Housing for Political Refugees
Location: Two Bridges, New York City, NY
Year: 2018
Project type: Campus Planning
A new (modular) typology of housing for political refugees is needed for worldwide use, creating an innovative community that integrates the refugees. This design allows the public and the refugees to interact directly, helping them assimilate into the society, instead of feeling like outsiders.
Reasons for new typology:
-Integration: People feel labeled if they are not in a community setting, or are only with other refugees
-Interchangeability: People can modify space to meet their changing needs
-Promote community interaction: Create a tight knit community.
It will be used three methods to implement throughout the project site, in the neighborhood of Two Bridges (NYC), where we will create a network of sites that will promote community engagement for refugees:
-In-filling between existing houses
-Building above and/or reusing existing parking lots
-Adaptor idea to connect units to existing building.
These approaches will be tested in various locations of the neighborhood and surrounding area to determine what does or does not to satisfy the physical, economical and social needs of political refugees.