Case Study: Rural Community Civic Building and Justice Center

HAHA Works facilitated a participatory design process to inform the planning of a new justice center and civic spaces for a rural community. The goal was to engage diverse community voices and create a design that fosters accessibility, equity, and inclusivity.

Approach & Community Engagement:

To ensure the project reflected the needs of residents, court staff, and justice-involved individuals, with the Architecture team, HAHA Works conducted:

Stakeholder Interviews & Focus Groups – Engaging tribal leaders, youth, elderly residents, and underrepresented communities to identify priorities.
Workshops & Visioning Sessions – Collaboratively defining inclusive artwork, trauma-informed spaces, and enhanced wayfinding.
Public Input & Feedback Loops – Gathering insights on mental health resources, security improvements, and courtroom design.

Key Outcomes proposed for the architecture team:

• Culturally Responsive Design: The integration of tribal artwork, gender-inclusive spaces, and youth-led art initiatives.

• Community-Focused Spaces: The design team was able to plan for restorative justice, humane detention facilities, and accessible legal resources.

• Enhanced Navigation & Safety: Improved wayfinding, multilingual signage, and privacy considerations for vulnerable visitors.