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This is the compilation of a year long research and design project. I studied the interaction of people in relation to the built environment.
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Architecture of Social EngagementRebecca Della Peruta
Thesis PrepFall 2012
Abstract
Introduction
Position
Case Study Seoul, South Korea
Precedents Action ResearchSeoul Social ExperimentPhiladelphia First Friday The Street Perspective A Conversation
Project Research
Design Thesis
Site Analysis
Chess Station
Program Analysis
Spatial Exploration
Reflection
Appendix
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12
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CONTENTS
homeless PEOPLE are DIRTY, dangerous, Psycho thieves,
BEGgars, drunks and
druggees.
They are the LOWEST rung of modern societies.
Give me Your eyes for just one secondGive me Your eyes so I can seeEverything that I keep missingGive me Your love for humanity
Give me Your arms for the broken heartedThe ones that are far beyond my reachGive me Your heart for the one’s forgottenGive me Your eyes so I can see.”
“
-Brandon Heath Singer, songwriter
There is an existing stigma between those in need and those with the proper
resources to help, creating a psychological divide between each counterpart.
This perception has obsucred the view of people who are in need, and
instilled a Fear that has prevented action from taking place. Action, in small
instances, can lead to positve progress and change, once Fear is overcome.
There is a level of connectivity that comes through dialogue and social
interaction that strengthens groups and sub-groups because of this new
bond they have to the other. Through dialogue and THE SOCIAL ENCOUNTER
the transferring of information and resources can be directly accessible to
the people who need it.
Image to the right:Mind Map
INTRODUCTION
The space between may separate us, but is what undoubtedly con-
nects us all. There is an obvious disconnect between those subjected to
poverty and those who are not, whether it be past experiences or current
living situations, however, when these two groups come together, interact
and communicate, there is potential for amazing progress to occur. Look at
the mural arts evolution in Philadelphia, “Wasteland“ by Vik Muniz in Rio
de Janiero, or “Sunflower Seeds” by Ai Wei Wei in China. The interactions of
completely separate groups of people helped create unforgettable experi-
ences, improvement, and above all else, Hope. These occurrences are best
developed within smaller interactions, where individuals or small groups can
give and take, contribute and gain. The city is meant to function much like
these small groups, where inhabitants contribute, gain and then give back to
their immediate environment. With a lack of human interaction, the sys-
tem may overlook the parts that need it the most. A place in which these
two groups of people can come and feel unthreatened by the other
will address this void as an opportunity to interact. This place cannot
be within the realm of their own territories but a new environment.
They must meet in a zone that carries no more weight on either side
but holds the scale at a floating balance.
THE CLIENT
The word “homeless” is based on a judgment that reflects on the lack of archi-
tecture a person has, which leads to a solution that fulfills just that. However,
there is yet another deficiency that is often overlooked, ignored and left undone
which is the relationship between the poor and the non. This large gap be-
tween the two parties, not in terms of societal structure, but, rather, the
interaction that is needed in order to help someone in need, remains a
void that acts as loudest aspect of the city. It screams when we walk past
a homeless person and creates a noticeable divide. For a brief moment,
it instills anxiety and fear into our minds as we meditate on what terrible
things may happen. When the fear is overcome and anxiety is ignored,
there is room for progress and change.
“Fear Is Easy...
...Love Is Hard.”
-Jason Gray Singer, songwriter
_Demographics
Similar to our society’s tier of class systems, there are tiers of home-
lessness. These populations of people are grouped based on living
situations. One of these sub-groups is referred to as the Street Home-
less1. This describes the location of these persons as well as economic
state. They may reside on sidewalks, alleyways, benches, subways, etc
and consider their most permanent address to be the one that exists
only in their minds. The next sub-group is referred to as the Sheltered
Homeless. This refers to a population that identifies with a building or
organization as their permanent address, temporarily. Within these
groups of place identifying people there is another way of categoriz-
ing these people into how long they have been considered homeless.
This is an important way of categorizing them because depending on
the length of time they have been without a home, they have a differ-
ent mindset about their situation. These levels go from a person who
is considered to have chronic homelessness, or long-term status, to a
person who is newly homeless.
A person who comes into homelessness for the first time goes
through different psychological stages from the point of coming to
1 Wagner, Suzanne. “City of Philadelphia 10yr Plan to End Homelessness.” Philadelphia, PA. May 2007. Pg. 14
realization of the issue, analyzing their new living situation, and then be-
ing impacted by the negative effects it has on them physically and emo-
tionally. A person in this type of situation may question whether their
well-being is important, why something like this happened, how they are
going to get out of it, and if it is worth their time and struggle. Due to this
intense amount of mental strain, it has adverse effects on how they numb
the pressure of life weighing on their mind. People turn to addictive solu-
tions such as drugs, alcohol, prostitution, and violence in order to deal
with their mental instability. Many people come into homelessness be-
cause of current mental instability which only worsens with the negative
effects of hopelessness. A person who has been considered homeless for
over two consecutive years, according to the 2012 census, is tagged as a
chronic case. In this instance, the person is much less likely to take action
or be motivated by any possible solutions of climbing out. The person has
been well into the mental progressions of being without a home and has
accepted their current situation as a more permanent lifestyle. This type
of homelessness is difficult in dealing with addictions, abuse and mental
instability because of the longevity of its occurrence.
_Place Attachment
The word “homeless” has a set of connotations attached that may or
may not be the entire picture of homelessness. When we say the
word “home,” we are referring to a permanent place of residence or
a location that is attached to a set of rules that guide us in evaluating
our own identity; we view ourselves based on the environment that
helped shape our current state of being. This place contains memo-
ries, feelings, ideas, attachments, experiences, values and morals
that are imbedded into our psychological identification2. This is one
aspect of psychological identification where a person identifies with
their history as a living present state. Another aspect of psychological
identification is the ability to control one’s environment. This deals
with identity through a physical relationship with the surrounding
environment and enhancing one’s fit through personal interaction3. A
type of territoriality arises when one has a long-term relationship with
a place or object because of the memories and experiences attached
with those things. These behavioral qualities are reminiscent of the
more animalistic traits of defining territory that is owned, controlled
or possessed by its resident or creator. The territoriality of a space
may be heightened if the duration of ownership increases, the place
holds some sentimental qualities or if one was involved in its physical
evolution and progression. In the event of physical ties to the envi-
2 Altman, Low. Place Attachment: Human Behavior and Environment. Vol 12. New York, New York: Plenum Press, 1992. Print. pg 1883 Altman, Low. Place Attachment: Human Behavior and Environment. Pg 189
ronment and its progression, territoriality then becomes categorized as a
central part in the realm of spatial control4. In dealing with two separate
groups of people, the space they occupy may not owned, psychologically,
by either party or else one of the two will feel as though they are a visitor
in someone else’s world. This is the current situation that occurs today
where, as Jason Gray says, “we draw up a dividing line, label each other,
and choose a side.”5 Within homelessness, there lie several different tiers
of territorial behavior. The class of people defined as Street Homeless are
less inclined to take control of the physical street therefore feeling out of
control and extremely distrusting. However, the belongings that stay with
them becomes the only thing that is constant and can truly call their own
whereas the non may take ownership over a certain space they consider
their own, or one that is simply not for the homeless. Territoriality in
these instances is psychological occurrences that can eventually develop-
ment into an attachment to place.
Place attachment in relation to time and change is a complex aspect of
how one deals with temporal conditions that is linked to psychological, political
and social development6. In this sense, “home” varies based on the psychologi-
cal realm within one chooses to remain, whether it is defined by their past expe-
riences, present situation or future vision. Efforts to aid homelessness in a posi-
4 Altman, Low. Place Attachment: Human Behavior and Environment. Pg 1895 Gray, Jason. “Fear is Easy. Love is Hard.” Song. 6 Altman, Low. Place Attachment: Human Behavior and Environment. Pg 7
tive, forward thinking manner focus on a future condition, one that involves
change, whereas a major issue of homelessness is when the client lives
within a present condition or past remembrance that accepts stagnation.
This is an instance where temperance and permanence counter society’s
general perception of a person considered homeless. Pro-active efforts take
on a mindset of upward progression that encourages permanence of place,
whereas the homeless have a mindset geared toward temporal living condi-
tions. This becomes an instance where the temporal living condition
may become a permanent lifestyle, which is what many efforts are
in place to avoid.
_INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS
The concept of place attachment deals with more than just a physical
composition of elements, whether it is a building or street. It is more pro-
foundly experienced through the social encounter.7 The attachment aspect
is produced by people and experience, which then gives meaning to physi-
cal place. Place can hold a positive or negative character depending on the
experiences that happen there. Full-time staff member at Philadelphia’s St.
Columba Safe haven for men, commented on this aspect of place attach-
ment in relation to homelessness within the city. “Some streets, neighbor-
hoods, buildings hold a lot of bad memories, addictions, or relationships
that the residences try to stay away from. If they go back, it could trigger
7 Altman, Low. Place Attachment: Human Behavior and Environment. Pg 7
those memories as if they are living it all over again.” This recognizes that
physical place acted as a setting for those experiences and became a symbol,
but was not the primary element8.
The relationship between people becomes the main focus when cre-
ating a place that is meant to aid a person out of grief and stress and into a
positive mindset. Territoriality has proven to be negative in aiding social in-
teractions between the homeless and the non. People considered homeless
deal with time, change and place very different than the average case study,
which adds to the disconnect and confusion between the two. However, the
connection of these two groups is necessary to the survival of those in need.
_THE NON
Within this content, ‘the Non’ have referred to all people considered
not to be homeless, and the ones who will lead them in a positive direction.
In order to produce an effective system the Non have to play an important
role in how these interactions occur and carry out. In the book, Shelter:
Where Harvard Meets the Homeless, college students took the lead and cre-
ated a place where the younger generation can use their resources and en-
ergy to positively impact the lives of others. The feedback on residence and
staff was that the generational difference allowed for interactions between
the two groups as well as room for flexibility and progress9. The outcome
was not all good, as there comes with certain maturity and a managerial skill
8 Altman, Low. Place Attachment: Human Behavior and Environment. Pg 199 Seider, Scott. Shelter: Where Harvard Meets the Homeless. Pg 40
in running a shelter, but the solution came abundant and fast, as one was
tried and failed until the right solution was found. This type of passion, mo-
tivation and aggressiveness toward an issue such as homelessness is needed
in order to make progression instead of waiting for it to occur. Young adults
in college are said to have more of awareness to social and political issues as
well as the optimism to believe in change.
Similar to how permanence has the potential to become mundane
and unseen, so does the attitude toward the perpetual cycle of homeless-
ness in the city. With a topic that can take a toll on every person’s hope and
motivation, it will take a group of people with high hopes and expectations
in order to counteract life’s harsh reality and continue positive progress.
Writers Pascarella and Terezini reported that, “The evidence is abundant and
consistent in indicating that changes toward greater altruism, humanitarian-
ism, and sense of civic responsibility and social conscience occur during the
college years.”10 College students are living through a time where question-
ing the world, themselves, and their beliefs is a common occurrence. When
this group meets a person subjected to homelessness, there is an open-
mindedness that is curious of that other’s person’s belief and experiences,
that transcends current living conditions. It is not to say that judgments of
both groups do not exist, but there is an opening within the hearts of college
students that allow for possibilities beyond their rationalization and logic.
Within Philadelphia, there are over fifty colleges, with approximately 10 E. Pascarella and P. Terenzini. How College Affects Students.Pg 277
COLLEGE STUDENTS
APPROACHABLE
INNOVATIVE
IDEALISTIC
GOOD LISTENERS
FLEXIBLE
sixteen- four year universities, ten two year institutions, five graduate schools
and many more. Within University City alone, there are over 40,000 students
located in the heart of the Philadelphia and over 100,000 full-time and part-time
students across the area.11 According to Project H.O.M.E facts on homelessness,
in 2005 there were approximately 15,000 people in shelters and 500 people liv-
ing on the street.12 Although it is difficult to have an exact number of homeless
people in the city, the student to homeless ratio is in the favor of Help and Hope.
11 CityTownInfo.com 12 ProjectH.O.M.E.org
The interaction between people subjected to poverty and the
students that see this happen on the streets they walk, brings together two
perspectives that have the ability to mold and shape the other. Young adults
are our future and as they become involved in the lives of people who need
help, it will promote a positive and giving future for the rest of society. The
physical place that the two can interact will have the intimacy of a one-on-
one interaction but also the publicity needed to raise awareness to this issue
throughout the city. With the abundance of colleges, shelters, and homeless
hot spots around the city, a central hub could not cater to the array of these
situations; however the multiplication of an architecture that is recogniz-
able throughout the city can promote change as well as serve the student
mentors and homeless people using that space. By shaping a young mind
into one that serves their neighbors, can re-shape a society’s mind on what
homelessness is and who ‘homeless people’ represent. The existing stigma
that once kept us from helping, can be shatterred, disintegrating Fear and
anxiety, and giving better opportunity for those in need to receive help.
Image to the right:Mind Map II
THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN
LUKE 10:30
“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho,
when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped
him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving
him half dead. A priest happened to be going down
the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed
by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came
to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man
was, and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He
went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil
and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey,
took him to an inn and took care of him. The next
day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the
innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return,
I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to
the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert
in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
CASE STUDY
Location: Seoul, South Korea
Subject: Urban Poverty
This section discusses the analysis of demographics of poverty found within
Seoul, South Korea and the type of urban environment within this city.
Through this research, it brought to question the responsibilities of the
younger generation to the older ones living in poverty.
Even though South Korea is now one of the largest, and still
growing, economies in the world, it too struggles with the evident
issue of people living in poverty within its cities limits, specifically
men and women of older ages. The extent of rapid urban growth in
Seoul and the problems that come with it are recognizable, not only
in South Korea, but in many different cultures. When a large portion
of the population migrants to one area there are basic necessities
that need to be available, the most basic being housing. Koreans re-
sponded to this with the construction of high rise apartments, quickly
built and in large numbers but this was still not enough to serve the
rapid growth of Seoul. Also, the new high rise buildings, of course,
cost more to live in, causing existing residents in the area to move out
and find more affordable places to live. A type of gentrification hap-
pened to the South Koreans who were able to survive on low income
in the city of Seoul before prices began to rise. There are two kinds of
people that were affected by this type of housing issue. The first being
the migrants who came to Seoul and could not find places to live in close
proximity to their jobs and two, the persons who lived there and could
no longer afford to stay. The older generation came to Seoul looking for
jobs, resources and money but was not able to keep up with Seoul’s rapid
growth, causing this population of people to become “gentrified,” forced
out due to higher prices and larger expenses.
The issue of rapid urbanization in Seoul and its varying effects on
different generations, mostly on poverty among the elderly, has char-
acterized it as a city that contains past history, present living and future
expansion in one place. Poverty is a long-existing epidemic that has
occurred all over the world, at varying scales, from extreme poverty to
struggling families. However, looking at the dynamic of this group within
the urban environment of Seoul, South Korea, the culture of people
below the poverty line has its own distinct characteristics. With a single
tour of the city of Seoul, one cannot help but notice the number of elder-
ly men and women that fulfill odd jobs around the city in order to make
a wage. By analyzing Korea’s strives toward urbanization within the past
forty years and existing conditions among the elderly population, one
begins to question the ethics of the younger generation and their respon-
sibility to care for the older generation. The poverty within Seoul is
reminiscent of a country that struggles with the coexistence of mod-
ern expansion and traditional ways of life, a gap in the relationship
between these two separate generations. The modern expansion
consists of new construction, electronics, companies and large densi-
ties of people. The traditional way of life was farming. This is how
the majority of men and women made a living for most of its history
until as recently as forty years ago. Koreans born in the new modern
era know little of Korea’s recent past and Koreans born before this
industrialization know little of its present. However, the two came
together in one area, Seoul. The elderly population has been through
many trials, from wars, to depressions, to migrating and all in the ef-
fort to survive. Now, they sit in farm trucks and sell fruit as an eight
year old walks by on his cell phone. The ones who were left behind in
the urbanization of Seoul were the ones who lived through it. Now,
half of Korea’s elderly population is considered to be in poverty. The
elderly in Korea know a certain life that is non-existent to the younger
population. Korean elderly population grew up with an expectation of
being cared for in their old age just like their parents were. Unfortu-
nately for them, the idea of caring for one’s parents was lost with the
modernization of its society.
Cities are complex in the way they function because of the diver-
sity of people, jobs, needs and resources located within a concentrated
area. They work as type of organism, where all parts have a specific job
in order to keep that organism alive and functioning. The poverty evident
in Seoul has become a part of this organism and has an important role in
keeping it alive. This concept is similar to the idea of immigrant workers
travelling to the United States to work as cheap laborers on farms. The
work needs to be done but younger men and women who are well-edu-
cated will not participate, so the other alternative is to hire those in need
of the smallest amount of money. The difference between the elderly
working in Seoul and immigrants working in the USA is a matter of gener-
ational need. It is only this older generation of men and women in South
Korea that are need of these jobs because the younger generations have
the opportunity to educate themselves and make a decent income. The
elderly men and women that can be seen around the city of Seoul, work-
ing as cheap labor, selling tourist items out of carts, or making Seoul’s
well-known street food, are deeply integrated into the fabric of its urban
make-up.
Residents in Seoul today can see how these ideas have manifested
themselves within the city they work and live in. Seoul’s street food is a
way for older men and women to make money based on skills they know.
If one were to go into the subway, they will see that the maintenance
crew consists of women over the age of 60, who clean and care for
the substructure. If a street cleaner passes by, one will notice that an
elderly man runs the machine all day. If a farm truck sits outside with
fruit or snacks or hats or bracelets, they will notice that an elderly
person is sitting next to it. They can be seen all over the city doing
everything kind of thing and when they pass on the idea of modern-
ization and tradition living together in one place will be gone. The tra-
ditional Korean culture lies within all those elderly people, and with
no one to pass it down to, it will be lost. The interaction between
this older generation and the younger one is necessary in keeping the
South Korean history alive, but also giving back to the pioneers that
sufferred for its present successes.
Kimsooja is a contemporary Korean artist that has done several street
performances in different countries. “Beggar Woman” was inspired by a
woman she saw in Mexico who was sitting on the ground in a tight position
and simply put her hand out asking for money. She replicated this act in
India, where she too sat on the ground and stood very still with her right
hand out. People watched, passed her by, but one man gave her money.
She was so struck by that fact that someone gave her money because
she now felt like a true beggar. She felt extremely vulnerable when she
was given the money and that moment overcame her. She decided to do
these performances so she could understand how it felt to be in such a
low position and understand a beggar’s point of view. She had another
performance where she wanted to experience the position of a sleeping
person on the street. She laid on one side with one arm stretched out and
closed her eyes. People stood around and stared, some poked her and most
all were very confused. Kimsooja focuses on using her own body as a way to
feel and relate to their physical position, or as she liked to call it, “a stone on
the street.” This type of experience cannot be substituted by any homeless
literature, scholarly text, or the most recent census on poverty rates. No
matter the language she spoke or the culture she grew up in, the experience
transcended all barriers and spoke to her heart.
Precedent
Artist: Kimsooja
Subject: Street Performances
Beggar Woman
Needle Woman
A Homeless Woman
Precedent
Artist: Vik Muniz
Documentary: Wasteland
Subject: Photography and Trash
This well-known documentary is about the artistic explorations of sculptor
and photographer Vik Muniz. Muniz was born in Brazil and made his way
to the US where he studied sculpture until he found ways to incorporate
more layers with photography. He used unorthodox materials such as dirt,
sugar, trash and other things in order to create picture-like images that he
then solidified with the flash of a camera. He knew about “wasteland” or
the largest land-fill in the world and set his sights back on Brazil where he
began his journey through trash. The landfill showed scavengers and people
who lived there since the time of the economic failure in the 70s and 80s.
Organizations were created in order to get children out of the landfill and
create some sort of income for the people that lived there. They essentially
became trash pickers, where they could find metals and plastic to resell. Vik
saw this as a way to express an extreme type of art that he had always ex-
plored: using unorthodox materials and the people who interact with them
daily to create a type of art that is packed with layers of information beyond
just the image.
Vik MunizSeries, “Pictures of Garbage”2008
The busyness and chaos within cities all over the world have created
a type of numbness in its inhabitants toward the things around them.
The overwhelming amount of advertising bombards us daily, yet as mass
communication continues to increase, we too have found ways to become
selective in what we see, hear and notice on city streets. However, on the
streets of Seoul, South Korea, it goes beyond the idea of a thick skin or
selective hearing and into a place where the Korean culture remains passive
at all times, not wanting any type of confrontation. I was told that Seoul was
an extremely safe city but to the point where if you are in need, you will still
be left alone. This has created a different type of homeless culture than the
one we know and experience in Philadelphia. In Philadelphia, homelessness
is ignored by some and helped by others. In Korea, homeless people know
that they are on their own and are shameful for being in need. Homeless
people do not panhandle, ask for money or confront you. If they are in need
of money they may just sit and sleep in the subway, or decide to sell things
on the street. In response to this type of street culture I was curious to see
what type of behavior a person may need to do to get noticed by people
on the street. Three separate instances were created near a university
where the demographic was much younger and thought to be a little more
Action Research
Location: Anam, Seoul, South Korea
Subject: A Social Experiment
open-minded. The first is simply a woman walking down the street with
unconventional makeup. The second is that same woman walking down
the street with intermittent yelping to activate audible sensory in passersby.
The third records the woman using out of the ordinary movements and
aggressive approaches to city walkers. In each instance, people ignored the
activity and kept walking. This experiment gave a sense of certain cultural
norms found in South Korea , which lead to an analysis of the street culture
we may find within the USA, specifically, Philadelphia.
Action Research
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Subject: First Friday
PERFORM
PROMOTE
CREATE
SELL
First Friday is an event where the street becomes an accepted public forum for people from all over to come and use the sidewalk however they please. It acts as a common ground for people to stand, sit, watch, walk, ly, stare, draw, paint, perform and much more. This is an instance where the buildings act as a backdrop to the main activity happening in front or open thier doors to the public, allowing for a more accepted en-try into the building. This event rids the general public of what is and is not accepted street behavior, bringing ease and opportunity for interactions to occur. In contrast, on any given day in the city, there is plenty of street behavior that is generally not ac-cepted and frowned upon.
I will just sit with my hand out, like Kimsooja did. A
simple act, passive in the sense that I am not staring, speaking or
acknowledging anyone that walks by, but aggressive in the sense
that I am alluding to people giving me money. I do not know
Philadelphia in a way that allows me to recall the best places
around the city where I may act like a beggar. I drove around city
hall for ten minutes looking for a good spot. I drove down Jefferson
Boulevard and saw a long wall that bordered an empty piece of
land. The sidewalks had been edged by buildings until this point,
so it stood out to me. I parked a few blocks away and walked
toward the spot. As I walked I saw a homeless man sitting on a half
wall down a side street. From far away it looked like he was fixing
his knee brace insistently, but then I realized he kept pulling his
socks up and muttering something to himself. In my mind, I was
here for people like him and felt I should speak to him. I walked
down the road and as I came closer, I started to think what I was
going to say. “Hi, can I speak to you for a moment,” or “My name
is Rebecca, what is yours?” Nothing seemed right. Soon enough, I
was in front of him and froze. I looked into his eyes and then kept
Action Research
Location: Jefferson Boulevard
Subject: The Street Perspective
walking. The few moments that we had made eye contact, it cued
him to ask for help, or money, I am not sure because I was so afraid
and uncomfortable I focused on walking away. I understand why
people do not help men like him. It is uncomfortable and I have only
ever been on the side of the person standing up and looking down. I
cannot relate to him.
I looped around the block and started back on Jefferson
Boulevard. I came to the spot I had previously picked out and froze,
once again. I was so nervous. What are people going to think?
What will happen when I sit down in the middle of the sidewalk? Is
this wrong? I brought along two disposable cameras that I had
planned to sit next to me to see whether anyone would use them or
ask to. I took off my shoes and placed them parallel to the wall. I
took two steps to the middle of the sidewalk that lay about 8ft wide
and sat down. I put the two cameras one foot away from me on my
right side. I sat with my legs crossed, back straight and put my right
hand out to my side. My heart was still racing but realized that once
I sat down, I began to lose my sense of place. The sun was beating
on my left side so my eyes began to close little by little and it was not
long before I only knew of my sitting position and not where I was
sitting. The position was disorienting. I was not used to
seeing the city from that perspective. I calmed down tremendously
and felt myself sink into character.
It was about 11am and people walked by at a steady
frequency, approximately 8-10 people per minute for 45minutes.
Passersby almost always looked away. I cannot speak for what they
did before they crossed my line of sight, but when that happened,
heads turned in the opposite direction. The two children that
walked by stared at me the entire time, even once they passed. One
of them were even laughing about it, but both their parents kept
walking and looking straight. Not too long after I sat down
an African American woman came up to me and asked if I was ok.
“Sweety, are you OK? Is this for a project or work or something?
Are you doing yoga?” I did not know how to react so I said nothing
and just shook my head. She said, “Oh, you don’t talk?” I shook my
head and she once again made sure I was OK before leaving. That
woman was simply confused. She probably
did not understand what to think of my position or why I
was there, but her curiosity drove her to say something to me. I kept
sitting in the same position and really did not want anyone to talk
to me. I felt so uncomfortable every time a person walked by and I
really didn’t know what to say when asked a question. I wanted to
act as if they were not there.
A man named Tony from the building I was next to came over
to me. “Excuse me, Ma’am. Please move back out of the middle of
the sidewalk. You are in people’s way.” I looked at him, looked right,
looked left and no one was in sight. I looked back at him and said, “Am
I?” He was startled by my passive aggressive behavior and hesitated
before he said, “Well, bikers come by sometimes and it is dangerous
for both of you if you sit out here.” I agreed with that and slowly
moved back towards the wall. I saw his name tag and decided to use
it. Names are personal and I thought it would be interesting acting
as though I know him from my position on the ground looking up.
“Thanks Tony.” He looked at me and smiled, “Your welcome. What
is your name?” I decided to lie. I have no reason why I did but I felt
like that was theme of the day and decided to go with it. “Karen.” He
looked at me and said, “Well Karen. I am not sure how long you are
going to be here, but the police may come by and ask you to leave.”
I smiled and said thank you one more time. He walked away and I
remained, just sitting. I cannot remember what I was thinking but I
forced myself to be as observant as possible. The people, mainly men,
coming out of the building across the street took notice of me. Four
lanes of traffic and they noticed the girl sitting on the ground across
the street. The distance between us was comfortable enough for
them to feel OK staring and me as well. It must have been a sight for
someone who works in that building every day. I began to think what they
were saying about it. Did the people a few stories up look out of their office
windows and gossip about the girl sitting on the ground? Did they act like
nothing was happening? There was a hot dog stand across the street. I saw
one woman with crazy hair walking back and forth.
A few homeless people walked past me. I decided they may be
homeless because they were carrying bags or pushing carts and all were
very dirty. None of them said a word or looked at me. About thirty minutes
in another security guard from the building I sat in front of came to speak
to me. She asked, “Excuse ma’am are you ok?” I smiled. “Are you meditat-
ing?” I smiled, paused and responded, “Well, I am thinking of many things,
so I do not think that is considered meditation.” She agreed and said, “Yea,
probably not. What are you doing?” I told her I was sitting. She continued
to look for answers and asked, “Where are you from?” I hesitated, looked
around and told her I lived around the area. She asked how old I was and
I once again hesitated and told her I was in my twenties. She commented,
“You don’t want me to know how old you are?” I ignored her. She com-
mented on my shoes and said she liked them. She also lied that she was
looking for a pair and thought they were nice. I told her they were great
because I didn’t have to tie them. She asked if I needed water and said she
was worried that I was out there in the heat. She also said, “Is this for your
job? Am I going to be on the news or something?” She said if I needed wa-
ter or anything to come inside and ask for Kelly. Kelly said she had to check
up on me because many people were worried. I am assuming many people
were uncomfortable and expected Kelly and Tony to take care of it. A man
with a plaid button up, slacks and dress shoes stood to my left near the curb
watching our conversation. Kelly asked where I lived now. “Do you live in a
building, house, or….” I knew what she was getting at and went along with
it. I paused and said, “I live in a building.” That was the end of that topic.
She said her goodbyes and I told her I enjoyed our conversation. She smiled
and walked up to the man in slacks and spoke to him for a little before
returning inside. He remained there on his phone for about five minutes
before he left as well.
After my legs were thoroughly numb, I stood up took my cameras an shoes
and left. No one touched the cameras except Kelly who I had to ask to take
a photograph of me. I wobbled back to my car and searched for the next
spot.
STREET DWELLERS STREET USERS
NOMADIC LIFESTYLE; WE MOVE FROM ONE PLACE TO THE OTHER; WE DO NOT CONSIDER ONE PLACE PERMANENT
PUBLIC NO MATTER WHERE WE GO
ARCHI T ECTURE
STR EET
ARCHITECTURE IS INTIMIDATING. IT CREATES A WALL
BETWEEN THE STREET AND THE INSIDE. IT
TELLS US WHERE WE DO NOT BELONG.
ARCHITECTURE IS COMFORTNING. IT CREATES A DIVISION BETWEEN THE CHAOS OF THE STREET AND THE ENVIRONMENT FOUND WITHIN.
DEFINING THE VOID
THE STREET IS OUR PLACE OF RESIDENCE. IT
IS HARSH AND UNFOR-GIVING, BUT IT WILL
ALWAYS BE THERE AND NEVER DENY US ACCESS
ITS WHERE WE FIND FOOD, MONEY, AND A
PLACE TO SLEEP.
FREEDOM
THE STREET IS HOW WE MOVE FROM ONE PLACE TO OTHER. ITS IMAGE IS EVER-CHANGING AND IS DEFINED BY THE PEOPLE THAT USE IT EVERYDAY.
ACTION
TEMPORARY HOUSING; TEMPORARY CONDITIONS; NOTHING IS CONSTANT; WE LIVE MORE IN OUR MINDS THAN WE DO IN THE WORLD
PERMANENT HOUSING; THE CITY IS APART OF OUR LIFESTYLE
BUT WE HAVE A PLACE TO GETAWAY FROM IT IF WE PLEASE
COMMUTER LIFESTYLE: MY DAILY ROUTINE ENCOURAGES
INVOLVEMENT WITH THE CITY’S INFRASTRUCTURE
STREET DWELLERS STREET USERS
NOMADIC LIFESTYLE; WE MOVE FROM ONE PLACE TO THE OTHER; WE DO NOT CONSIDER ONE PLACE PERMANENT
PUBLIC NO MATTER WHERE WE GO
ARCHI T ECTURE
STR EET
ARCHITECTURE IS INTIMIDATING. IT CREATES A WALL
BETWEEN THE STREET AND THE INSIDE. IT
TELLS US WHERE WE DO NOT BELONG.
ARCHITECTURE IS COMFORTNING. IT CREATES A DIVISION BETWEEN THE CHAOS OF THE STREET AND THE ENVIRONMENT FOUND WITHIN.
DEFINING THE VOID
THE STREET IS OUR PLACE OF RESIDENCE. IT
IS HARSH AND UNFOR-GIVING, BUT IT WILL
ALWAYS BE THERE AND NEVER DENY US ACCESS
ITS WHERE WE FIND FOOD, MONEY, AND A
PLACE TO SLEEP.
FREEDOM
THE STREET IS HOW WE MOVE FROM ONE PLACE TO OTHER. ITS IMAGE IS EVER-CHANGING AND IS DEFINED BY THE PEOPLE THAT USE IT EVERYDAY.
ACTION
TEMPORARY HOUSING; TEMPORARY CONDITIONS; NOTHING IS CONSTANT; WE LIVE MORE IN OUR MINDS THAN WE DO IN THE WORLD
PERMANENT HOUSING; THE CITY IS APART OF OUR LIFESTYLE
BUT WE HAVE A PLACE TO GETAWAY FROM IT IF WE PLEASE
COMMUTER LIFESTYLE: MY DAILY ROUTINE ENCOURAGES
INVOLVEMENT WITH THE CITY’S INFRASTRUCTURE
I set out on my bike to center city. I took the 32 to Broad
Street and figured I would just ride around and look for a home-
less person to talk to. Last time I had driven and it was much
more difficult to search, stop, park, pay so the bike option seemed
to make more sense. I rode my bike up Broad riding past him. I
saw a sign with Dunkin Donuts cup on the ground. “I found one”
I thought to myself. I kept riding though. Still unsure of how to
approach him, I rode to UArts around the block and came back. I
built up enough guts to park my bike and walk over to talk to him.
He is Caucasian, which made me feel a lot better about speaking
to him. I sat down. I told him I was a student and was researching
homelessness in Philadelphia. He nodded and kept looking down
at his book. He was reading a book. He said that he enjoyed read-
ing. I asked him his name and he looked down at the ground and
mumbled something back. “Kenny.” After the conversation had
struck up, I did not feel nervous at all. Not five minutes after I had
sat down, a person walked up to us and asked if we wanted food.
Ken accepted it and put it next to him. I asked Kenny why he was
homeless and what happened. From what I could hear, he said
Action Research
Location: Broad Street
Subject: A Conversation
he drank too much and lost his apartment. He has been living on
the streets for three years. I asked him about going to a shelter
and he did not seem pleased with the idea. “I went to a shelter
once and hated it. It was dirty and people would steal your stuff.
They made you keep your stuff out of the bunk area so people
would just steal it. I would rather sleep in the streets.” It made
me cringe. If shelters are not working as an alternative option to
homelessness, than what else could help? I asked him what the
worst part about being homeless was and he responded with,
“not having a place to go at night.” I sat there thinking, if Kenny
would rather sleep on the streets than in shelters, but above all
else, have a place to go at night, is a bed what he wants? Maybe
it’s more about escaping the darkness. I kept prying for more
information and found out that he was unable to go to some shel-
ters and receive help because he does not have his social security
card or birth certificate. He is from Pittsburgh. He mentioned a
few things about policemen that would walk by. He said that the
state gets money for people in shelters so policeman walk around
asking for names and social security numbers but do not have
them go. Ken spoke to me for a while then I left. As the conversa-
tion began to wind down, I kept asking myself if I should give him
money. I offered him a few bucks for breakfast the next morning
and never felt so awful doing it. I had sat and spoke with him like
he was someone I knew, but then, as it came to an end I resumed my place in
society and he resumed his. I wanted to do more. I put money in his cup and
left. I went home and Kenny slept on Broad Street.
“For I was hungry and you gave me
something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave
me something to drink, I was a stranger and
you invited me in, I needed clothes and you
clothed me. I was sick and you looked after
me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord,
when did we see you hungry and feed
you, or thirsty and give you something to
drink? When did we see you a stranger
and invite you in or needing clothes
and clothe you? When did we see you
sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth,
whatever you did for one of the least of
these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left,
‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into
the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his
angels. For I was hungry and you gave me
nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave
me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and
you did not invite me in, I needed clothes
and you did not clothe me, I was sick and
in prison and you did not look after me.”
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when
did we see you hungry or thirsty or
a stranger or needing clothes or sick
or in prison, and did not help you?’
“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth,
whatever you did not do for one of the
least of these, you did not do for me.’
Matthew 25:35-45
}107,148 CHRONIC INDIVIDUALS
67,495 VETERANS77,186 FAMILIY HOUSEHOLDS
236,181 PEOPLE IN FAMILIES
399,836 INDIVIDUALS
243,701 UNSHELTERED
392,316 SHELTERED
292,688 NON-CHRONIC INDIVIDUALS46% NON-CHRONIC INDIVIDUALS
17% CHRONIC INDIVIDUALS 37% FAMILIES
636,017 OVERALL
}BUILD BIG
Square Footage: 200sqft
Location: Rittenhouse Square Park
Program: A game of Chess.
build small.
Part I: Architecture for TWO
Edward T. HallProxemics
Site: Rittenhouse Square
Site: Rittenhouse SquareLocated between 18th St and 20th StPhiladelphia, Pa
The universities located within a 2 mile radius of Rittenhouse Square are UArts, Drexel, UPenn, Thomas Jefferson, Pierce College and Moore College.
The public plazas located within a 2 mile radius of Rittenhouse Square are JFK Plaza, Louis Kahn Park, Schuylkill River Park, Sister Cities Park, Logan Square, Mattias Baldwin Park and Independence Mall State Park
No other park has a balance between
“street dwellers” and “street users” like
Rittenhouse square. This park has been
in existence since William Penn’s original
city plan. The station will give more to the
park than the existing 7 sculptures located
throughout.The layout of the park consists
of four main pathways that lead to a center
circle. Specific location of the Chess
Station is yet to be determined based on
human behavior within the park, adjacent
context, vegetation and climate.
Site: 1904 Walnut StreetEmpty Lot: NW corner of Rittenhouse Square13,589 sqft100’ wide136’ deep
Part II: Small Architecture to BIG IMPACT
From the small station located in the park, which
encourages social interaction through a game of
chess, a larger building will follow its footsteps as
a formal expression of this interaction. Located
on the NW corner of Rittenhouse square, a new
educational facility with a street-side plaza will
be designed and serve the surrounding area.
This facility will be managed by UPenn students,
using the skills they learned to serve the city.
Site AnalysisDaily Sun Activity
Summer
Winter
Spring
Fall
University Students
PROFESSOR
senior student
mentormentormentor
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Universities In Philadelphia
senior student
mentormentormentor
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PROFESSOR
senior student
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PROFESSOR
senior student senior student
mentormentormentor
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mentor
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mentormentormentor
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PROFESSOR
senior student
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mentor
PROFESSOR
senior student senior student
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mentor
mentor
mentor
mentormentormentor
mentor
mentor
mentor
PROFESSOR
senior student
mentormentormentor
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mentor
PROFESSOR
senior student senior student
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mentor
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mentor
mentormentormentor
mentor
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DREXEL UARTS
THOMAS JEFFERSON X
X X
senior student
mentormentormentor
mentor
mentor
mentor
senior student
mentormentormentor
mentor
mentor
mentor
senior student
mentormentormentor
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mentor
PROFESSOR
senior student
mentormentormentor
mentor
mentor
mentor
PROFESSOR
senior student senior student
mentormentormentor
mentor
mentor
mentor
mentormentormentor
mentor
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PROFESSOR
senior student
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PROFESSOR
senior student senior student
mentormentormentor
mentor
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mentor
mentor
PROFESSOR
senior student
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mentor
PROFESSOR
senior student senior student
mentormentormentor
mentor
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mentor
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mentor
UPENN PHILAU
USP MOORE
TEMPLE SJU
senior student
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senior student
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senior student
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DESIGN THESISSPRING 2013
MethodologyProxemics
Site Analysis
Site Analysis
A Meal In The Park
Location: Rittenhouse Square
I drove to Rittenhouse to shoot a couple rolls of film in the park, hop-
ing to get pictures of people doing different activities even in the midst of the
cold weather. I wanted to use film because of the amount of attention it takes
to create a single shot. It helps focus my mind and adds to the craft of realizing
a single moment. I felt slightly uncomfortable when I first set up the camera
because it was almost as if I was an investigator that left out the incognito
aspect. I paced around the park looking for people and activity, when I spotted
a mumbling, dirty man on a bench so figured I should document it. He seemed
suspicious of me so I tried pointing the camera slightly to the left, while still
maintaining him in the frame. I took a picture of him first, then him, a woman
and pigeons, to pretend I was taking a picture of the birds, of course.
I moved toward the NW corner to get an idea of some of the sight lines
from Rittenhouse toward the empty lot across the street. Encouraged by the
visibility, but bored with the action, I moved to Walnut Street to catch the activ-
ity from the outdoor market. A man walking his two dogs caught my eye so I
turned the camera toward Rittenhouse by the northern most entrance. As I was
snapping shots of the dogs, a tall man came into the frame from behind me and
walked with some pace into the park. He approached the closest trash can, bent
down, reached in and sifted around. After some digging, he stood up straight
with his prize and walked away sipping on his newly found cup of something.
My eyes followed him as he walked past me, across Walnut to the steam coming
from under the street. He sat there with his coffee and warmth on the corner of
Walnut and 19th St. I turned my camera toward him and focused on his position,
“A stone on the street,” as Kimsooja put it. A blur of people walked past him as
the lights changed. The camera helped me realize this moment. I could not help
but laugh a little, because it all seemed comical. I looked to the right of me at a
basket of fresh bread and took a picture.
After finishing my second roll, I walked back to the corner of Walnut
and 19th and approached the man lounging on the sidewalk. As I came closer
and closer, I realized the frightened, tensed up nerves I was used to in situations
like this, only came as a dull tug. “Hey man, you want some food?” He said yes
and stood up at the same time. His name is Sean. We walked to the food truck
located on the corner of 18th and Walnut. He ordered a tuna sandwich with
American cheese and a can of Pepsi, and then I ordered a sausage sandwich with
American cheese. The man cooking the food recognized my order but seemed
to overlook Sean’s. I reminded him about the tuna sandwich and he asked, “Is
he with you?” Yes. He is. We got our sandwiches and I asked Sean where he
wanted to eat. He responded, “In the park.” We sat on a bench on the east side
of the circle and ate lunch together. I asked if he’s seen the people in the park
before and he said, “Oh yea, all the time.” It was then I realized that people in
Sean’s situation have more of permanence than I had previously determined.
They are a part of his day just as much as he is a part of their day. We mostly
sat and ate our food. I let him know that it was going to snow tomorrow and he
said, “I’ll figure something out.” We finished our meals and I thanked him for
eating lunch with me before I left. He said, “You’re welcome.”
I walked back through the market and spent some time speaking to a
woman about green energy. Once I was able to escape, I past the corner of 19th
and Walnut and saw Sean sitting near the steam. I smiled and quickly walked
back to my car to regain the feeling in my hands and feet.
Site Analysis
Site Analysis
Chess StationRittenhouse Park
The Essence of the Game
One Board,
Two Players,
Strategy
Chess Station
5’-8”5’-2”
3’-6”
Chess Station
6”
4’-o”
3’-0” 3’-0”4-1/2”
14” 14”
8 squares @ 2-1/4”
18”6” 6”
18”
9’-4-1/2”
3’-0”
12-3/4” 12-3/4”
1’-0”
1’-0”
7’-0”
1’-0”
Concrete Base: low aggregate
1/4” Clear Acrylic Glass
1/4” Black Acrylic Glass
1-1/2” Thick Wood Seat
Woven Plastic Screen
Metal Frame
1/8” Laminated Wood @ 8 Sheets
Metal Foot Stand
Construction
Program
Program
Program: Proximity_Public_ Private
Franklin Mercantile Chess Club
Chess Room
Computer Space
O�ces
Small Library
Meeting Room
Fraternity: Alpha Phi Alpha
Classrooms
Kitchen/Cafe
Library
O�ces
Event Space
Main Pathway
Program: Proximity_Public_ Private
Franklin Mercantile Chess Club
Chess Room
Computer Space
O�ces
Small Library
Meeting Room
Fraternity: Alpha Phi Alpha
Classrooms
Kitchen/Cafe
Library
O�ces
Event Space
Main Pathway
The Pathway
1
2
The Pathway
art space
CHESS ROOM
CHESS STATIONS
CLASSROOM
LIBRARY
MEETING ROOM
CAFE
GALLERY
Massing
scheme_2
Spatial Exploration
scheme_3
Spatial Exploration
Spatial Exploration
the·sis /ˈTHēsis/
A proposition forming the first stage in the process of dialectical reason-ing.
What is a Thesis?
A question I asked myself regularly for 6 months. I came into the first class in August and when asked what I wanted to do, I responded, “I want to help homeless people in Philadelphia;” a noble cause that set out to join the fight against homelessness. Knowing only of the man that lie on the side of the road, I had much to learn myself on what that actually means. The best thing
that I did for myself and my project was first-hand SITE ANALYSIS. My project began as a study of human behavior, which cannot be researched by books alone. Speaking with people on the street and listening to their stories was the fire that propelled this project forward. At one point I was so frustrated with the psychological disconnect between myself and a person who is homeless that I planned to sleep on the streets for a week. I wondered whether I could truly experience homelessness knowing I will return to my LIFE. Maybe the taste of such an experience was enough. I never did the experiment but the idea still lingers in my mind. I remember the days I walked around center city look-ing to speak with homeless people and completely buckling under the pressure that exists in those moments. I took notice of those feelings I experienced and decided to run headfirst at them. I recognized the fear, the anxiety, the distaste,
the judgment and questioned myself, why is it like this and how can archi-
tecture change it? This was the birth of my thesis and a yearlong search for an answer.
A year later and I recognize the most successful part of my project as the impact it had on my own perception of homelessness. I realized the most important
aspect in helping the homeless population was not giving them things but re-connecting people. This project set out to bridge the
gap or define the void between two distinct groups of people.
ARCHITECTURE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DO THIS.
A defining moment throughout this entire process of questioning, rease-arching, designing, questioning and redesigning was when I met Daniel. One Saturday afternoon I went down to the free library and I walked around a spoke to a few people. A sorority had set up a table and was handing out food. A man walked up to me and introduced himself. “Hi my name is Daniel.” He went on talking about his day and all the rounds he had to make. His first stop was the free library then a café on 20th street and then the Chess Club on Walnut Street. “Excuse me?” I said, “Did you say the Chess club? You mean the Franklin Mer-cantile Chess club?” He looked at me like I was hard of hearing and said “Yea. I am a member there. You should stop by a little later. They are looking for new members.” Around 2pm, I walked over to Walnut and found the chess club
below street level. I walked in and saw the tables set up for chess and asked for Daniel. They brought me back to where the computers were and there he was, playing chess online. He was so excited that I came. Daniel showed me around and asked if I wanted to play a game. I was pretty confident in my chess playing skills so I said yes. He set the timer for ten minutes and gave me a head start. He taught me the best way to start the game and when the best time is to “castle.” His two friends started watching and teaching me some things as well. Needless to say I lost, twice. We talked a bit while we played. I told him I was a student at Philadelphia University. He said he lives in a shelter on Vine Street and fixes up cars to earn some money but really enjoys teaching people chess. He goes to the library and teaches the kids how to play chess so they stay out of trouble. He’s hoping that one of them joins the chess club. We finished our game, said our goodbyes and I went on my way.
Thank you to all my advisors and fellow classmates:
Susan FrostenDavid Kratzer
Beth ClevenstineCourtney ReidVince Defazio
Eric TorrensKatie RennerMaria Lyate
Tyler DyeTony Hopkins
Evan RotenbergerStephanie Ziegler
Erika KruegerScott Murphy
Additional Research
Keep reading.....
Reading Viaduct TunnelOut of Sight
LOCATION: Reading Viaduct Tunnel, Philadelphia , PAMEDIA: Mixed media collage
APPENDIX
Density StudyCenter CityPhiladelphia, PA
Site StudyPotential Locations for Project
JFK BOULEVARD
BEN FRANKLIN PARKWAY
BROAD STREET
JFK BOULEVARD
Site StudyPotential Locations for Project
BROAD STREET
text. HOMELESSNESS text. PSYCHOLOGY video. HOMELESSNESS video.ARTWORK.text video. PSYCHOLOGY
Homelessness in Philadelphia: The People of the Abyss
The Philadelphia Committee to End Homelessness802 N. Broad St
Philly Stories: Homelessness
Down and Out (Homeless in Philly)
Homeless in Philadel-phia, Pennsylvania
Homelessness in Philadel-phia
Homeless in Philadel-phia
Ai Wei Wei- Sun�ower Seeds
project. HOMELESSNESS
Where have you slept? Being Homeless in Portland
Ask a Million
Choi Jeong Hwa, 1000 Door Building
Mark Bradford, “Kryp-tonite”
Finding Home in Philly: (textiles)
East End 1888
Homelessness in Philadelphia
Homelessness Handbook
The Economics of Poverty
Found Objects Helping the Homelesss
Urban Injustice: How Ghettos Happen
New Homeless and Old: Community and the Skid Row Hotel
Designing and Reporting Experi-ments in Psychology
Place Attachment: Human Behavior and Environment
The Psychology of Interpersonal Relations
The Dynamics of Interviewing
psychology.PROJECT_homelessness
Kimsooja, “Beggar Woman”
Kimsooja, “Needle Woman”
Famous rich homeless
Responsibility of Strangers: Social Experiment
Andy Goldsworthy
text. HOMELESSNESS text. PSYCHOLOGY video. HOMELESSNESS video.ARTWORK.text video. PSYCHOLOGY
Homelessness in Philadelphia: The People of the Abyss
The Philadelphia Committee to End Homelessness802 N. Broad St
Philly Stories: Homelessness
Down and Out (Homeless in Philly)
Homeless in Philadel-phia, Pennsylvania
Homelessness in Philadel-phia
Homeless in Philadel-phia
Ai Wei Wei- Sun�ower Seeds
project. HOMELESSNESS
Where have you slept? Being Homeless in Portland
Ask a Million
Choi Jeong Hwa, 1000 Door Building
Mark Bradford, “Kryp-tonite”
Finding Home in Philly: (textiles)
East End 1888
Homelessness in Philadelphia
Homelessness Handbook
The Economics of Poverty
Found Objects Helping the Homelesss
Urban Injustice: How Ghettos Happen
New Homeless and Old: Community and the Skid Row Hotel
Designing and Reporting Experi-ments in Psychology
Place Attachment: Human Behavior and Environment
The Psychology of Interpersonal Relations
The Dynamics of Interviewing
psychology.PROJECT_homelessness
Kimsooja, “Beggar Woman”
Kimsooja, “Needle Woman”
Famous rich homeless
Responsibility of Strangers: Social Experiment
Andy Goldsworthy
SELF-HELP REVOLUTION
“A HAND UP, NOT HAND-OUT.” -JOHN BIRD
FAMOUS RICH HOMELESS
RAISED AWARENESS
THE BIG ISSUEMAGAZINE
The Big Issue Magazine
This magazine was created by John Bird and Gordon Roddick to help elimi-nate sleepers on the streets of London. Once homeless off the street go through a filter process, they are given magazines to self for 2.5 Euros which they get to keep half. After they have finished selling them, they can come back to the organization for more magazines. This was created as a business solution to a social problem. They have set a precedent for cities such as To-kyo, Johannesburg, Sydney, Sao Paolo and many more. They started a self-help revolution. They are given an opportunity to earn a legitimate income.
http://www.bigissue.com/
Choi Jeong Hwa was born in 1961 in Seoul, South Korea. He prac-tices design within many different disciplines including graphic design, architecture and industrial design. He uses his artwork as a way to express the vast consumer society that we live in. Choi Jeong Hwa is a man that believes art can be found in everything. He, similar to Mark Bradford, does not see garbage or ordinary objects, but potential materials to create some-thing beautiful. By taking ordinary objects to create art, he is able to bring a new perspective to the thought of what is valuable. He works in a studio that he touched up with a few original pieces, one including a lamp that he made out of a bag. If someone were to look at a bag, they may see trash or a place to carry their things. When Choi thinks of what could make a good lamp, a bag sounds like the perfect lamp shade. His artwork is in some way a bit comedic because of the playfulness in color, material and form. He tends to use bright colors and startling materials in order to add more layers of complexity to one single installation.
“Hubble Bubble” was a type of architectural intervention, where he used plastic bowls in order to create a maze that lead pedestrian traffic in, through and around the site. In one of his interviews, he expressed that this was his favorite piece because it forced users to look at their surroundings, such as the beautiful mountains in the background. Not only does his art have meaning within the materiality and function but also the site in which it resides. His love for Seoul can be seen by how he gives attention to his homeland through his artwork.
Choi creates to shock and one particular project was an intellectual intervention that made jaws drop. “1,000 Door Building,” built in 2009, is a
Artist: Choi Jeong Hwa
Location: Seoul, South Korea
Subject: Reuse of materials
ten story high building that is covered in found and reused doors. He calls himself an ordinary man who thinks like an artist. He began his journey by travelling down back alley-ways and noticing that the trash on the side of the road could be used as material for artwork. From that moment on, he saw potential in things, such as old doors, and used them to create some astonishing artwork.
Artist: Mark Bradford
Subject: Reuse of materials
Artist Mark Bradford finds his creativity through ordinary objects, materials and mundane things that the average person may over look and throw in the trash. His idea of beauty is the layering of material that work together to create an overall composition, whether it be energetic, calm, intriguing or simply beautiful. The individual pieces within his collection all tell some sort of story about the places he has visited, seen and experienced. He has used posters found on the side of buildings, free pamphlets given out on the street and cool paper he has found throughout cities. One story he spoke about in an interview on his work was the reaction that people give him when he collects his art supplies around the city. He was going into an airport and the guard was asking him if he is carrying on trash. He replied with a simple, it is not trash. The guard asked again, and Bradford replied with the same answer. This is a great example of how the creativity Bradford has starts way before the paint hits the canvas. He is being creative with the materials he uses and lets those things also lend to a greater story.
This work of art is called Kryptonite and was created in 2006. It is mixed media collaged on canvas which is typical of most of his works. The inspiration for this piece comes from the busy metropolis of architecture that is found within city streets. It has a simple underlying grid, but with layers and layers of media, it begins to not only look similar to a master plan of a city, but also feel like the complexity of a dense urban population. Before I looked up the name or description of this painting, his concept for this piece was well received. As someone who lives in a city and loves architecture, this work of art speaks well of its intention. Bradford succeeded in his message.
1. Milkboy Communication. “50 People 1 Question: Philadelphia.” You-Tube. Web. April 28, 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SroK_IBEaJU&feature=related
In this video, people were asked, “If you could sit down and have a cup of coffee with anyone, who it would be?” This type of compilation is a good way to get several different views on one topic. I would like to use this method of research in a way that allows me to document public opinion about homelessness. What would the one question be?
2. Hutchinson Films Production. “Homelessness in Philadelphia: The People of the Abyss.” YouTube. Web. April 28, 2009.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKxrdfuFo3Q
This is a compilation of interviews with homeless people that are currently in shelters and seeking a better life. They are a part of the percentage that have taken steps to improve their current living situation. The interviews were conducted by Temple Media Arts II Sect 4.
3. Safe Home Philadelphia. “802 N. Broad St.” Youtube. Web. June 18, 2009.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHdKgtRBt3k
Safe Home Philadelphia is an organization that asked people living on the streets what they needed the most. Their answers included a place to make phone calls, take a shower, receive mail and peer counseling. 802 N. Broad is currently a place where all those things are available to people in need. Personal testimonies expressed the importance of a permanent address because homeless shelters are more of temporary services and do not allow for a long term mailing address. Also, there was an appreciation for the opportunity to take showers, receive counseling and job information. People felt like shelters treated them as if they were in prison and were inferior to the workers. 802 gave them respect and treated them like individuals. “They help you help yourself.”
This organization asked people what Philadelphia was missing and they filled that whole by creating a program that served those needs. This type of research and execution is what I am looking to do with my project. Helping to cure homeless-
Annotated Bibliography
VIDEOS
ness may not necessarily by housing. Homeless people are familiar with a nomadic lifestyle and maybe that’s what we must begin to cater to. A permanent place of resi-dence to chronic homelessness is an abrupt change to an already unsteady lifestyle. 802 is the type of project that allows for homeless people to survive on their own terms where they can maintain autonomy over their lifestyle and have a place that is there to support them if they so choose.
4. The Philadelphia Committee to End Homelessness. http://pceh.org/?p=248
5. End Homelessness. “The Philadelphia Committee to End Homelessness.” Youtube. Web. October 4, 2006.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c0hecK3FMM
Connected with 802 N. Broad St.
6. Diana Reynolds. “Philly Stories: Homelessness.” YouTube. Web. October 19, 2011.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVtzntBiWkE
Students decided to venture out to Logan Square and interview some homeless people. She found a couple guys by the name of Steve, Brian, Tony and Joey who spoke about their experiences as homeless people getting their life back. One com-mented on the fact that it just takes a person motivating themselves to do something about it in order to turn things around.
7. Brandon Torres. “Down and Out (Homeless in Philly).” YouTube. Web. Au-gust 18, 2011.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=op2Bq6cNU5g
This is a short documentary on homelessness in Philadelphia. The filmmaker inter-viewed one man. Here are some of the things that he wanted to share: “I’m home-less, but I am not mindless.” “If you give money to someone, regardless of what they use it for, they did not have to steal or panhandle that day.” “If you’re going to help a person, help them but do not judge them.” He does not ask or beg for money but just sits and waits.
8. SinaasApel Films. “Homeless in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.” YouTube. Web. Dec. 1, 2008.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpEp_Ud92rQ
Eddie was one of more than 500 people sleeping without a shelter in Philadelphia. There are additional people who are homeless but are not able to find a room in a shelter for the night.
9. “Homelessness in Philadelphia.” YouTube. Web. Jan 19, 2011.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0_PcHS5_gs
This is a short documentary a student created. She was interested in finding out what Philadelphia is doing about the issue of homelessness. She visits the homeless shelter, Project H.O.M.E, where Sister Mary Scullion speaks about Philadelphia’s 10yr plan to end homelessness. Philadelphia has the least amount of people living on the street per capita than any other city in the US. “Opening Door Plan: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness.” 2010. She believes that ending homeless-ness today deals with affordable housing and ending homelessness in the future re-lies on quality education for children. Proper care for the mentally ill has a large factor in whether homelessness improves or worsens.
Opinion: There has to be people that believe that homelessness can be cured or else there would not be the proper support for such a serious issue.
10. “Homeless in Philadelphia.” YouTube. Web. April 22, 2008.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrWWHa2tG9A
Real (adj): Being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verifiable existence; real objects; real illness.
A man spoke about how young kids need something to believe in. He was upset that they took prayer out of schools because it took the hope out of kids.
11. Emma He Fen. “Ai Wei Wei- Sunflower Seeds.” Tate Media. YouTube. Web. Oct 14, 2010.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PueYywpkJW8
Ai Wei Wei is a Chinese artist who created an large installation of hand painted, porcelain sunflower seeds by inhabitants in Jingdezhen, China; the ‘porcelain capital.’ This was the largest commissioned project by the Tate Modern Museum in London. This project employed hundreds of people in China that were looking for extra money to help care for themselves and their families.
12. Kane, Peter S. “Tate Modern.” Adaptive Reuse. 2009-2012.
http://adaptivereuse.info/case-studies/tate-modern/
Completed in 2000, this museum of modern art is an adaptive reuse project designed by Herzog & de Meuron. The building was originally a Bankside Power Station de-signed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. It served London for less than 40yrs before it closed down. Tate Modern was realized in the 1990s and located within the old Power Sta-tion because of its location on the Thames opposite St. Paul’s Cathedral. Only 8yrs after the project’s completion, London saw a revitalization of a previously underde-veloped area of London and created a new image for London as a leading center of
contemporary culture. It is now a key landmark for the city.
13. Ryan, Phillis. “Question to Homeless: What is the Most Important Thing That People Who Have Not Been Homeless Need to Understand about Being Homeless?” Homeless in Philadelphia. Philadelphia: Temple UP, 1989
14. Transition Projects. “Where have you slept? Being Homelessness in Port-land.” Spring 2007.
This short, 50 page book, documents the places that homeless people slept in Portland, Oregon. Transition Projects went to a local homeless shelter, handed out disposable cameras and asked them to go to the places that they chose to sleep while they were homeless. They compiled the photos and facts about homelessness in Portland and created a book bound by recycled cardboard. Critics of this book ap-preciated its emotional aspect but would have liked to see more insight and analysis of the problem.
Fishman, William J. East End 1888. Philadelphia: Temple Univer-sity Press, 1988. Print.
(Taken from Book cover explanation) This book documents the culture of poverty among Victorian East Enders. Fishman documents the social, politi-cal, and economic life in the notorious slums of East London during the reign of Queen Victoria.
GoldStein, Ira. Homelessness in Philadelphia. Philadelphia: Tem-ple University, 1989. Print.
This book is documenting a report done on the roots, realities and reso-lutions of homelessness in Philadelphia. It was a part of a survey for Mayor Goode’s administration to establish a firm base of knowledge about the homeless on which to base policy.
Levinson , David. Homelessness Handbook. Great Barrington, MA: Berkshire Publishing Group, 2007. Print.
This book is a compilation of information about homelessness across the United States. It documents and highlights projects and approach-es useful to professionals, students, and concerned citizens who want to understand homelessness and how it can be alleviated. (Taken from back of book)
Batchelder, Alan. The Economics of Poverty. 2nd Ed. Canada: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 1966. Print.
Annotated Bibliography
E. Pascarella and P. Terenzini. How College Affects Students. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1991. 277
Scott, Seider. Shelter: Where Harvard Meets the Homeless. Con-tinuum International Group: New York, NY. 2010
This book analyzes poverty across the nation and refers to cities and culutres outside of the country. The purpose of this book was to educate Americans on the issue of homelessness, so they might make decisions that would help the situation. This book was completed as a tool of analysis for college students and laymen.
Hilfiker, David. Urban Injustice: How Ghettos Happen. New York, New York: Seven Stories Press, 2002. Print.
Hilfiker worked as a doctor and writer for over twenty years and com-mitted his life to people in need. He wrote this book sharing what he learned about social structure and inner city history in order to cut a clear path through its complexity.
Hoch, Charles, and Robert Slayton. New Homeless and Old: Com-munity and the Skid Row Hotel. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1989. Print.
This book speaks in particular about a low-income community, Skid Row Hotel that offered security, personal autonomy and privacy for the “old” homeless that the “new” homeless lack. They analyze how these single room occupancy hotels operated in the past. They concluded that public policy should encourage the destruction of affordable housing, especially SRO hotels, and implement preservation, rehabilitation, and new construc-tion policies instead.
Harris, Peter. Designing and Reporting Experiments in Psychology. 2nd Ed. Philadelphia: Open University Press, 2002. Print
This book teaches procedures of documenting experiments in psychol-ogy. It speaks to student about how to begin the process before the experiment, things to consider and things to document.
Altman, Low. Place Attachment: Human Behavior and Environ-ment. Vol 12. New York, New York: Plenum Press, 1992. Print.
This is one of twelve volumes on the psychology of human behavior and environment. Experts analyze this unique phenomenon of place attachment in small-scale objects, moderate scale environments such as homes, large-scale communities and neighborhoods, and very large-scale cities and regions.
Heider, Fritz. The Psychology of Interpersonal Relations. New York, New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 1958. Print
Heider speaks about the concepts dealing with the interaction between two people, person and environment, person and self. He breaks down different aspects that could affect these relationships and speaks about their definitions and implications.
Kahn, Robert, and Charles Cannell. The Dynamics of Interview-ing: Theory, Technique and Cases. New York, New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 1957. Print
This book speaks of the appropriate techniques of interviewing and tips on how to read the interviewee and conduct an interview.
Edward, T. Hall. The Hidden Dimension. Garden City, N.Y., Doubleday, 1966.
This book delves into the anthropologic and ethnographic aspect of human behavior in relation to the environment. The “hidden dimen-sion” is the unseen, unspoken social norms of how proxemics define relations between different people.
