On a broad scale, this thesis will study a possible solution to reduce the number of families and individuals living on the street. If successful, this project or system could serve as a prototype to be replicated throughout the United States and even possibly the world. The project will provide one possible solution not only to the major societal issue of homelessness, but also the environmental issue regarding building construction waste.However, in order for this project to be successful a few societal variables must be assumed to remain constant during this experimentation. In general, a functioning global economy must be present, the nationwide housing market must remain relatively stable, and the characteristics of the population of study must remain constant. If each of these variables remain constant, for the first time, the design of a homeless shelter will be able to function and address the direct needs of homeless people.
Funding is a major concern during the development of new homeless shelters. For this project to remain feasible, economic consideration must be taken throughout the design process. Through the implementation of a new adaptable system, construction costs will be decreased, while efficiency is increased. Currently, the global economy is relatively stable, a perfect time to challenge the issue of homelessness. However, this may not always be true. If the economy collapses, the economic results may no longer provide a feasible platform to challenge homelessness through the proposed solution.The shelters will follow a “housing first” method, a proven method to reduce homelessness (“Housing First,” 2016). By providing a home before rehabilitation, the shelters will provide a platform for the homeless to reestablish themselves. This will remain feasible as long as the housing market remains stable. Currently, the global demand for affordable housing is at an all time high. However, if the housing market shifts and housing becomes more or less affordable, the need for shelters will be impacted.
Additionally, the characteristics of the study group must remain constant. In order to address the direct needs of homeless people this project will research and analyze specific characteristics such as mental illness and substance abuse. The project will then deliver a solution to these issues through the built environment. However, if these characteristics were to change, the designed spaces would no longer address the specific needs of the homeless population.
The project will identify a potential globally adaptable system, however the functionality will be experimented on two sites, urban and rural. Although these sites address multiple variables, the prototype may not prove to be successful in all locations and environments. In order for the replication of this system to be feasible, sites with similar demographics and social environments to those studied should be used.Through research and analysis of both successful and unsuccessful precedents, this new conceptual building typology study will act as a prototype to identify the feasibility to alter public perception of homeless people. The identified problem will then be mitigated by integrating and combining the proposed design elements of adaptability, flexibility, user participation, community relationships, and positive architectural elements. The correlation of benefits and positive psychological data of the identified elements will then be applied to study and provide one possible proven and integrated solution to alter the public perception of homelessness.
References
Housing First. (2016). National Alliance to End Homelessness. Retrieved from https://endhomelessness.org/resource/housing-first/McColl, M, et al. (2009). Models for Integrating Rehabilitation and Primary Care: A Scoping Study. Clinical Management Review.