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In design, something as simple as a canopy can be multipurpose. New Oregon Youth Authority housing units will have such overhangs 鈥� providing spaces where kids can stand, hear rain fall and feel connected to the rest of the world.

鈥淚t’s so important for these kids to have a sense of safety and security,鈥� said Carla Weinheimer, an architect and manager of a project to create the state’s largest youth correctional facility by restructuring an existing one.

DLR Group‘s Portland office has nearly finished designing six new youth correctional housing 鈥渃ottages鈥� as well as accompanying site and landscape improvements for the OYA. Designs are based on a rehabilitative model of juvenile justice, which has presented the team a set of unique challenges.

鈥淭his (is) something I feel really strongly about,鈥� said Lori Coppenrath, the project’s programming lead. 鈥淚 can personally feel pretty good about this project.鈥�

Last year, the Oregon Legislature approved an $80 million appropriation for OYA to update all of its 鈥渃lose custody鈥� facilities. The state houses approximately 750 people ages 12 to 24 at seven such facilities 鈥� six for males and one for females. OYA’s two largest facilities are more than 100 years old 鈥� MacLaren in Woodburn and Hillcrest in Salem. At peak, they held 500 youth; today, they hold around 135.

OYA plans to close Hillcrest by June 2017, and then relocate staff and consolidate services in a rebuilt MacLaren facility. Each of the six new cottages will be able to accommodate 16 kids: a single room (not a 鈥渃ell鈥�) for each resident, and common areas to encourage socialization. Unlike before, residents will be able to personalize their living spaces.

鈥淭he whole philosophy of the design is to encourage healthy adolescent brain development,鈥� said Erin Fuimaono, OYA’s chief of operations for facility services. 鈥淭his way focuses on healthy development, rather than being punitive.鈥�

OYA has a model called 鈥淧ositive Human Development鈥� that stresses reformation. The old model of juvenile justice was based on the adult corrections system, where negative behaviors were met with solitary confinement, OYA spokeswoman Ann Snyder said.

鈥淭hat’s basically the worst thing you could do,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hat science has been telling us these past few years is that juvenile brain development is very different. You’ve got less impulse control. You’re not thinking of the consequences. And with the right kind of guidance, you’ll move out of that.鈥�

DLR Group, in its designs, sought to support OYA’s vision by connecting living spaces with nature via lots of natural light and views of the outside. Rooms have access to enclosed exterior spaces. Space exists for kids to meet in smaller groups so that they don’t always have to feel like they’re in a large crowd.

Another key design concept was achieving a comfortable, 鈥渘ormative鈥� feel, to put youth at ease. Environmental graphics 鈥� including words, images, colors and symbols 鈥� were also included.

But despite their cozy feel, the cottages are intended to provide the appropriate security levels. All fixtures will be 鈥渄etention grade.鈥� There will be lots of secure storage. Designers kept out items that could be used as weapons, because many kids have self-harm issues. And lines of sight are designed so that a staff member can stand in one spot and enjoy unobscured views of nearly the entire interior.

The team had to employ reinforced walls, polished concrete and security-grade glazing 鈥� all design aspects not typically associated with aesthetics.

鈥淚t was a matter of being creative,鈥� said Kent Larson, principal in charge of DLR Group’s Portland office.

The project is expected to enter the state’s procurement process next month, and have a contractor selected by March.

As part of their research, team members met with OYA youth. Interestingly to the designers, few kids mentioned wanting personal space, perhaps because they’ve lived so long in institutions. Boys tended to want to hang out in groups of three or four friends, while girls favored groups of about a dozen.

Though OYA youth may be guilty of committing the crimes they were accused of, Coppenrath said, many are innocent in that they didn’t choose their life circumstances. She happens to have a degree in criminology.

鈥淚n every part of this, we want them to know that people care about them,鈥� she said.