INSIGHTS
WE’RE REDEFINING WHAT DESIGN CAN DO.
Design has the power to transform not just spaces, but outcomes. At FIFTEEN, we believe that intentional collaborations lead to more meaningful, lasting impact. Our INSIGHTS share stories that demonstrate how strategic partnerships and human-centered design come together to deliver results that go beyond expectations.
PUBLIC HEALTH | MEDICAL OFFICE | FEMALE FORWARD SPACES | WELLNESS
When Saleemah McNeil founded Oshun Family Center, she had already spent years advocating for change. As a reproductive psychotherapist, certified doula, lactation consultant, and birth trauma survivor, she had witnessed the ongoing systemic failures that put Black mothers at risk.
She wasn’t interested in replicating what already existed. She needed a partner that could help her create a space as bold as her mission.
The idea was radical and necessary: a maternal health center that could shift stigma, reimagine access, and make mental and maternal healthcare feel safe, supported, and sacred. Every decision was grounded in a single question: How can space play an active role in the healing journey?
“From the beginning, FIFTEEN approached the project not just as designers, but as thoughtful partners committed to helping us create a space that reflects care, community, and cultural significance. Their ability to translate our vision into a physical environment that is both functional and emotionally resonant has been invaluable.”
— Saleemah McNeil MS, MFT / Founder, Oshun Family Center
We Start With Purpose, not Floorplans.
Before a site was even selected, FIFTEEN joined the Oshun team to guide visioning, programming, property walk-throughs, and test fits. Through this early collaboration, we clarified both the operational and emotional goals of the center, and created visual tools to help communicate the vision to funders, stakeholders, and the broader community.
Key design elements included:
Doula and consult rooms that prioritize emotional safety and comfort
A healing studio for yoga, meditation, and wellness practice
Natural light, calming palettes, and soft finishes to center peace
Organic forms and biophilic design to celebrate life and transformation
The result is a maternal health center that doesn’t resemble traditional healthcare settings. It’s a warm, welcoming, community-embedded sanctuary designed for connection, dignity, and care.
Transformational work demands more than a standard design process. It deserves one that’s purpose-built to amplify the mission, and bold enough to match the vision.
“Our experience collaborating with FIFTEEN has been nothing short of exceptional. The team is creative, responsive, professional, and mission-aligned. They’ve gone above and beyond to ensure that this project not only meets our needs, but becomes a lasting reflection of the care and advocacy at the core of our work.”
— Saleemah McNeil MS, MFT / Founder, Oshun Family Center
HIGHER EDUCATION | BUILDING ENVELOPE DESIGN | BUILDING ADDITION
Rowan University’s Dance Program needed a new home to support accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Dance and reflect the program’s rigor and artistry. FIFTEEN approached the project the way we always do: by listening deeply. Through conversations with faculty, leadership, and students, we uncovered needs beyond the original scope and identified found spaces: underutilized areas that could be reimagined to enhance student life. These creative interventions added meaningful value without increasing cost.
Designing with Light, Movement, and Intentionality
Every design decision was made to support the rhythm of daily life in the Dance Program while maximizing impact within a tight budget.
Studios were placed for privacy and calm, with views to a rain garden and soft, natural light that feels open yet secluded.
Precast panels used a repeatable mold flipped for variation, with custom reliefs that catch light and suggest movement, echoing the activity within.
Curtain walls and glazing connect the building to its surroundings, blurring the boundary between indoors and out, just like dance itself.
What sets this project and FIFTEEN apart is the way we lead with empathy, make bold use of limited resources, and design with both precision and artistry. The Rowan Dance Program now has a space that supports accreditation, honors its community, and reflects the energy of movement it was built for.
“I have found FIFTEEN to be extraordinarily thorough, diligent, inventive, and resourceful in all of their work for Rowan. Their work on the Dance Studio project has been exemplary: working with an extremely tight budget and a demanding faculty group, they have produced a beautiful design that promises to satisfy the high standards of the Dance Department and its students in a terrific addition to the campus.”
— Dan Garofalo, University Architect (Former), Rowan University
IMPACT WORK | COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT | EQUITY AND ACCESS | FABRICATION | ART INSTALLATIONS
The built environment should do more than meet functional needs. It can spark curiosity, foster connection, and leave a lasting impact on the communities it serves. Our ongoing partnership with the Playful Learning Landscapes Action Network (PLLAN) is one way we’re bringing that vision to life.
WHAT IS PLAYFUL LEARNING?
Grounded in extensive developmental science, playful learning integrates educational prompts and experiences into the public realm, from sidewalks to waiting areas, parks, and more, supporting brain development, literacy, social-emotional skills, and caregiver-child interactions. These interventions are proven to enhance school readiness and close opportunity gaps, especially in under-resourced communities.
Our collaboration with PLLAN has taken shape in several built projects, including one at the PHMC Public Health Campus on Cedar. The installation uses playful forms, vibrant materials, and environmental storytelling to teach children about materiality and how their surroundings can impact health and well-being. It reflects not only the branding and aesthetics of the new health campus, but its values of education and community empowerment.
Another recent installation at Esperanza Health Center in Kensington took a green space fence and reimagined it as a playful, bilingual learning opportunity. The project, co-created with local residents, transformed a utilitarian barrier into a vibrant and interactive moment that reflects community values, nurtures neighborhood pride, and engages children in their own environment.
Each of these interventions, whether inside a hospital lobby or outside on the street, demonstrates how design can turn passive environments into active, engaging, and educational spaces for children and families.
We invite clients across all sectors to consider the potential of playful learning in their own spaces.
When we design for children, we design for the future. And when we do it together, we build communities where everyone has a chance to thrive.
“Collaborating on this project with FIFTEEN and Playful Learning Landscapes was a wonderful experience. We loved the opportunity to co-create with the community, incorporating their voices and ideas into the design...We’re thrilled with the outcome and proud to have been a part of it.”
— Ohsana Valle, Assistant Director of Community Health & Wellness | Esperanza Health Center
LIFE SCIENCE | EXPANSION | INNOVATIVE WORKPLACES | COMPANY CULTURE
When Integral Molecular set out to expand their headquarters in West Philadelphia, the mission was clear, yet complex: grow in place, preserve their strong culture, and create a space that could carry their collaborative spirit forward.
Expanding in place can feel disruptive. Maintaining cohesion while introducing something entirely new takes more than a solid floorplan. It takes intention, trust, and deep collaboration.
A Seamless Extension of Culture
We worked closely with the Integral Molecular team, especially the leadership and lab manager, to amplify what was already working and ensure systems and workflows were seamlessly integrated. The goal was to make the expansion feel like a natural extension of their brand and the vibrant, high-performing culture they’d cultivated.
That meant striking the right balance of lab and office spaces, and designing with both visibility and focus in mind. Sightlines into the labs offer a quiet invitation to see the science in action without distracting from the work itself.
A Staircase That Connects More Than Just Floors
At the heart of the project is a new communicating staircase, linking two floors and anchoring the expansion with connection, energy, and movement.
Coordinating the staircase was no small task, but it was worth every conversation, sketch, and site visit. We introduced the client to a local MBE fabricator whose quality and approach made all the difference. The result is a custom centerpiece that fits the space beautifully and feels like it’s always been there.
“The staircase may not have happened without (FIFTEEN), and now we can't imagine the space without it.”
— Benjamin J. Doranz, Ph.D., MBA, President and CEO, Integral Molecular
Designing for People, Process, and Possibility
From the beloved communal kitchen and gathering space to the carefully coordinated lab layouts, every element of this project was designed to strengthen the relationships, routines, and sense of identity that make Integral Molecular exceptional.
“Their team took the time to listen to our needs and offer solutions at every step, refining ideas until we had a design that was both beautiful and practical.”
— Benjamin J. Doranz, Ph.D., MBA, President and CEO, Integral Molecular
