Julia Kacur, age 17
Bergen County Academies, Hackensack, NJ
Teacher: Scott Lang
Homelessness, and in particular anti-homeless architecture and design, makes people feel excluded by pushing the homeless out of public places and moving the issue outside of the public consciousness. Homelessness is not only an obstacle for those who are directly impacted by it, but also for society as a whole. My design is long-term, community-oriented housing for the homeless that provides them with a home and a sense of community. It features multiple floors, with multiple rooms per floor, and public spaces to provide community while still allowing for privacy. Rather than pushing people away from society, this housing model would provide them with resources such as counseling, education, and financial support that would help them re-integrate into society.