When Shopworks Architecture was founded in 2012, it was with a bold vision: to design communities that restore dignity. From the beginning, they believed architecture should be more than brick and mortar. It should heal. It should empower. It should inspire.
Over the past decade, Shopworks has pioneered the practice of trauma-informed design, an approach that considers how the built environment impacts all of us, and especially those who have experienced hardship. The concept is simple but powerful: natural light, community gathering spaces, safety, and beauty are not luxuries. They are essential elements of recovery and resilience. It is also a philosophy that VOA Colorado has embraced with deep passion; the Theodora Family Hotel that opened earlier this year and houses over 60 families, underscores the growing recognition of how design influences recovery and resilience.
Nowhere has this been more evident than in Shopworks’ partnership with VOA Colorado. Together, the two organizations have collaborated on projects that provide not only affordable housing but also environments that promote safety, healing, and hope. From supportive housing developments to family-centered spaces, Shopworks has helped VOA Colorado bring its mission to life in ways that are felt every time someone walks through the door.
“Our work with VOA Colorado is deeply personal to us,” says Laura Rossbert, COO and Housing Specialist at Shopworks. “We’ve seen firsthand how thoughtful design can change the trajectory of someone’s life. It takes a community of people and organizations believing in doing good together, and VOA Colorado has been an incredible partner in that journey.”
The lessons of this work, and the hope it creates, are now captured in Shopworks’ new book, Designing for Dignity. The book distills more than ten years of research and practice into a compelling vision for how architecture can support recovery and rebuild lives. It is both a practical guide and a call to action: proof that dignified design changes everything.
For Shopworks, this work has never been about buildings alone. It’s about creating places where people feel seen, valued, and at home. Through their partnership with VOA Colorado, they are proving every day that when we design with compassion, we build brighter futures.To order Designing for Dignity, visit Amazon.