An architect in the UK has come up with a new design that he believes could help London’s growing homeless population. James Furzer won the Farko International Design Competition for his “Homes for the Homeless” floating urban pods. He’s designed affordable, temporary structures that are affixed to the sides of the buildings above street-level, that can be accessed by ladder. And though they are insulated and include a mattress, the pods are mainly built from plywood around a steel frame. Because of the wide-spread use of anti-homeless design implements like spikes that prevent sleeping in public spaces, Furzer believes that his designs can provide a safe, affordable solution to problems facing urban homeless communities. He explained to The Daily Mail, “The idea would be potentially for a pod like this to be donated to a homeless charity, who could monitor it for a select amount of evening hours.”
