a+LiNK Architecture worked with Youth Opportunities Unlimited (YOU) to design a 30‐ bedroom, Housing First Youth Shelter; the first of its kind in London, Ontario. The goal of the new facility is to provide a safe, secure and welcoming space for at‐risk youth, ages 16‐24, at a site located outside of the downtown core. The building concept, to embrace, is derived from these 3 tenets: Safe / Secure / Welcoming, and exemplified by two building wings that embrace a private courtyard. The 11,600 SF design includes programming for 30 single bedrooms, private washrooms, a commercial kitchen, a large open‐concept living, dining and gathering space, as well as YOU administration offices.