What do you do with an abandoned supermarket that?s no longer needed for its original purpose but still has great bones" In this case, transform it into a celebrated, completely free homeless shelter for 42 full-time residents. ?Shelter From the Storm? is more than just a place for unhoused people to lay their heads at night ? it?s a thoughtfully designed community that could serve as a model for similar projects around the world.

“Throughout the project, each detail was carefully considered, ensuring robustness, dignity, and a sense of ownership for the guests. Bedrooms and bathrooms are based upon typical domestic typologies. For example, sinks and mirrors are separate, providing guests with something of their own within a communal space.?
They add: ?An essential part of our undertaking was to understand and respond to preconceived ideas around homelessness and the homeless. Our approach to this was to embed the idea of transparency into the scheme. This was achieved through the insertion of new windows and internal openings that allow views in, out, and through the space. Similarly, the dual use of the shelter as a community café aims to open up the shelter to the wider community. By inviting the general public into the shelter, they are simultaneously invited into the debate about how to demystify homelessness.?

Shelter From the Storm has a primary aim of reintegrating its residents back into society, and it shows that with the respectfu...