Fair Haven Community Health Fair Haven, Connecticut
Fair Haven Community Health in Fair Haven (Conn.) aims to improve the health of its population with a new community health center. The facility will provide health and wellness services. This new facility, located on the same block as FHCHC’s existing Community Health Center will allow FHCHC an increase in capacity of 40 percent. It will also provide care to 22,000 additional patient visits each year.
Environments for Health Architecture, based in Burlington, Vt., is collaborating with the community health centre to complete the project. It’s scheduled for completion by January 2025.
The project, located just across the Mill River from New Haven is in an ideal location. It is also intended to serve as a gateway into Fair Haven’s newly developed business district.
Guide for Community Engagement Sessions
The team conducted several bilingual listening sessions and engagement sessions with the community to collect feedback for the new centre.
The design will therefore focus on creating spaces that are inclusive to meet the unmet needs for Fair Haven residents. Approximately 60 percent of Fair Haven’s population lives below poverty level and the majority does not have health insurance.
The architecture of the 35.560-square-foot structure will be a combination of traditional brick and light-colored fiber cement siding, reflecting the vernacular, cultural influences, and neighborhood, while still maintaining durability.
The design will also reinterpret New England’s traditional aesthetic, both in form and function, by incorporating an recognizable roofline with a peaked peak to denote the main entrance.
This facade will include murals or artwork to further connect the building to the community.
