As we launch our series of articles highlighting our work and design, we’re proud to share the meaningful impact of our collaboration with the Los Angeles LGBT Center. An impact not just on the LGBTQ+ community but also on ourselves as a team. Through our work with the Center, we were able to deepen our understanding of how design has a ripple effect. We also learned how a mission-aligned design approach supports not only our clients’ missions but our own mission as interior designers and architects.

Being aware that design has a ripple effect—a space can impact people beyond the direct users of the spaces we design for–we acknowledge and understand the importance of mindful and intentional design. A mission-aligned design approach is one example of how design can be used as a tool to support and uplift not only our clients’ missions and our mission as a group of interior designers and architects, but also people beyond the direct users of the spaces we design for. The Los Angeles LGBT Center remodel project is an example of this.

Aligning Our Missions

The Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Mission is to “care for, champion, and celebrate LGBTQ individuals and families in Los Angeles and beyond by offering programs, services, and global advocacy that span four broad categories: health, social services and housing, culture and education, and leadership and advocacy to build a better world—a world in which LGBTQ people can be healthy, equal, and complete members of society.”

One of our Missions as Designers and Architects is through mindful and intentional design, to partner with our clients to support and enhance their missions. A big part of our mission is to also understand our “why?”. Why do what we do? One response is that we recognize how design can enhance the well-being of others. How do we do this? One way, is by using a mission-aligned design approach. Why? Because we enjoy the design process, but also get so much in return knowing the impact we can have on our clients, and our client’s clients.  

Aligning these missions created the framework for our design approach in the Center’s remodel. Research shows that 8% of LGBTQ patients report being refused care due to their sexual orientation,¹ and that the physical environment of healthcare settings can significantly contribute to preventing or reducing patient stress.² For a community that already faces too many barriers to care, our design needed to actively counter these challenges while supporting the Center’s three core goals. Every design decision became an opportunity to create dignity, welcome, and healing.

Design Elements Supporting the Center’s Mission and Goals: Building a World in Which LGBTQ People Can Be Healthy Members of Society

Creating environments that promote healing became our primary focus. In an external urban environment that can feel harsh and unwelcoming, our design centered on creating a space internally that felt clean, serene, and calm.

Healing Through Natural Materials

Nature has an inherent power to heal. Thus, we used natural elements and materials throughout the design to promote calmness and well-being: light-colored tile flooring evocative of terrazzo and outdoor natural materials, subtle and light woods, and green-colored walls that evoke plant life indoors. This isn’t just aesthetic preference—research shows that biophilic design in hospitals reduces hospitalization time, patient mortality, pain levels, and stress while supporting faster recovery.³ For LGBTQ+ patients who may already feel vulnerable in medical settings, these elements create an immediate sense of calm and safety.

Patient-Centered Space Planning

Working with the medical staff on the clinic design and layout was one of the most important parts of this project. We modeled many of the spaces after their favorite existing rooms. One example was to model all exam rooms after the medical personnel’s favorite existing exam room layouts. By placing the feedback of the medical staff first, we knew that each exam room would now be a favorite for them, and, ultimately, help to put the health of the patients first–assisting the Center to complete their goal of providing quality health care.

Building a World in Which LGBTQ People Can Be Equal Members of Society

Quality design communicates value and respect. By prioritizing high-quality materials and thoughtful layouts, we help clients and staff feel valued the moment they walk through the door. Through design, we can provide people with dignity—dignity to know that in addition to receiving quality care, the spatial environment reflects that same level of care and attention.

Inclusive Design Process

Throughout this project, we prioritized collaboration and inclusion with the Center’s staff—not because it’s good practice, but because it was essential to getting this right. The voices of those who work in the space daily needed to be heard and incorporated. This approach reflects the Center’s own commitment to treating all people with respect and recognizing their expertise. The Center’s staff know best what their clients’ needs require, and by prioritizing their voices, we are ensuring equality by design.

Building a World in Which LGBTQ People Can Be Complete Members of Society

The Center has always been more than just a building to the LGBTQ+ community—it’s been a home, sanctuary, and symbol of resilience. We wanted our design to honor that legacy while making it even more accessible and welcoming.

Community Integration Through Space Planning

Moving the clinic to the first floor was about more than convenience—it was about removing barriers and making a statement. Healthcare should be accessible, visible, and prioritized. This placement transforms the clinic from a destination within the building to an integrated part of the community experience, putting patient needs literally and symbolically at the forefront.

Welcome as the First Experience

There’s something powerful about walking into a space and immediately feeling seen and valued. The redesigned waiting, reception, and check-in areas now serve as visitors’ first experience of the building. When someone enters the Center now, they immediately encounter spaces designed for comfort, dignity, and acceptance—setting the tone for every interaction that follows.

The Ripple Effect in Action

Through this design project, we were proud to partner with the Center to support both our mission as designers and their mission as leaders of the LGBTQ+ community in Los Angeles and beyond.

Recognizing that each space impacts a person, we can certainly state that design has a clear ripple effect, and by using a mission-aligned approach, we’re grateful to provide not only the Center’s users, but the greater LGBTQ community with dignity and support for their well-being. This work, in turn, supports our own well-being as humans who strive to give of ourselves through design for the greater good. That reciprocal relationship—where meaningful work feeds the soul—is what keeps us passionate about what we do.

As we reflect on the impact the Los Angeles LGBT Center project has had on our team, we are reminded that design is never neutral. Every space we create either supports or hinders the missions of those who use it. The Center renovation demonstrates how thoughtful design can become a tool for social good—creating ripple effects that strengthen communities and support human dignity.

When we align our mission as designers and architects with our clients’ missions, we create something greater than the sum of its parts—spaces that don’t just house important work but actively enable and amplify it. The result benefits not only those who use the spaces directly but the broader communities they serve, creating ripple effects that extend far beyond any single project.

Sources

1. Center for American Progress, “Discrimination Prevents LGBTQ People From Accessing Health Care,” 2017
2. Andrade, C. C., Devlin, A. S., Pereira, C. R., & Lima, M. L. “Do the hospital rooms make a difference for patients’ stress? A multilevel analysis of the role of perceived control, positive distraction, and social support,” 2017
3. “A systematic review of the impact of therapeutical biophilic design on health and wellbeing of patients and care providers in healthcare services settings,” Frontiers in Built Environment, 2024

Klawiter Group specializes in design for office, healthcare, and entertainment spaces. To discuss how Klawiter Group can support your organization’s goals, contact us to explore the possibilities for your next project.