There is a lack of care taken to the design of shelter provided for houseless individuals. Homeless shelters often carry the aesthetic of an emergency room or jail. Uniform hallways, rooms, and decorations, stark white or olive drab walls, and bright lights are commonplace in many homeless shelters.
A study was conducted by Jill Pable wherein two homeless families were compared. Both families were comprised of a single mother and two children. Both families began in a room fitting the description above: metal bunk beds, a single light fixture, a single dresser, and pale green walls. After two months, the first family moved into a room which was upgraded to allow them to take control of their environment. The second family remained in an unaltered room for the duration of the study.
The upgraded room had curtains and dividers which allowed them to create personal spaces. Dressers and cabinets allowed them to store their belongings separated from each other's belongings. Good lighting encouraged reading, schoolwork, and play. Marker boards allowed the children a creative outlet and a way to decorate the space. In the upgraded room the family displayed photographs, artwork, and their belongings in a decorative fashion while the family in the unaltered room did little work to personalize the space.
The first family spent all day together in the upgraded room, which is something they never did in the unaltered room. They also had many more visitors than the family in the unaltered room. The adjustable nature of the upgraded room allowed the family living in it to change the room to fit their needs and personalities. Pable suggests that the ability to express themselves through the space they live combats the feeling of helplessness that comes with being homeless. Designing shelter for houseless individuals with a focus on allowing the space to be personalized and adjusted would likely benefit their mindset and wellbeing. In turn, this could put them in a more stable position to find permanent housing.
To read Jill Pable's study, click here: The Homeless Shelter Family Experience Examining the Influence of Physical Living Conditions on Perceptions of Internal Control Crowding Privacy and Related Issues
For information on trauma-informed design, click here: The Increasing Need for Trauma-informed Care Shelters
-Elliot Watson
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