Idea: to settle the homeless of New York in stylish capsules on the walls of buildings

Creative agency Framlab proposed to build hexagonal sleep capsules on the walls of New York buildings, similar to honeycombs. There are more and more homeless people in the city, and the authors of the project came up with the idea of placing people in such modules so that they do not spend the night in the open air.

Since land plots in New York are limited and very expensive, Framlab suggests using vertical space - facades without windows, not occupied by advertising. Their Homed project is a scaffolding divided into hexagonal modules.

It will be possible to get into the module by stairs inside the scaffolding. Such a structure can be easily installed and disassembled.

The design is printed on a 3D printer made of recycled polycarbonate, and the outside is covered with an aluminum shell in case of bad weather. Thanks to the smart glass windows in the front of the blocks, residents will be able to look at the city.

Outside, it will be possible to place works of art or advertising on the scaffolding.

Each block is designed for one person to provide homeless people with safety and personal space, which is not found in dormitories from shelters.

They are lined with plywood from the inside, which creates a "warm and friendly" environment. Internal structures, including bed frames and drawers, are printed on a 3D printer from bioplastics, a decomposable plant polymer.

The tenants will be able to change the situation of the block according to their needs. The layouts show a number of options for how this space can be used.

The project provides a locker room and a shared shower, as well as a space with stepped seats where the homeless can gather together.

Since 2012, the number of homeless people in New York has increased by 40%, and several factors have led to this at once: prices for rental housing have increased, housing assistance has decreased, and rent regulation has decreased.

The founder of the Framlab agency, Norwegian Andreas Tjeldflaat, believes that his project will not solve the problem of the homeless completely, but it is important for designers to participate in its discussion.

In 2015, British architectural designer James Farzer proposed a similar project for housing the homeless — light containers on the walls of buildings located just above human height.