Homeless members of our communities are typically segregated, forgotten and given little opportunity or tools to succeed. Homeless youth even more so, as they are marginalized in the way society perceives them. With little to no education and transitioning to adulthood, they are often given no trust or independence by employers, organizations, society, etc. How can challenging traditional drivers of architecture (client, site, program) start to address this social issue?

Mission + Vision

The youth transition HUB is an integrated system using sustainable, adaptive reuse that provides opportunity for the homeless youth in Calgary through living, education, and people and starts to respond to the social disconnect of homelessness that currently exists. The transitional housing component will help bridge the gap from homelessness to permanent housing by offering structure, supervision, support (mental health), life skills, education and training.

Location

The site of our project is the old YWCA building in downtown Calgary. Within our scope we have also incorporated the adjacent parking lot between this site and the Calgary Drop-In & Rehab Center. As the building was previously a shelter, we found it lends itself to an ideal site for adaptive re-use as it is already retrofitted to house some of the programmatic requirements of transitional housing. Incorporating this project into the community can also be a way of continuing the legacy of the site and surrounding community as a space that provides hope and opportunity for the most vulnerable and marginalized members of the community.​

Program

With our program, we are looking at an inclusive, adaptable public hub that brings members of the community together + reconnects the homeless youth with skills, education and people to succeed. Within this we have the living, co-working, skills and employment components.​ With the skills and employment component, we would be providing, culinary, wood working, technology and art skills.