Slovakian firm Design Develop has come up with an innovative solution to provide shelter for the homeless: billboards. Project Gregory is a compact, triangular dwelling that could be funded in part by the proceeds of selling advertising space on its exterior walls.
Homelessness is a complex global issue, and finding solutions involves the coordination of many fields and services. Project Gregory seeks to provide alternative dwellings for the homeless that double as billboards and advertising spaces. Billboards are expensive to install, maintain and rent, and Project Gregory optimizes the structures so that they can double as living spaces.
To fit out the structure, the billboard dimensions are preserved, and a set of steps are added. The interior floor plan is informed by the resulting triangular shape. The interior is divided into two rooms, the first containing an entrance hall, a kitchen with a small office desk, and a raised bed set above a storage space. The second room contains the bathroom, with a washbasin located over a wardrobe, a toilet, and a shower corner. The structure consists of a wood frame with a concrete base, with impregnated OSB board facing, wooden or steel stairs, and two windows.
Project Gregory is designed for the city of Banska Bystrica, Slovakia, where the project would be easy to implement thanks to existing energy and water grids. The designers believe the billboard housing project could be applied elsewhere though, as long as adequate study and consultation was carried out beforehand. The project would be funded by firms and investors that could help with construction or acquire long-term rental of the advertising space. The Project Gregory website states that it is a nonprofit platform and is freely available for cities to implement free of charge. It’s designed as an “open source” project, so architects, designers, and artists can build upon it to create new designs and layouts.
Source: Inhabitat
Photos by: Project Gregory
