Less than two years ago, an encounter between Daniel Abela, Founder and Chairman of Children in Need (CiN) Foundation, and two children living at Dar Niki Cassar (DNC) in Msida – a shelter managed by YMCA that offers families facing homelessness the opportunity to stay together under one roof – lit the spark for what would come to be known as Kids Haven, a space designed and dedicated to providing a dignified home for children and families who need it.
“Just before Christmas of 2024, two of the children living at the shelter were asked what they wanted. Their answer was simply a home. Not a toy. Not something wrapped under a tree. A home,” Daniel tells DesignDispatch.
“I think that says everything you need to know about why this project had to happen. These children are not just passing through. Sometimes they are living there, day in, day out, and they deserve so much more, so we are giving them a space that truly feels their own.”
Daniel turned to long-time collaborator, DAAA Haus founder Keith Pillow, who was keen to get deeply involved in a charity project, beyond financial support. Kids Haven seemed like the perfect opportunity and pairing between the Foundation and the design team.
“The brief we gave them was honestly both the simplest and the most important brief I’ve ever been part of: create a dedicated indoor and outdoor space at Dar Niki Cassar that belongs entirely to the children,” says Daniel.
“A place where they can play, breathe, and simply be kids. No agenda, no grown-up world creeping in. Just theirs. And I have to say, watching Keith, Stefania and the team take that and run with it has been one of the most moving parts of this whole journey so far.”
A space for childhood
Stefania Mercieca, Lead Interior Architect and Partner at DAAA Haus in charge of this project, describes how until now, Dar Niki lacked appropriate areas for children, and so the first task was identifying a space within the shelter that could be transformed into both indoor and outdoor environments where children can spend meaningful recreational time, from age four to pre-teens.
It will occupy a currently underutilised internal space which is mainly being used for storage and an existing garden that, while rich in mature trees, is not currently accessible due to safety and lack of curation.
“Our concept focuses on transforming these areas into safe, accessible, and well-designed spaces that maximise their potential. By reworking both the indoor and outdoor environments, we aim to integrate Kids Haven seamlessly within the existing Dar Niki Cassar facility while significantly enhancing its functionality for children,” says Stefania.
Indoors, the design includes a flexible therapy room for both children and families, alongside a dedicated playroom for activities such as crafts, sensory play, and group interaction. The layout also allows for quieter zones, giving children the option for individual time through reading or calming sensory activities.
The outdoor area, Stefania explains, is primarily designed for active play – including a mud kitchen, climbing structures, trampolines, and small wooden play tents that give children a sense of their own personal space.
“The existing mature trees will provide natural shading throughout. Parents will also be able to accompany and engage with their children in these areas. These spaces will serve all children residing at Dar Niki, typically between 5 to 15 children, depending on the shelter’s capacity.”
The material and colour palette chosen for Kids Haven is intentionally calm and neutral, complemented by subtle accent colours that help define different zones. “We prioritised durable, safe, and long-lasting materials, such as birch plywood for its warmth and natural tone, paired with coloured storage elements to add visual interest. Upholstery will consist of wipeable and washable microfibre fabrics to ensure practicality, hygiene, and longevity.”
Designed to instil joy
With the project slated to be completed in the coming months, the team is all-hands-on-deck and still welcoming assistance from suppliers and individuals willing to make this project a reality.
“Securing the necessary funding has been the most challenging part of this project, however, we have been fortunate to receive support through fundraising efforts involving clients and suppliers, and the response from the wider community has been very encouraging,” says Stefania.
“The most rewarding part, however, will be the moment the space opens, seeing children use and enjoy it and witnessing the joy and comfort it brings to them.”
For Daniel, this project is part of his tireless effort to help children in need and currently, 13 children at Dar Niki need more than a roof over their heads. “No child should be roofless. Ever. But since they are there, the very least we can do is make sure they have a space that tells them they are seen, heard, loved, and they belong somewhere beautiful.”
His ultimate hope is that every child who spends time there walks away carrying a memory not of hardship, but of joy, of a space where they felt happy and completely at home.
“Children are wonderfully resilient, but they should never have to carry that resilience alone. They need spaces that say to them without any words: you matter. If the Kids Haven can be that, even for just a little while in a child’s life, then everything we have done has been worth it a thousand times over,” says Daniel.
“And I also hope this inspires others. When good people come together around something that truly matters, something real gets built. That is the magic of what has happened here with DAAA Haus and YMCA Malta, and I am just so proud and so grateful to be part of it.”
Visuals courtesy of DAAA Haus
