed to integrate the full range of BI’s key service areas: behavioral health, education, vocational training and employment support, personal enrichment, independent living, and social enterprise.
To achieve BI’s goal of providing a highly effective, centralized environment for its participants and staff, the organization consolidated its Sonoma, Healdsburg, and Marin campuses that were being underutilized, as more participants moved into community engagement and employment settings. BI sold one of its two buildings that made up their Santa Rosa campus and reinvested the proceeds into redeveloping the remaining building, turning it into a post-secondary environment where its innovative offerings could be actively developed, accessed, and experienced by the entire community. Beyond addressing the necessary improvements to BI’s existing, aging industrial space, a key project goal was to ensure the new flagship location paved the way for further development of services important to the population the organization serves.
Developed through a series of visioning sessions and workplace strategy events with key stakeholders, HGA approached every design decision with equity in mind, ensuring that each space within the new headquarters is equipped with appropriate tools to support participants in reaching their educational and personal goals. The end result is a post secondary environment, equipped with state-of-the-art technology alongside up-to-date air filtration systems to ensure health and safety. Flexibility and integration are built into the design, so that it can adapt to BI’s wide-ranging needs, both now and in the future.
Key spaces within the headquarters include:
- A 10,000 SF flexible program space with two retractable soundproof walls that turn this space into three separate rooms, each containing mobile furniture that is easily arranged to accommodate any use. These rooms can be utilized on weekdays for classes such as art, stress management, or workplace etiquette.
- A commercial kitchen equipped with restaurant-quality equipment will provide opportunities for vocational training, independent living skills, and social engagement.
- An event center available for rent when the 10,000 SF flexible program space is not being utilized by programs. Those hosting events ranging from small gatherings (3,300 SF) to large galas (10,000 SF indoor and 10,000 SF outdoor) can transform the space to fit their needs and will have access to the commercial kitchen. Not only will this provide another social enterprise to feed BI’s revenue stream, but it will also offer market wage employment opportunities for BI’s clients who wish to work in the events industry.
- Conference rooms that double as classrooms where smaller groups can focus on activities such as resume building and job interviewing skills. Each room is designed to have a calming effect for those with sensory sensitivity and will be equipped to function as a “Zoom Room.”
- A fully equipped gym for indoor fitness classes with an interior and exterior entrance.
- Access to an existing 10,000 SF outdoor garden with views of the Sonoma County hills via large glass doors in the open program areas which roll up to connect the space with a new patio expanse that leads to the garden – creating an indoor/outdoor environment for optimal wellness.
- Offices for BI staff members and related administrative support spaces.
“People with intellectual and developmental disabilities have always been eager to receive training, support, and most importantly, gainful employment. We are excited to welcome everyone back to a safe and dignified environment that reflects the caliber of our innovative programming and provides opportunities for people across the abilities spectrum to connect, engage, and contribute,” said Luana Vaetoe, Becoming Independent’s Chief Executive Officer. “We enjoyed collaborating with HGA during the entire process, and we are so proud to unveil a resulting design that more than meets the evolving needs of our participants and staff alike.”
The overall design direction of the space models the industrial style of makerspaces and tech incubators, which are often open and leave original structures exposed. The clean aesthetic offers a blank canvas for Becoming Independent’s varied programming, further supporting the flexibility that is key to the space. Finishes throughout the headquarters nod to Becoming Independent’s fresh, positive outlook on life and seamlessly incorporate the organization’s brand colors and recognizable graphics.
“Becoming Independent is an asset to the North Bay community and its participants are so deserving of a space that truly honors their value and supports their ability to grow, both personally and professionally,” said Heather Kampa, principal at HGA and project lead. “We were honored to be selected to transform their programming headquarters and primary workplace into an exceptional space that reflects and elevates BI’s impact—one that not only meets their current needs, but also lays the foundation for future generations to successfully connect, engage, and become active contributors to the community.”