AXiom

The Site: An empty parking lot in Downtown Savannah.

The Program: An exploration of the interaction between SCAD students and the unhoused population.

The rest was up to us.

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Audience Research

Seeing that the unhoused had the most to gain from a program like this. I wanted to create something that would benefit them. I started with a deep dive into the statistics of what caused homelessness and what types of people were the most affected. The cause of homelessness boiled down to unemployment, mental illness, substance abuse, and the lack of needed services to address these problems. The majority of the unhoused were single black males that suffered from transitional or episodic homelessness. Transitional and Episodic homelessness entails a lack of a home for up to 3 times within 12 months. They often lacked the stability and education to get a quality job and/or help with their mental and/or physical health conditions. I did some research on the current job market to see if there was any overlap between the most needed jobs and what majors SCAD offers. I found that the most in-demand jobs in the US were computer coders. Coding was something that I was interested in and I knew that it can be taught in as little as 10 weeks. These short coding boot camps have gained traction over the past few years, allowing anyone to get a coding job without a college degree. Luckily, the #1st, #8th, and #18th largest majors at SCAD had moderate to advanced coding experience.

Program Finalization

With my research completed, I set goals that I wanted the experience to achieve. First, I wanted to provide all unhoused with a Mental Health and Substance Abuse Center. This would provide the tools necessary for professionals to provide rehabilitation. For those who are successful in the center or for those who are just looking for job opportunities, we’d offer a 12 Week Sheltered Coding Program. This program would be taught by SCAD students (preferably grad students) and give them teaching experience, volunteer hours, and a memorable experience. The camp would take a quality-over-quantity approach to homeless rehabilitation. It needed to foster a real sense of community and not make the homeless feel like they are just a number. That means individual sleeping quarters and chef-made meals. However there would be one major caveat, leaving the grounds would result in permanent dismissal from the coding camp. I felt like it added the right amount of stakes to push away those who weren’t willing to make the sacrifice this entailed. I aimed at creating an experience that would change not just your skillset, but your mindset. Mindsets can be very hard to change. This is where the name Axiom originated from as it means “truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior”.

Ideation and Sketching

After extensive talks with my professor and fellow students, I was happy with my program and began the building ideation phase. The concepts of new life, rebirth, and before/after came up a lot in these talks. I wanted to create this feeling of ascension like you're evolving into a new stage in life. Due to the site, I knew that multiple floors would be needed to accommodate the program. A feeling of ascension could be worked into a multi-tiered design. The Mental Health and Substance Abuse Center was open to all who needed it, so it would make a perfect bottom floor. The coding camp would require bedrooms, a dining area, classrooms, computer labs, leisure spaces, a gym, and an area to get fresh air. After some sketching and prototyping, I settled on a two-tiered building. I emphasized green architecture because of its relation to my new life concept. I tried out AI-generated concepts to sort of get a clearer idea of what I wanted to make. I finally found something I was pleased with after another round of sketching. I pictured a base made out of curved dirt-colored contours. This would house the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Center and leave plenty of room fit for the sleeping quarters. The emerging wooden structure would house the rest of the program. The struggle would now lie in providing enough space for all participants to stay for 12 weeks in comfort. I would have to design efficient circulation.

Site Plans

|Made in AUTOCAD and Rihno|

Floor Breakdown & SECTION

The Fifth Floor is an open-air terrace, garden, and gym. Participants aren’t allowed to
leave the building over the 12-week time period. The terrace allows for fresh air, relaxation, and the opportunity to blow off some steam.

The Fourth Floor is home to three classrooms,
two quiet pods and a computer lab. The 12-week coding camp taught by SCAD students gives the homeless a ticket into the most needed job in the United States. Classes based on personal financial wellness and other helpful life-based classes are taught here as well.

The Third Floor fosters community. Program participants can bond over food prepared together or by volunteer chefs. Pool, Table Tennis, and Video games encourage playful competition, while TVs allow for relaxation after a long day.

The Second Floor can house 9 people (7 homeless and 2 Students). Within these rooms, participants are provided with a personal laptop and all amenities commonly found in a hotel room. A Laundry Station can be found by the staircase.

The First Floor provides free drug and mental health rehab for all homeless. Those who are successful in these sessions or actively looking for job opportunities will be offered the oppertunity to join the 12-WEEK PROGRAM. The center room provides gathering arena space and a moment for those starting their program. The Floor also has public restrooms and informational signs that introduce the public to the program.

Final Thoughts and Critique

Many of the concepts I started with carried their way into the finished product. I was very happy in this regard. I created an environment that encouraged community, while still leaving enough space for individual relaxation and efficient circulation. No one could ever truly find out if it would work in practice, but I believe this experience would change not just the SCAD students and homeless skillsets, but their mindsets. A truly beneficial experience for both parties.

I received positive critiques. Most liked my approach, the way I integrated concepts, and the overall look of the building. Although I did receive pushback on the length of the 12-week program and the permanent dismissal rule. The most unique task of this project was hand-making a program. We knew that it had to involve exploring the interaction between SCAD students and the homeless, but the rest was up to us. At first I thought this would be freeing, but it created significantly more critical thinking.

|Made in Revit|

Final Renders

In my final renders, I tried to emphasize the unique moments the architecture created. These moments accurately depict some of the concepts I set out to create. A feeling of ascension could be felt in the 1st-floor transition room. The façade replicates new life though the plant growth coming out of the contours and sprouting out of the top.

|Made In Lumion|