This project, sponsored by Studio reCOVER at the University of Virginia and the Thomas Jefferson Area Coalition on Homelessness, was a design for temporary, modular, and relocatable housing units for the unhoused of Charlottesville.
The aim of the design is to achieve a balance between the contradictory needs of its intended inhabitants, acknowledging the importance of each resident’s connection to the created community as well as the need for individual and isolated space. The configurations are designed to emphasize the independence of each unit while still fostering awareness of others through direct visual connection and a unified roof structure. On the scale of the unit, the goal is to create distinct spaces with a minimal footprint through the use of sectional and material variations. The contrast of the two main doors of each unit enforce the dichotomy between opportunities for openness to neighbors and privacy. While recognizing that these are transitional units, the design seeks to enforce to the residents a sense of ownership and personalization.
Christopher Kelly 