Richmond YWCA

The YWCA’s Richmond headquarters is designed to support the non-profit’s programs and users.

Founded in 1887, the YWCA of Richmond advocates for racial, social, and economic equity for women, girls, and their families. The redesign of their historic space was crafted to accomplish three main drivers; accommodate all staff and administrative functions in a thoughtful and functional layout; honor the history and significance of the building while creating a welcoming feeling for women of all backgrounds and ethnicities; and source products and materials designed or manufactured by women.

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Counseling and Education
For Women and Children

Market: Cultural

Location: Richmond

Size: 23,700 SF

Year Completed: 2022

APPROACH

As one the country’s oldest non-profit organizations supporting education, counseling, and support of women and children in crisis, the YWCA needed a flexible space to accommodate a variety of settings and programs. This included a counseling center, multipurpose rooms for team and community meetings, workforce development, tenant space for future non-profit partnerships. A major intervention to the gym provides multipurpose and conference/training space at the first floor, as well as mezzanine space for collaboration with other non-profits.

The redesign of this 110-year-old 4-story building, seeking historic tax credits, required the design team to craft a vision for the space that honored its storied past and the future of the YWCA that increases operational efficiency, support staff growth, and facilitates a wide range of programs and events.