HOMELESS SHELTER
The population of homeless people has increased by almost 40% in Puerto Rico in the last two years. This due to different causes, the use of controlled substances, the lack of accessibility to treat mental and health conditions, the recent migration out of the country, the elimination of federal public assistance, school dropouts, divorces, the abandonment of the elderly, the difficult reintegration of former inmates and the lack of resources to afford housing due to the huge economic crisis. The homeless experience a series of problems related to negative social stigma and rejection of the community. These people are in the streets vulnerable to inadequate conditions or innumerable health complications, decreasing their quality of life and requiring urgent services. The state has failed on multiple occasions creating supporting areas, which eventually fall apart due to the little sustenance they receive. That is where non profit entities, most of them affiliated with a religious organization, are the ones that take the initiative to help.
However, the help these centers offer is temporary, they have a predilection for certain groups, often they do not have enough funds and their infrastructure does not encourage the reintegration of the homeless, on the contrary, it marginalizes them. The assistance of these entities transforms misery into a dependency, fostering a symbiotic relationship with the church.
As a result of ambulation there has been a segregation between marginalized groups and the community. The abuse is one of the most unpleasant situations; the need and misery take over the environment and gradually affects us all. The largest number of homeless people is in the metropolitan area of the country (51%), between Hato Rey, Río Piedras and Santurce. Just as the homeless are in the shadow of wealthy people, the abandoned or disused buildings in prosperous areas could be seen as the best analogy. For this reason I propose to use disused buildings around the city to serve as shelters or centers that provide services to the homeless.
The intention is create a help center with capacity to accommodate a large number of homeless peoplein a save place, concentrate aid next to it, have self sustainable spaces, and architecture that encourages their intentions of rehabilitation, offer temporary housing, prenticeships, work and tools for their social reintegration to all groups of homeless.
The project has a principal exterior plaza for the use of the homeless and a service building. In the first level you will find the hospital, and a security area. On the second floor there will be services offices and rehabilitation programs. The third floor is a more private area, here will be rooms for the homeless who are in the process of reintegration, with recreation areas and playing rooms. In this level are also the class rooms to give workshops and classes that can help them to be independent. The project was design in 2017 under the supervision of Professor Carlos Betancourt.
