︎
Escape
Pod
by
Alex Geiger
Hard times can quickly change a person’s circumstances.
In
the State of California, one person can have their life changed in the blink of
an eye. They can go from being established and functional members of society to
homeless in no time at all. Homelessness runs deeper than a place to live, it
seeps into every aspect of life, and if one is lucky enough to escape it, the
residual effects are long lasting. Relationships, financials, and health are
permanently affected by the shadow of homelessness. Being on the street is a terrible situation. It is dangerous for those who must live in tents, or behind dumpsters. It’s dangerous for the people to have to subject themselves to the treachery of the elements both natural and unnatural and day after day, as bodies of homeless deteriorate from lack of care, they disappear in the eyes of everyone else. Living on the streets creates an exponential break from society that perpetuates mental illness. Without help these people face life and death.
Project Escape Pod is a solution to the overwhelming problem of chronic homelessness. The architectural component of the project is an interim housing designed to give immediate relief to those in need. This site offers the necessary amenities that provide people with the safety and privacy that is lost in the streets. It provides the necessary interactions that are lost in the crippling loneliness that one endures every day. This place is building communities that help people reintegrate with the rest of society. This work is more than architectural. The project is about bringing help to many people. People who have been vulnerable to unfortunate circumstances.