A Welcoming Center For Homeless Outreach Opens in Compton

Tasked with creating a Los Angeles County community center for the nonprofit Homeless Outreach Program Integrated Care System, Kadre Architects founder Nerin Kadribegovic and team took an unremarkable existing building and transformed it into a light-filled hub, its new facade a welcoming presence in the Compton neigh­borhood. (The firm is emerging as a leader in architectural innovation in tackling California’s housing crisis.) During Kadribegovic’s initial exploration of the 1,000-square-foot interior—consisting of two storefronts—he uncovered two separate roofs, hiding an additional 10 feet of height and enabling a vaulted, double-height space.

Skylights—as well as expansive windows—bring in natural illumination, helping to calm the visitors seeking help there. Likewise, the uplifting yellow and white palette, a nod to HOPICS brand colors, is applied with Kadre’s signature graphic approach. For the play yard and garden, sections of the asphalt were removed and replaced by verdant artificial turf, while the remaining asphalt was treated to vivid paint hues, the pattern conceived by Kadre layering cutout pieces of colored paper. The lattice-covered pathway is a riff on the gabled roof of the neighboring church, connecting the two entities and representing the power of community. “Every project, no matter how small,” remarks Kadribegovic, “is an opportunity for big impact.”