“Shelter” refers to a temporary form that has the power to comfort and unite pets and people, creating a symbiotic network within the urban realm.
Shelter refers to a temporary form that has the power to comfort and unite people, creating supportive networks within the urban context. All organisms, not just humans, have an understanding of the concept of shelter. California, home to the majority of the homeless population, tests the limits of “shelter.” In Los Angeles, homeless shelters are not supportive to all of those in need. Many shelters either prohibit pets or don't have the infrastructure to accommodate pets. Ten percent of the homeless are owners of pets, and have been forced to sacrifice their spot in homeless shelters just to stay with their pets. To this marginalized population, a pet may be their closest sense of family, and to pets, their owner is their only sense of family. Nobody should be forced to make the impossible decision between giving up their beloved pet or maintaining a place to live.This proposal responds to homeless shelters’ current exclusion of pets and their owners by creating a prototypical interim shelter through a modular system of pet-centric housing. If implemented across multiple sites in proximity to businesses, a symbiotic network for homeless people and pets could arise. This shelter not only provides the necessary infrastructure in accommodation of pets and their owners, but aims to create a spatial experience that is as equally comfortable for pets as it is for their owners. The project consists of a custom, site-specific ground floor with modular residential units above. This floor serves as a shared space for both the general public and homeless. There are medical and social service units, dining, and other essential amenities. Above, the residential units are organized in floors by the type of pet. The units themselves are oriented into double and quad units, with external courtyards to provide more exposure to natural lighting and access to the comforts of nature and interaction.