Designing Justice + Designing Spaces

What Designing Justice + Designing Spaces does

Designing Justice + Designing Spaces (DJDS) is an Oakland, California-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) architecture and real estate development firm founded in 2015 to address mass incarceration by designing physical infrastructure for alternatives to incarceration. The organization provides integrated architecture and real estate development services to government agencies (e.g., LA County Justice Care & Opportunities Department, City of Atlanta), social justice and restorative justice nonprofits (e.g., Ella Baker Center, Allied Media Projects, Community Works, Building Opportunities for Self Sufficiency, A New Way of Life), community development organizations (Liberty Community Land Trust, Venice Community Housing, Port of Africatown), and educational institutions (Five Keys Schools and Programs). Its completed and in-flight portfolio spans national geographies and includes the Restore Oakland building (20,000 sq ft), Center for Equity in Atlanta (471,000 sq ft adaptive reuse of the Atlanta City Detention Center), The LOVE Building in Detroit (28,000 sq ft), Community Works San Francisco (6,800 sq ft), the Restorative Justice Organization Headquarters in New York (7,000 sq ft), 4345 Crenshaw Blvd affordable housing in Los Angeles (56 units), Hope Reentry Campus, Warm Landing Place, Gulf Coast Innovation Center, and the Mobile Refuge Rooms prototype.

DJDS's core technology is its trauma-informed, community-engaged design methodology, codified in proprietary toolkits including the DJDS Toolkit (digital and physical workshop materials for engaging incarcerated and justice-impacted individuals in design), Peace & Justice Cards (a 101-photo-card engagement deck sold at $50 per unit), the Restorative Justice City Framework (city-scale evaluation tool), and Trauma-Informed Design Guidelines co-developed with LA County Department of Youth Development and the Haywood Burns Institute. The firm also conducts post-occupancy evaluations measuring design impact on wellbeing, formalized under a 2024 National Endowment for the Arts grant.

DJDS operates a hybrid revenue model combining fee-for-service architecture and real estate development consulting with charitable donations and grants. It accepts individual contributions, corporate sponsorship, in-kind materials and furnishings, ACH/Wire transfers, DAF payments, bequests, and gifts of stock, crypto, and real estate. The team of approximately 20 staff is led by Co-Founder and Executive Director Deanna Van Buren and includes a Director of Real Estate Development, Director of Advancement, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Business Development, and Real Estate Director for the West Coast.

Name

Designing Justice + Designing Spaces

Legal name

Designing Justice + Designing Spaces

Website

https://designingjustice.org/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Designing Justice + Designing Spaces is an Oakland-based nonprofit architecture and real estate development firm that designs trauma-informed restorative justice, reentry, and affordable housing spaces for government agencies, social justice nonprofits, and community organizations working to end mass incarceration.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architecture and Real Estate Development Services (Restorative Justice and Reentry)

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (54141), Industrial Design Services (541420)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB), Space Planning & Workplace Design (BPAHAKAI), Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO), Industrial/Product & Furniture Design (BPAHAKAM)

Keywords

• Restorative justice architecture
• Trauma-informed design
• Real estate development advisory
• Community engaged design
• Reentry housing design

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Real Estate Development Services: Fee-for-service architecture and real estate development consulting. DJDS provides integrated architecture services and real estate advising to community organizations, governments, and nonprofits.
2. Donations and Grants: Tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization receiving charitable donations. EIN# 81-2658023. Accepts corporate sponsorship, in-kind materials, furnishings, and services. Also receives ACH/Wire, DAF Payments, Bequests, and gifts of Stock, Crypto, or Real Estate.
3. Product Sales: Sale of Peace & Justice Cards deck at $50 per unit.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Designing Justice + Designing Spaces is a nonprofit architecture and real estate development firm that provides integrated architecture services (concept design, schematic design, design development, construction documents, and construction administration) and real estate development advisory to government agencies, community-based organizations, and nonprofits seeking to build restorative justice, reentry, and community-supportive spaces. In parallel, it sells physical engagement tools such as the Peace & Justice Cards and the DJDS Toolkit and applies proprietary trauma-informed and community-engaged design methodologies to projects such as Restore Oakland, Community Works, The LOVE Building, the Mobile Refuge Rooms, and the Atlanta Center for Equity.

Product overview

Designing Justice + Designing Spaces (DJDS) is a Bay Area-based architecture and real estate development social enterprise offering a portfolio of professional services and impact-focused products. The core offering comprises integrated architecture and real estate development advisory services, supplemented by research and evaluation tools including the DJDS Toolkit (digital/analog workshop materials for engaging justice stakeholders in design), Peace & Justice Cards (photo-based community engagement cards), Restorative Justice City (city-scale evaluation framework), and post-occupancy evaluation services. The company also provides downloadable resources such as the Trust-Building Through Environmental Design Toolkit and Real Estate Development 101 Guide. DJDS works alongside community-based organizations to design and build spaces including restorative justice hubs, reentry housing, community centers, youth facilities, and economic development spaces.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DJDS: Abbreviated name for Designing Justice + Designing Spaces used throughout the website and communications.
• Restorative Justice City
• Mobile Refuge Rooms
• Peace & Justice Cards
• DJDS Toolkit
• Pop-Up Village

Products and services

• Design & Architecture Services Full-service architecture including concept development, schematic design, design development, construction documents, and construction administration for community-based organizations, governments, and nonprofits seeking trauma-informed and restorative-justice spaces.
• Real Estate Development Advisory Real estate development consulting including site selection, capital financing, property acquisition, and development advisory for community-based organizations and nonprofits seeking to own and sustain their spaces.
• DJDS Toolkit A digital and analog toolkit for architects, governments, nonprofits, and communities to conduct workshops with incarcerated individuals and justice stakeholders, exploring how architecture and design of justice spaces can shift from punitive to restorative orientations.
• Peace & Justice Cards A conceptual deck of 101 photo cards plus 2 instruction cards used for community engagement visioning activities to explore design ideas across cultures and language barriers, sold as a physical product at $50 per deck.
• Restorative Justice City Framework An evaluation project and conceptual framework for developing citywide restorative justice infrastructure, including a downloadable map resource that evaluates the needs of a restorative system and informs city-scale design of justice spaces.
• Post-Occupancy Evaluation Services Research and evaluation services studying the impact of building designs on user behavior, mental and physical health, and wellbeing, with particular focus on trauma-informed design outcomes for justice-impacted communities.
• Community Engagement Services Community-engaged design processes and workshops for government, nonprofit, and community clients, centering systems-impacted people in visioning and design of justice and reentry spaces.
• Limited-Edition Table Collection A limited-edition furniture collection created in partnership with Formr and A New Way of Life, merging design with social impact and providing charitable benefit to women rebuilding their lives after incarceration.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trauma-informed design elements in Restore Oakland's Peace Room include soft colors, natural lighting for greenery, and culturally-relevant art that calming the nervous system
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

39 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ArupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Global engineering firm providing acoustical and lighting expertise for restorative justice spaces. Worked on Community Works San Francisco and Restorative Justice Organization Headquarters projects, creating environments free from harsh echoes and reverberation that can overwhelm nervous systems.
• Cooper RobertsonminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Design consultant for Restorative Justice Organization Headquarters project.
• Ombrellino ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025General contractor for Restorative Justice Organization Headquarters project.
• LA County Justice Care & Opportunities Department (JCOD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Client for Warm Landing Place - pioneering initiative offering short-term transitional housing and essential voluntary services for justice-involved individuals upon release from incarceration under Care First, Jails Last vision.
• Liberty Community Land TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Black-owned land trust with mission of creating neighborhood stability, environmental sustainability and community-friendly capital, retaining permanent affordability. Client for 4345 Crenshaw Blvd affordable housing project.
• Port of AfricatowncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Client for Gulf Coast Innovation Center - economic development hub in Prichard, AL for cultural, technological, and business programs. Procured lot in 2021 at gateway into Africatown.
• Turner ConstructioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Global construction company providing pro bono general contracting services for Community Works project in San Francisco, instrumental in bringing DJDS's vision to life.
• FormrcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collective of artisans including formerly incarcerated individuals who created custom millwork from reclaimed materials for Community Works project.
• Girls GaragecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Nation's first design school for girls and gender-expansive youth that built custom furniture elements for Community Works project.
• Metro Contract GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Furniture industry professionals Rashawnda Udekwu and DeQuese May of Metro Contact Group secured thousands of dollars in high-quality furniture donations for Community Works.
• Centric Design StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Local architects of record (Saundra Little, Shanita Rutland, Damon Thomas) for LOVE Building project in Detroit with Allied Media Projects.
• Allied Media ProjectscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Client for LOVE Building in Detroit - permanent home for collective of Detroit justice nonprofits including Detroit Justice Center, Detroit Community Technology Project, Detroit Narrative Agency, and Detroit Disability Power.
• LA County Department of Youth DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Newly established department that launched Safe Healing Center demonstration projects. DJDS engaged with department to establish trauma-informed design guidelines for all Safe Healing Centers.
• Haywood Burns InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partner with DJDS and LA County Department of Youth Development to establish trauma-informed design guidelines for Safe Healing Centers.
• National CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership for National Council project in Massachusetts related to MCI Concord repurposing.
• Performing StatisticsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership for The Hive concept development project in Virginia.
• SNAP (SNAP4Freedom)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership for SNAPco collaboration in Georgia and Alabama.
• Center for Justice Innovation (New Jersey)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership for trust-building through environmental design guidelines with Center for Justice Innovation in New Jersey.
• HR&A AdvisorscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Consulting partners for FLOW Youth Center concept paper, providing financial analysis and advisory services for behavioral health infrastructure project in Los Angeles.
• JusticeLA CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Community partners including Gabriela Vazquez, Kate McInerny, Eunisses Hernandez, Ivette Ale for FLOW Youth Center concept paper development.
• La DefensacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Community partner for FLOW Youth Center concept paper - behavioral health infrastructure for youth in Los Angeles County.
• Azzurra CoxminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Landscape designer supporting LOVE Building project in Detroit.
• Barb ToewscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Research partner for Restorative Justice Organization Headquarters project, bringing academic expertise in restorative justice spaces.
• Racial Justice Action CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Atlanta-based racial justice organization that was part of the planning team selected to close and repurpose the Atlanta City Detention Center into Center for Equity.
• Women on the RisecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Atlanta-based organization part of the planning team for reimagining the Atlanta City Detention Center.
• City of AtlantacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019City government that selected DJDS-led team to lead the largest and most transparent community engagement process for closing and repurposing the Atlanta City Detention Center.
• Building Opportunities for Self Sufficiency (BOSS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partner for Mobile Refuge Room and Hope Reentry Campus projects. BOSS provides reentry services and the Mobile Refuge Rooms provide dignified transitional housing.
• Elevator WorkscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partner in development of Mobile Refuge Room - short-term transitional housing prototype for people reentering communities from prison.
• Laney College Restoring our Communities (ROC) ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Collaboration with formerly incarcerated students at Laney College in Oakland, California for development of Mobile Refuge Rooms.
• Laney College FabLabcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Fabrication partner for Mobile Refuge Rooms at Laney College.
• College of Alameda Fab LabcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Fabrication partner for Mobile Refuge Rooms at College of Alameda.
• FabCity OaklandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partner network for Mobile Refuge Room development and fabrication.
• Ella Baker Center for Human RightscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Building owner and primary partner for Restore Oakland - a permanent home for Bay Area nonprofits cultivating restorative economics and healing justice.
• Five Keys Schools and ProgramscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partner for Women's Mobile Refuge Trailer - a mobile space of refuge for women during the night as they transition from incarceration, with drop-in space for nonprofit programs serving vulnerable women and girls.
• Center for Justice InnovationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Organization that pursued holistic approach to Near Westside Peacemaking Project in Syracuse, NY, with DJDS as primary design partner leading community-driven design process.
• Ashley McGrawminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Architecture firm collaboration on Near Westside Peacemaking Project in Syracuse, NY.
• UPSTATEminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Partner in Near Westside Peacemaking Project in Syracuse, NY.
• Near Westside InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Community initiative that was program partner for Near Westside Peacemaking Project, representing first Native American peacemaking program outside of Native communities.
• Five Keys Schools and ProgramscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Partner for Five Keys Mobile Classroom - a refurbished MUNI bus transformed into mobile schoolhouse with classroom space, library, and computerized learning via mobile hotspot.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• MASS Design Group: MASS Design Group is a nonprofit architecture and design firm whose mission-driven model of integrating research, building, and advocacy closely mirrors DJDS's approach. Both operate at the intersection of architecture and social impact, embedding community engagement and post-occupancy research into built projects.
• Public Architecture: Public Architecture is a nonprofit that mobilizes design talent to serve the public interest and has long championed design for justice, equity, and civic needs. Its mission and constituency (architects serving under-resourced communities) directly overlap with DJDS's trauma-informed and restorative-justice practice.
• Pyatok Architects: Pyatok is an Oakland-based architecture firm with a long-standing focus on affordable housing and community-centered design. Both firms are deeply embedded in the Bay Area's affordable-housing and community-development ecosystem and frequently collaborate with mission-driven nonprofit clients.
• Article 25: Article 25 is a nonprofit architecture organization that designs buildings for communities in need, applying professional design services pro bono to humanitarian and social-justice causes. Its nonprofit architecture-for-impact model and pro bono delivery structure are highly comparable to DJDS.
• Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects: Leddy Maytum Stacy is a San Francisco-based firm known for social-impact architecture, including justice, education, and housing projects for vulnerable populations. Its mission orientation, project typologies, and Bay Area base closely parallel DJDS.

Others

• Enterprise Community Partners: Enterprise is a national nonprofit that finances and develops affordable housing, including projects with reentry and justice-involved populations. While it is a developer/funder rather than an architect, DJDS regularly partners with Enterprise-adjacent land trusts (e.g., Liberty Community Land Trust) on affordable-housing commissions.

Broad incumbents

• WXY architecture + urban design: WXY is a New York-based architecture and urban design practice that works on civic, justice, and community-serving projects at a city scale. Its work on restorative justice hubs and public-realm design overlaps conceptually with DJDS, but at a larger organizational scale and broader typology.
• Adjaye Associates: Adjaye Associates is a globally recognized firm with extensive work on cultural, civic, and memorial architecture that addresses historical trauma and social justice themes. Its scale, public-sector client base, and cultural-significance projects make it a comparable incumbent in the broader 'architecture for social repair' space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/designingjustice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/designing-justice-designing-spaces

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Designing Justice + Designing Spaces