The Nest: A community for the homeless

Homelessness is a problem that occurs all around the world, and the lack of support from the government means that the amount of people becoming homeless is increasing. There is a lack of knowledge around the homeless as they are generally not just homeless; they are affected by illnesses or addictions and simply putting them in a place with a roof and food is not the answer.

Clifton Terrace carpark under the Wellington Motorway is the chosen site for this thesis. It is a ‘lost’ site due to its history and the damage that occurred when the motorway was constructed. I designed a community that will help bring the space under the bridge back to life. I hope that this will set a premise to similar areas around New Zealand and the rest of the world that are generally considered unpleasant spaces.

The use of this site will not only benefit the homeless and give them a new start, but it will also benefit the people of Wellington, as it will open up more opportunities for generating income. It will reconnect the city and community, and it will also create a nice park and recreation space for people to spend time that is sheltered and easy to access.

To fully understand and provide a solution which will overcome the issue of homelessness, research was undertaken on the following areas:• The homeless and their situation to understand more about the reason people end up in their situation.

• Homeless shelters and communities to understand what the homeless are currently offered and what is successful and not successful in shelters around the world.

• Clifton Terrace carpark to make the most of what it has to offer for the homeless.

• Under the bridge sites to explore how other people have reused abandoned sites.

• Park spaces to aid in creating a space that the public and the homeless can both enjoy and that will be well used.