The Chandler Boulevard Bridge Home Village, designed by Lehrer Architects and the Bureau of Engineering (Engineering) for the City of Los Angeles, has recently opened to its first residents in North Hollywood. Working in collaboration with various city agencies, Lehrer Architects converted an abandoned and overlooked infill lot into a colorful Tiny Home village of 40 individual shelters.
Built in a mere 13 weeks, the new project serves as a beta for the City, and provides an efficient provision of "bridge" shelter for people on their way to permanent housing.
"...the Bureau of Engineering was able to use our extensive experience to make the new, tiny home concept a reality," said Gary Lee Moore, City Engineer and General Manger of the Bureau of Engineering. "We were able to overcome numerous challenges in this first-of-its-kind facility, coordinate with numerous other departments and deliver the facility in record time. We are extremely proud of our work on the Chandler Tiny Home Village, which not only gives shelter to those in need, but provides a sense of community and dignity for the residents."
Pallet shelters were used in lieu of large trailers to realize the development, opening up the feasibility of many sites before thought unviable. At 8' x 8' the pallet homes are quick to assemble and can be quickly removed from the site for future projects.
"The biggest cost contributors were the new 550’ long sewer line extension, protective barriers for pedestrians, leveling the street for ADA due to lack of sidewalks, and adding a fire lane throughout the entire site, but t his upfront investment means that the site is now developed in perpetuity, so will continue to serve the city after it has completed serving the houseless residents," said Nerin Kadribegovic, Partner at Lehrer Architects.
The tiny home village makes extensive use of color to both enhance the individuality of the homes and to create a "visually stimulating and uplifting effect." Moreover, the arrangement of the modular units creates collective dining and gathering space, a pet play area, showers, restrooms, laundry, pest control, secure storage, and assistance with city services.
"For us, projects like this are exhilarating. Political, time, and cost constraints were severe — demanding extreme design discipline and chops," said Micheal B. Lehrer, Founding Partner of Lehrer Architects. "Our focus was to honor, nurture and restore a modicum of wholeness and delight to our fellow our citizens without homes. Every move is conceived to add significant value and be cost-neutral: in that vein, color is used extensively to create a sense of community and places of respect, dignity and joy. Projects for people at all levels of the social ladder, but particularly those near the bottom, remind us again and again that beauty is a rudiment of human dignity."
6 Comments
Something about 64sf boxes on a wedge property just doesn’t feel right. But it’s colorful. This doesn’t seem like *the* solution.
#rickitect
It's a nice project and nice ideas.
It doesn't seem like the long-term or a sustainable solution? Certainly dealing with the "effects" rather than the causes, IMO. I think a more permanent solution would have more stabilizing effects.
Although, any efforts in providing safe and thoughtful shelter should be applauded!
Poverty in the U S is such a dilemma so you'll not warrant a criticism of any architect brave enough to show 'empathy' to help problem solve. A plus is the de-institutionalized shapes & color scheme. A bare-boned site and construct program is a major help...not the solution...nor do I think the Firm would claim that this is et Fine'. An unequal socio-economic-political system is where the problem solving energies need the shot of adrenaline. If the major professions...Law, Medicine, Engineering and Architecture had the track record of the 'Business-class' - 10 to 12 to 15 year loop cycles of economic recessions, they would never be hired and be out-of-business! We only put up with it because..."that's the way business is done"...or "profit rules"!
Well done! This is a solid first step to start taking care of homeless.
Update September 2021:
The shelter development is still there, however the area surrounding this shelter has taken a complete nosedive. There has been an explosion of encampments surrounding the shelter, which is essentially places for the shelter residents to engage in activity prohibited within the shelter grounds. Trash is EVERYWHERE. Graffiti has exploded on every surface imaginable in a 4 block radius. It's utter chaos and a zone of complete lawlessness.
Sorry, but these shelters aren't solving a darn thing.
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