Short-listed competition entries!
The January competition is now completed and we were absolutely thrilled to receive so many creative and interesting entries. It has been really really exciting but also extremely hard to evaluate them, but we are now delighted to announce the 12 short-listed competition entries!
The winner will be announced shortly.
In the meantime, please feel free to comment and discuss the proposals, we really want to hear your opinion!
I would like to congratulate Bench Pod for their almost genius idea. I love the simplicity and practicality of the proposal, and it’s seamless integration into the urban fabric. I also appreciate the clean diagrams. Good Job.
Although these are 12 imaginative and foward thinking projects my pick would have to go to the Urban Cocoon. The slimpicity of the idea of taking advantage of the huge amounts of electric energy wasted on public lamps is overwhelming as it stands for what every major city green policy should stand for as well the metaphor itself truly pictures one of the biggest of the modern world’s social problem.
Another reason that made me choose this one is the security aspect that resides in the fact that most homeless people are threatened with violence dangers and by keeping them in lighten spaces it is my opinion that the rates of violence concerning the homeless would eventually decrease.
My pick of these projects is the Homeless Pavement Shelter. It is innovative, flexible and groundbreaking (pun intended). Using the cork as an insulator in this way would leave the homeless warm and toasty and it could be integrated effectively into the existing fabric quickly at a low cost. Great idea!
I really think that the Homeless Pavement Shelter has more negative connotations than positive ones. Though it features seamless integration onto the urban fabric .e.t.c…it could be a shame to picture a society that puts the homeless under the pavement, illustrating a high level of social segregration and maybe social stratification too.
I do not think there are more negative connotations associated with this project than with some others, and the image shows that the pavement shelter is very visible in the street, so it is not a case of hiding the homeless from view. Also – the thermal quality of the cork is crucial to making this a warm shelter, which many projects did not explore. And finally, the pavement shelter is a fresh new idea, something original and I think developing this idea could lead to something great.
URBAN COCOON is a fantastic project, very creative, low cost, easy to implement and directed to urban spaces. Congratulations to the owner of this project.
I think that, for a competition whereby the homeless are the main consideration, the projects have to persue three main goals: 1.simplicity, 2. easily integration and 3.cheap investment. With this in mind, a lot of projects are too difficult or ask for too much energy to be created in a living city.
My preference goes to the Homeless Pavement Shelter because of the smooth integration, the multifunctionality and practicality of the proposal. I also think that the shelter can be used as a new social environment, in the summer the top of the shelter could even be used as a place to sit, talk or lay in the sun.
URBAN COCOON rules! Just Great!
Hi Trent!
The homeless pavement shelter is, in my point of view, the most inovative proposal and congratulations to the authors!!!!very original
Are you kidding me?? What’s with the dentist chair?? Or the Pocket Poncho…it supposed to be a shelter wich is warm, comfortable, security while sleeping…i can’t find any of these checks(criterias) in some of the designs. The Urban Cocoon is something strange…it says there something funny: “I feel warm, because the electricy that goes through the lamp generates enough heat.” HOW can the electricity that goes through isolated cables located in a closed metal pole, can generate you heat??]
The person with the Bench-Pod is the one closest to reality. I vote the Bench-Pod!
Second that. I do appreciate all entries, but Bench Pod can be easily implemented, and offer a great deal of security.
I agree with Adrian-Alexandru TM. None of this designs are following the program. In must cases, we are showcasing the homeless instead of solving the problem. And even though the bench pod is the most realistic design, we would find a lot of frozen to death people inside them. I am sorry but none of the designs selected take into consideration the quality of life and dignity of those we call homeless.
Bench pod is a great mechanism however in my opinion it isn’t a perfect bench for homeless because: in first place it is wet, the place where You lay out is soap with the rain and snow, and in other way it is a urban coffin…
Most of the ideas look like coffins…I’m really sorry, but I wanna know who will sleep in a street coffin?…or under the street pavement…isn’t the pavement a cold place to sleep??…it needs really strong isolation from rain, cold, wind…it’s kinda strange…>
Adrian-Alexandru , nobody wants to sleep in a “coffin”. In fact nobody wants to be homeless. It’s the unfortunate reality.
To answer your question: the people who would choose to sleep in a so-called coffin are those who would otherwise be forced to sleep on a park bench; exposed to the rain, snow, wind and public view. If these were your only two choices, then the dry, sheltered and private “coffin” would appeal greatly.
I don’t believe that any of these designs claim to be the ultimate solution to homelessness. They have been designed for those in desperate need, to provide a better (albeit not perfect) night’s sleep in order help improve their decision making the following day.
“Urban Cocoon” is an example of a simply but a full idea! Not only it warms homeless people but also gives them light to protect them and make their nights shorter. A beautiful, cosy and pro-active idea!
Congratulations to all the authors
“Let it Snow…Let it Grow” is absolutely phenomenal. The execution, practicality and believability is fantastic. It seems like they really bothered to understand the true problem at hand and not create a simplistic approach to a very serious problem. This solution is by far the most complete and all encompassing.
Gratulations for the Shelter pavement. Really nice idea. I can imagine connection of the whole thing and hot air exhauts from restaurants shops etc. that are usualy favourites spots of homless people. Nice workg guys.