Unity Manor
Pathway to Wellness
Every person deserves a place to feel safe, respected, and truly at home.
Unity Manor Supportive Housing is more than just a building - it is a foundation for dignity and stability for 56 of Edmonton’s most vulnerable residents.
When the City of Edmonton set out to meet urgent housing needs under the Rapid Housing Initiative, the challenge was clear: deliver high-quality, welcoming supportive housing on a tight timeline and a constrained site. Our response was an innovative modular approach that blends efficiency with deep compassion.
The design of this three-storey, L-shaped building was guided by trauma-informed principles that focus on healing and wellbeing. Inside, natural light, calming muted colours, and durable, natural materials help create a sense of peace. Thoughtful features such as versatile ceremony and smudging rooms honour residents’ cultural and personal needs. Outside, a distinctive orange screen gives the building a warm, approachable identity, offering both privacy for residents and a visually engaging presence in the mature Westmount neighbourhood.
By coordinating early with partners, the modular construction shaved months off the timeline and allowed Unity Manor to be completed in only 12 months. This speed did not compromise the care or quality of the final home.
Unity Manor shows how supportive housing can be both a practical, fast solution and a place that nurtures healing, belonging, and resilience. It stands as a clear example of how thoughtful design can provide more than shelter. It offers a foundation for life.
“Supportive housing is a home, a place where people can recover, grow and ultimately succeed. It’s also a proven model that provides long-term, sustainable solutions for ending homelessness while mitigating the policing, justice and health costs associated with unaddressed homelessness.”