'street people need social assistance, not a designer's cart!' -
some of the commenters see the cart theme as the actualization
of a consumerist society trying to fix a social problem with an object.
meanwhile we agree with all commenters that our goal should be
affordable, safe and secure housing for everyone (who wants it),
among architects and designers perhaps we just disagree about
whether there can be intermediate steps achieving that goal,
or how to achieve that goal.
remaining passive and 'respectable' is condemning those who
live on the street to unsafe, insecure environments.
rhetoric positions taken in philosophical arguments, in which the
homeless are not invited to participate, only sustain a privileged few.

picture this exchange, between someone living on the street (H)
and a designer (D):
(edited by pivot legal society / advocates for systematic legal change
on behalf of sex trade workers, illegal drug users, and the homeless)
---
H: could you please provide me with a safe, secure and affordable
place to live?
D: I’m sorry, I’m a designer, not a homebuilder or government official.
I’ll vote for a universal housing policy and advocate and organize for it,
but I can’t help you beyond that.
H: well then, could you please design me a cart that has a shelter in it
so that when I sleep on the street it isn’t so cold and wet, and so that
when I dig through the garbage to find cans and bottles,
I have somewhere to store them?
D: I could do that, but unfortunately, that would result in the
institutionalization and normalizing of homelessness in our society.
anything less than safe, secure and affordable housing is unacceptable.
H: so you won’t help me?
D: actually, I’m helping you by not helping you, if that makes sense.
H: not really.

a few jury comments
--------------------------

'homeless advocates aren't so certain a cart is the best solution,
but that's not the only point, in certain parts of the world, homelessness
doesn't even really register. so this in essence does become a
provocation to get people talking about the issue.'
(birgit lohmann / designboom)

'these were very hard decisions - I was overwhelmed at the efforts of all
of the designers and I could have easily chosen a top 100. themes
emerged and I chose as my favourites a best example of each of those
themes. thank you for this opportunity - I have the deepest admiration
for all of you at designboom for taking on this competition and the
months of hard work you all have invested in it. bravi!'
(mark dusseault)

'we have had years and years of social services that dont do much
besides institutionilizing these peoples. here is a different approach
and it is interesting because it gives people a hand not a hand out.
the new face of benevolance, what does it look like now?
how can we design a more just world, without submitting others into it?
another question I have personally is whether homelessness might
be more prevalent in the future. we are all becomeing nomads,
maybe homeless the are just more avant garde than the rest of us.
don't know and I know Im probably wrong...
having a hard time picking a winner – all had great merits but I could
not find one that was the best and looked at issues of safety, health,
income generation and inter-community interaction - and of course the
most important aspect, secure storage... lockable storage and personal
security is vital for transient populations.'
(cameron sinclair)

'there are some nice projects, it was difficult to select the best.
it took a long time because it was not just a visual thing.
after a lot of debate I decided to have equal options for the 1st prize.
congratulations for having this competition running.'
(jasper morrison)

'I am surprised by so many good ideas.
hope some of them will make it to the next step
prototyping - production - distribution.'
(helen horten smith)


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