Jury comments: A once-doomed 1928 building formerly used as a factory for plastic and metal projects has been made dignified. Now a shelter for the homeless, the project’s program is varied and focused on community building. There is ample space for social services, recreation, a dining room, administrative offices, and dorms. Five ventilated, torqued roof structures atop each sleeping quarter provide a special interior experience. The structures break down the scale of the 20-bed dorm rooms into unique components, creating a series of moments within each. Users are greeted with 30-ft-high spaces that terminate with a skylight, softening the space with natural light. Some of the elements of the original design are retained to preserve the muscular bones of the building, but the rough aesthetic is generally replaced by clean contemporary lines. Through careful material selection, the designers have created a space that is extremely hardy but avoids the drab, heavy feel of many shelters. This is a very smart, restrained project with an admirable concept.
Client: Project Renewal
Contractor: Erin Construction & Development
Consultants: Dunne and Markis; Joselow Consulting Engineers; Linda Cunningham
