Abstract:
Relocating refugees in an unfamiliar environment in the United States without explicitly acknowledging their cultural and emotional needs hinders their ability to adapt to their new communities, neighborhoods and homes. One method to address the disconnect between resettled refugees and their new environment is to develop a list of architectural guidelines, or pattern language, that can be utilized as a tool to promote integration and inclusion for resettled refugees, especially in Portland, Oregon where the population of refugee families is steadily growing due to the Syrian refugee crisis.