Architecture

First billboard with built-in homeless shelter planned for spring 2015

First billboard with built-in homeless shelter planned for spring 2015
Project Gregory proposes the use of billboards-cum-shelters for housing the homeless
Project Gregory proposes the use of billboards-cum-shelters for housing the homeless
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Project Gregory proposes the use of billboards-cum-shelters for housing the homeless
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Project Gregory proposes the use of billboards-cum-shelters for housing the homeless
Project Gregory suggests that income from advertising on the billboards could be used to help fund the upkeep of the shelters
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Project Gregory suggests that income from advertising on the billboards could be used to help fund the upkeep of the shelters
The Gregory shelters are raised upon stilts with a wooden staircase for access
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The Gregory shelters are raised upon stilts with a wooden staircase for access
The Gregory shelters are triangular
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The Gregory shelters are triangular
The shelters provide 18 sq m (194 sq ft) of floor space
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The shelters provide 18 sq m (194 sq ft) of floor space
The shelters feature wooden finishing and have a modern design
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The shelters feature wooden finishing and have a modern design
One of the rooms in the shelter is designed as a living and sleeping space
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One of the rooms in the shelter is designed as a living and sleeping space
The second of the two rooms in the shelter is a bathroom
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The second of the two rooms in the shelter is a bathroom
A plan diagram of the Gregory shelter
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A plan diagram of the Gregory shelter
Plan and section diagrams of the Gregory shelter
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Plan and section diagrams of the Gregory shelter
Plan and section diagrams of the Gregory shelter
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Plan and section diagrams of the Gregory shelter
Renderings of the Gregory shelter's structure
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Renderings of the Gregory shelter's structure
View gallery - 12 images

Earlier this year, Gizmag featured a concept that proposed using billboards as shelters for the homeless. The company behind Project Gregory suggested that income from advertising on the billboards could subsidize the shelters' running costs. It now hopes to build its first such shelters next year.

DesignDevelop says that its concept of a billboard-house was initially drafted in September 2013 and first presented publicly in January this year. The response was said to be skeptical, but the company says it continued to optimize and develop the project nonetheless, eventually launching it proper in June.

It was at this point that DesignDevelop says it expected the idea to fizzle out, but instead it was widely featured in newspapers and on blogs around the world. As a result, the company has further developed the concept and provided more information about it.

The Gregory shelters are triangular
The Gregory shelters are triangular

The Gregory shelters are triangular and are raised upon stilts with a wooden staircase for access. The shelters provide 18 sq m (194 sq ft) of floor space split into two rooms, one for living and sleeping and the other a bathroom with additional storage.

The shelters have wooden OSB (oriented strand board) walls and ceilings, and are designed to have a modern look and feel. "Wooden wall facing looks modern and comfortable, but at the same time it’s not expensive," explains Martin Lee Keniz of DesignDevelop, on the project's Kickstarter page. "We decided to compose it in a modern way because we want to motivate people, so they will start to work on themselves, they will faster get back into the society and they will faster earn some money for their own living."

Renderings of the Gregory shelter's structure
Renderings of the Gregory shelter's structure

Amongst the planned features of the shelter is a table with a storage space, two chairs and a bed that provides additional storage space. The bathroom will feature a toilet, a basin, a shower and further space for storage. Both on-grid and off-grid versions of the shelter are planned. DesignDevelop estimates it will cost £41,000 to produce a prototype of the version that will be connected to the electricity, water and sewer systems, and a further £60,000 to create an additional off-grid version with independent systems.

Assuming it can raise the funds, DesignDevelop says it will build the first on-grid prototype in spring 2015 (Northern Hemisphere). This will be used for practical testing and to refine the design. A subsequent run of 10 shelters is planned for summer 2015. Individuals can contribute to Project Gregory at the Kickstarter page.

Sources: Project Gregory, Kickstarter

View gallery - 12 images
7 comments
7 comments
zevulon
genius, build a shelter right next to loud speeding cars and trucks, any one of which could accidentally roll off the road into the shelter, or worse, stop next to the shelter and go inside to rob the homeless people in it.
Matej Klobusnik
This is seriously bad idea which will only further segregate homeless people and obstruct their capability to integrate and function within society. And the price is outrageous as well.
John Everett
Sickening
Scion
I am so glad I'm not the only person who feels a little uneasy about the monetisation of what should be a socially tackled issue. There have been other ideas floated to make money from prisons so they are commerically viable and they have been a bit unpleasant too.
If we were to take a capitalistic view of the situation I would say such things as homelessness should have a cost for society to encourage that society to reduce the reasons for homelessness. Simply making the homeless promote products in return for shelter is passing the deep responsibility we have to look after one another onto inhuman and thus uncaring corporate machines.
Life is a team sport. Most people don't have any problem playing as a team when it is the immediate family. Smaller communities don't mind sticking together and working together (like sports clubs or churches etc...) But for some reason when we expand our view to our wider communities, nations and the human race we suddenly decide that helping people is somehow evil or bad for everyone. ::end rant::
Mindbreaker
A place to commit all sorts of crimes. A place where the strong push out the weak to suffer in the rain. A place for gangs and prostitutes to do business. Brilliant. Can someone truly be this stupid?
JPAR
We already discussed this terrible concept on Gizmag back in June 26th
StWils
This is a stunningly bad idea as has already been mentioned. This is only slightly better than the idea to grow mushrooms on dirty baby diapers or to gather used cigarette filtres for what ever air-headed purpose that involved.