Sometimes innovation is not always needed to solving a problem, at times ingenuity and or the reapplication of old methods, or in this case buildings can lend themselves to a second use in future times that are often unexpected. During our research this past 10 weeks seeking to find solutions for the homelessness crisis, one major effort that came up was the repurposing of existing buildings. This solution has two major beneficial aspects, first being - minimizing the need to seek new materials, the second being - the struggles of location and being embedded into the urban fabric that many desire.
1. Material
Human’s must seek towards achieving a more symbiotic relationship with the Earth. As living organisms we have a deep rooted desire and connection with nature, and effort must be put forth to refocus our attention towards emphasizing ecology over economy, rather than falling victim to the selfish desires of obtaining economic stature. The rate at which we are extracting materials from the Earth is not sustainable. Studies have shown a direct correlation in the benefits of biophilic design which is the incorporation of nature in design. The more aspects of nature in one’s life brings many rewards both mentally and physically, from calming properties to higher air quality.
New construction of buildings often comes at the expense of the Earth because of the extraction of new raw materials furthering ostracizing our ability to connect to and incorporate nature into our lives as a society. Recent societies have shown too often to fall victim of valuing economic growth over ecological stability. Repurposing already built buildings to facilitate the needs of the people is a great option for future progression.
2. Location
Many of the public supporting resources to those in need are located within the city limits, making proximity very important. Converting underutilized or vacant buildings to supportive and affordable housing addresses the interweaving of the urban fabric for those in need to other resources that they can access from public transportation to food services.
“We are facing a homelessness crisis and an affordable housing crisis. By repurposing underused hotels, we can create supportive housing faster and cheaper. We can make affordable, permanent housing available to families, seniors, and any New Yorker in need, including our neighbors experiencing homelessness.” – New York Mayor Eric Adams
Photo: (Archdaily )
This solution is not exclusive to New York but as quoted my Eric Adams, Mayor of New York some of the benefits of reutilizing and repurposing existing buildings making it not necessary in some situations to construct any new buildings benefiting time, money and ecologies natural resources.
For other cost effective, durable and sustainable housing options for the homeless that include examples of innovation and ingenuity, check out our website:
No comments:
Post a Comment