Houselessness is a growing public health crisis unfolding in our own backyards. While permanent housing is ideal, there is a widening gulf between available supply and the number of individuals in immediate need. Our communities must explore emergency intermediate solutions to bridge this growing divide. One potential path forward is the Village Model for transitional housing. Based upon the improvised and informal “villages” being established by the houseless themselves, this model works to replicate the success that these groups have found in creating vibrant, safe, supportive, and self-governing communities, but takes it a step further in terms of providing the physical and social infrastructure needed to ensure their continued success. Perhaps the best example of this model - the Kenton Women's Village - represents an entirely new step in the village evolution - a city-sponsored, fully supported, safe and sustainable village created through a participatory process. A critical part of that process was recognizing the fact that Design is an unmet need in most informal villages. We believe design can play a significant role in changing perceptions about homelessness among the general public and is essential for the success of any effort that hopes to integrate houseless individuals into the fabric of the community.
This presentation will look at the Village Model from a variety of perspectives and describe how a series of unlikely partnerships and collaborations has enabled the greater design community to work with our houseless neighbors in support of their journey off the street. First, there will be an overview of the P.O.D. (Partnership on Dwelling) Initiative – a short 6-week design build exercise that took place in late 2016 and which asked the architecture and design community to apply their skills and experience in shaping the built environment toward housing Portland’s most vulnerable population - the homeless. Beginning with an open design charrette that was attended by nearly 100 architects, social workers, activists, and houseless individuals, designers worked with the diverse group at their tables to come up with preliminary ideas for “pods,” categorized as small structures with a footprint of between 6’x8’ and 8’x12’, and as tall as 10’x8.’ Fourteen teams manifested their designs into built pods with financial support from the Portland Mayor's Office and The Larson Legacy, and these structures then became the initial infrastructure for the Kenton Women’s Village.
This session is approved for the following continuing education credits:
- 1.25 LFA credits
- 1.25 AIA LU|HSW credits
