Cardiff University students design housing for domestic‑violence victims
Students from Cardiff University’s architecture program unveiled a housing project featuring shared courtyards, winter gardens and a nursery as a response to the needs of domestic‑violence survivors. The design also includes a pottery workshop using River Taff materials, a weather archive, and an artist residency in the Preseli Hills.
The project was showcased in Dezeen School Shows, illustrating how student designers can merge safe‑space architecture with creative activities to address social challenges.
The built environment incorporates shared courtyards for community interaction, winter gardens to provide warmth and calm, and a nursery to support small families—all integrated into a single residential complex.
A pottery workshop that uses locally sourced River Taff materials offers a participatory art practice, fostering a connection between residents and their surroundings while teaching hands‑on skills.
The weather archive and artist residency in the Preseli Hills add dynamic, multidisciplinary layers, enabling artists and researchers to engage with the environment and each other.
For designers, the project demonstrates how to create protective, supportive spaces that respond to specific community needs while leveraging local resources.
Looking ahead, this model could be adopted in similar housing initiatives nationwide and internationally, serving as a replicable template for protective housing projects.