ChildSafe Wins Fast Company's 2020 Innovation by Design Award for its Nature-Focused Campus Designed by Overland Partners

SAN ANTONIO, Oct. 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ChildSafe's Harvey E. Najim Children & Family Center has been awarded Fast Company's 2020 Innovation by Design Award in its newly created Wellness category. The nature-focused campus, designed by architectural and urban design firm Overland Partners, is a beacon of hope and healing for children who have experienced trauma including physical and sexual abuse, neglect, and those who have witnessed a violent crime.

The $26.5 million building, which opened in August 2019, was the culmination of nearly five years of planning and collaboration with architects from Overland, principals from Guido Construction, executives and board members of ChildSafe, and community leaders. The concerted effort resulted in an extraordinary 65,000 square foot building situated on 15 acres where trauma-informed care and healing are central to its mission. Calling upon biophilic principles, ChildSafe's design was based on the premise of a children's nature center where natural daylight, connections to the outdoors, and activities in nature start children on a path to healing and rebuilding their lives. 

ChildSafe is the first urban Children's Advocacy Center to house a 24-hour crisis intervention center for minor sex trafficking victims, the only national Children's Advocacy Center using trauma-based Adventure Therapy, and the only urban center using its natural surroundings as a restorative feature to reduce the impacts of first-degree trauma suffered by children, as well as second-degree trauma experienced by frontline staff members.

"It is exciting to see Fast Company recognizes inspiring design coupled with nature, as part of a trauma-informed setting, can dramatically impact a child's ability to heal, along with those professionals who treat them. We hope this type of innovative design is adopted nationwide and used as a model for organizations providing essential services in our communities," said Kim Abernethy, ChildSafe President & CEO. 

Immeasurable care was taken to design a nurturing, child-friendly campus. "By strategic design decisions, we were able to invoke nature's therapeutic benefits inside and outside of the building to bring a sense of calm to children and families during a daunting time in their lives, as well as staff members who work in stressful situations," said Michael Rey, Overland Principal on the project.

The building employs many sustainable strategies, including solar panels, rainwater harvesting, recycled water for landscaping and advanced heating and cooling technologies to minimize operation and maintenance costs, while being responsible stewards of the land.

"The entire campus was designed and built on the premise of providing a restorative experience for all who visit and work there," said Rey.

To learn more about ChildSafe services and their new campus, visit www.childsafe-sa.org.

To learn more about Overland Partners' role in the project, visit www.overlandpartners.com

ChildSafe Contact: Karen Adams 210-844-8973 

Overland Contact: Erika Picard 210-793-6951

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SOURCE Overland Partners Inc