1882 FOUNDATION SOCIAL WORKSPACE
To Be Done Studio
Adaptive Reuse / Cultural Workspace
PROJECT OVERVIEW
A Space for Storytelling, Advocacy, and Cultural Continuity
The 1882 Foundation Social Workspace transforms a historic Washington, DC building into a living center for advocacy, storytelling, and community engagement.
Rooted in the mission of the 1882 Foundation—an organization dedicated to expanding awareness of the Chinese Exclusion Act and its lasting impact—the project creates more than a workplace. It establishes a cultural hub where history is actively shared, discussed, and carried forward.
The design reimagines what a workspace can be:
A place for gathering
A platform for storytelling
A space where history informs present action
By giving physical form to the Foundation’s mission, the project strengthens its ability to engage the public, support its staff, and amplify narratives that have too often been overlooked.
Architecture as advocacy. Space as storytelling.
THE ARCHITECTURAL PROJECT
Light, Memory, and Renewal
The project began with a challenge: a 125-year-old structure in severe disrepair and limited budget capacity. Rather than compromise the vision, To Be Done Studio expanded its role—partnering in a design-build approach to directly shape both design and construction.
This hands-on process allowed the team to:
Preserve key elements of the building’s historic fabric
Reveal and celebrate layers of time within the structure
Introduce new interventions that feel intentional and light
Design Principles
Revealing History
Existing materials and structural elements are exposed and repurposed, allowing the building’s past to remain visible and present.
Bringing in Light
A central design move introduces natural light throughout the space—transforming what was once enclosed and deteriorating into something open, warm, and welcoming.
Craft + Care
Custom elements—including bespoke glass doors and a steel rear patio—reflect a tactile, hands-on approach that prioritizes detail and human experience.
The result is a workspace that resists the rigidity of traditional office environments. Instead, it feels open, layered, and alive—mirroring the evolving narratives the Foundation exists to support.
History is not erased—it is carried forward.
ARTIST INTERPRETATION
Living Walls
Erin Kaye’s work brings a quiet, introspective layer to the installation—one that mirrors the subtle yet powerful presence of memory within the built environment.
Her practice centers on:
Minimal linework
Organic forms
Repetition and pattern
The line drawings featured in the installation evoke the human body in motion—fragmented, abstracted, and fluid. These figures feel both present and ephemeral, suggesting the way memory exists: never fixed, always shifting.
Complementing this is her green, circular textile installation, composed of layered, leaf-like elements. This piece introduces a different language—one rooted in growth, accumulation, and natural systems.
Together, her work explores:
Memory as something delicate yet persistent
Identity as something formed over time
Space as something that holds quiet histories
What is not loudly stated is still deeply felt.
THE COLLABORATION
Where Architecture Becomes a Living Archive
The collaboration between To Be Done Studio and Erin Kaye transforms the project into more than a renovation—it becomes an immersive reflection on memory, history, and belonging.
Architecture as Framework
The building provides the structure:
A restored historic shell
Light-filled interiors
Spaces designed for gathering and storytelling
Art as Atmosphere
Kaye’s work softens and activates that structure:
Line drawings introduce intimacy and human presence
Textile forms bring texture, growth, and movement into the space
Shared Language
Both the architecture and the artwork operate through subtlety rather than spectacle:
Layers instead of singular statements
Presence instead of dominance
Memory instead of monument
The installation reinforces the project’s central idea:
Walls are not passive—they hold stories.
1882 Foundation Social Workspace
PROJECT DETAILS
Adaptive Reuse / Cultural Workspace
FIRM
To Be Done Studio
ARTISTS
Erin Kaye
THEME
Memory, Light & Cultural Continuity
YEAR
2025