Why Design Matters: The New HASC Center in Brooklyn

This week, I stood outside the new HASC Center on Avenue M in Brooklyn with our team, surrounded by staff and community members. As the ribbon was cut, I was reminded how much a thoughtfully designed space can change someone's every day.

The spaces we spend our days in shape how we feel and how we grow. For the people HASC supports, including individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, that matters even more. A room that is calm, bright, and easy to understand can make someone feel safe and confident. A room that is loud or confusing can do the opposite.

That's why every choice we made here came back to the people inside it. We chose soft, calming colors, brought in natural light, controlled the sound, and kept the layouts clear and predictable. We used HASC's own brand colors to create natural wayfinding, so moving through the building feels intuitive and familiar. Accessibility was built into every space from the start, not added later, so everyone can move through the building with ease. We also chose durable, easy-to-clean finishes that hold up to daily use and still feel warm and inviting.

We designed dedicated activity rooms for baking, music, and more, giving people places to learn new skills, express themselves, and simply enjoy their day. In the sensory room, the therapy spaces, and the Blanche Kahn Family Health Center, the interior design is there to support independence and growth.

A project like this doesn't come together by chance. HASC brought us in in 2021, and we stayed involved from the first drawings through construction. When the design team is part of the process from the start and works closely with the architect, the contractor, and the client, every decision is made with purpose. You can feel it in the finished space.

One of the most meaningful parts of this journey has been the time we've spent with the HASC staff. Their dedication to the people they care for is truly inspiring. Every conversation with them helped us understand what this building needed to be, and it pushed us to design with even more care. A space that is calm, organized, and thoughtfully planned supports the staff as much as the people they support, so they can focus on what they do best.

I'm grateful to the HASC team for their vision and trust, and to RISE Architecture and Promont for being such wonderful partners. Together, we created something special.

Our team is proud to be part of projects like this, where design truly changes lives.

-Blima