mobile homeless shelter
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mobile homeless shelter
full view of the mobile homeless shelter
design enthusiast, paul elkins, develops mobile units, and other small scale vehicles.
he previously designed the burning man bicycle camper and his latest development
is a mobile homeless shelter which he designed as part of a competition asking individuals
to meet the demands of the rapidly growing homeless society - a kind of substitute for the
grocery cart situation. elkins wanted his design construction to be a simple, light weight,
water tight insulated box on wheels, built with an area for displaying and selling handmade wares.
construction of the mobile homeless shelter
the shelter weighs 225 pounds when empty.
the roof acts as a rain catcher. when it starts raining, a valve is turned to stop the flow
of water to the collection tank to allow debris to be flushed from the roof. after a minute
of this cleaning process, the valve can be turned back on and collect free water.
when the tank is full, it has an overflow feature which allows excess water to drain to the ground.
the cart being built
still under construction - interior view
the shelter includes a sleeping / resting area, a kitchen and makeshift washroom.
kitchen area
kitchen area
spigot installed over the sink
overview of the kitchen and sitting area
simple storage solutions
a louver adjustment will be installed at the rear of the vehicle by the two vents in case of strong winds
a cooler is built into the kitchen counter, made from a two gallon water dispenser
this area is meant to act as a night stand, with a small storage compartment below
toilet seat storage and bucket. the mid section of the floor is movable which allows for ample room for use of the bucket.
interior view - kitchen transformed into a sitting area
demonstrating how to push the cart
preliminary computer sketch
preliminary computer sketch
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A homeless person with a laptop? I don't think this was designed by someone on the streets ...
matblak 03.23.10
Didn't you know all homeless people are now given free laptops and iPhones. Its the law!
jeff 03.23.10
it is fantastic
forter 03.23.10
Jeff is quite right - with food and beverage apps
bum 03.23.10
Looks flammable...
jimb 03.23.10
I absolutely love you for thinking about the homeless in this was,you are a soul connected to mine to think in this way,i have been inventing in my mind for years just what you have made here,please show me everything about it and who you are,you are a hero.....roneldacahill@hotmail.com
Ronelda Cahill 03.23.10
The difficulty a homeless person would have is that it would be stolen the minute they left it unattended. If someone takes your shopping cart you can just go get another one. Nice idea, but it just doesn't seem practical.
You could always use it as a travel trailer for a motorbike instead!
You could always use it as a travel trailer for a motorbike instead!
daniel 03.23.10
re: the laptop
well, looking at his web-site, i think the sketches are just other ways the unit could be adapted.
i like the idea and its simplicity. definitely needs some refining, but i like seeing the prototype and how the interior space is utilized. thanks for sharing.
well, looking at his web-site, i think the sketches are just other ways the unit could be adapted.
i like the idea and its simplicity. definitely needs some refining, but i like seeing the prototype and how the interior space is utilized. thanks for sharing.
jeffrey b. 03.23.10
Thoughtful Design for flat plain living... a molded carbon-fiber frame and bike conversion capability could be an upgrade for mobility. Great idea for the push-cart homeless...but I agree about the laptop, that's stretching it a bit.
Pirate Patriot 03.23.10
Looks like a death trap. I'm pretty sure most homeless people would be too claustrophobic and/or paranoid to get inside of this for 2 minutes.
llkandme 03.23.10
Take a look at the locks. They are on the outside!!!
Brad 03.23.10
As a contraption i like it but why do anything to buy into homelessness? If you give a person this he/she might just use it, when the real aim is to make people unhomeless. Find new ways for employment so they can get out of boxes. Meantime, its flammable, easily stolen or vandalized. Safety is the prime consideration for a homeless person. Also, how is one to push this up and down grades--no motor, no brakes. With rain or flood, it could be abandoned and then these litter the cities, empty? Then it becomes another eco-disaster. With a change of wheels its an excellent motorcyclists camper but not for homeless whose needs and predicaments are not addressed here. It might have application for disaster emergency but even then, tents have filled that need. The solution for the shopping cart isnt this, its a job and real home. Is this what its come to, thousands of these boxes lining streets of cities and this is how we live? God help us. In all seriousness, we shouldnt build this box, we should take homeless into our homes and help them get a leg-up in life--quickly. Please not this.
charles 03.24.10
Notwithstanding what i already said that puts me against this project, the box itself is far too heavy and isnt made from eco-friendly, renewable materials. I would have built a bamboo base and fabric or other upper section so that it could be light and folded flat. I didnt first read that its 225lbs and thats crazy. The problem of this designer is that he is old-school and probably made a lot of projects like this around his house during the past 40 years. He isnt 21st century and neither is the box. But since he obviously has high skills as a carpenter and cabinetmaker, the trick is to bring himself up-to-date and use the skills in better ways.
charles 03.24.10
wow, charles, why dont you try designing something better instead of tearing apart what is much better than what the have now.
not-charles 03.24.10
I assume this is a prototype and several valid concerns have been raised. My suggestion would be to permanently affix a can/bottle opener. Homelessness, while certainly exacerbated by current ecconomics, is not always about having a job.
D. Barber 03.24.10
People who have worked with the homeless know that over 50% are chronically homeless due to mental illness & therefore unemployable. They used to be cared for in institutions until federal funding was cut off by Pres. Reagan in the '80s. They need society's understanding, compassion & care. Others are temporarily homeless due to loss of employment or substance abuse (or both) - of these, many have chosen homelessness as a lifestyle (no responsibility). Many homeless people are simply old & no longer employable, but have no money nor family to help them. Paul's design would be useful at 24/7 shelters without beds for those who are not mentally ill.
Moms Hugs 03.24.10
PS: Even if Paul has included a portable toilet, the waste must be disposed. Human waste disposal is a significant problem with homeless people. Haiti's tent cities are now rife with disease as a result.
Moms Hugs 03.24.10
This is great. It is one way of easing the hardships of poverty. Obviously not an excuse to ignore homelessness, but a good band-aid until we get our act together.
One way to improve security would be to have areas where homeless people can park these at night together, so they can protect each other. A government interested in easing homelessness could dedicate some land where people could live in these. An NGO could put up some money to buy these or subsidize the price.
You could build modules that can be added onto it depending on a homeless person's level of income such as electricity generation via solar.
This is obviously a prototype, but when you decide to take this to production you could mold the whole thing out of plastic, which is durable and fire resistant.
If you wanted to start a business manufacturing these (there are many people who are homeless, but not jobless) I'm sure that there would be plenty of government grants (free money you don't have to pay back) you could get.
One way to improve security would be to have areas where homeless people can park these at night together, so they can protect each other. A government interested in easing homelessness could dedicate some land where people could live in these. An NGO could put up some money to buy these or subsidize the price.
You could build modules that can be added onto it depending on a homeless person's level of income such as electricity generation via solar.
This is obviously a prototype, but when you decide to take this to production you could mold the whole thing out of plastic, which is durable and fire resistant.
If you wanted to start a business manufacturing these (there are many people who are homeless, but not jobless) I'm sure that there would be plenty of government grants (free money you don't have to pay back) you could get.
cwsm 03.24.10
Think the "burning man bicycle camper" is a better, all-round design. It's a lot lighter at 100lbs and looks to be more comfortable as well. d;-)
Jetwax 03.24.10
Doesn't something like this already exist. Aren't they using Rollaway cots with tent attached somewhere in California.
lewn 03.24.10
I think this is a great idea! Obviously it's in its first stages. Thank you so much for sharing this with us and thinking outside the box!
Rebecca M 03.24.10
I have a tent and sleeping bag that weigh six pounds...you can carry them anywhere you want
Steven 03.24.10
Great! Until six or eight bored miscreants decide to push you over the edge of the viaduct after a terrifying ride through the deserted city streets.
Waker Glass 03.25.10
Great! Until six or eight bored miscreants decide to push you over the edge of the viaduct after a terrifying ride through the deserted city streets.
Waker Glass 03.25.10
Maybe a pitched roof that doesnt trap and hold rain water; ultimately deteriorating the wood.
Deneice Raisinclit 03.25.10
i think what is needed here is that a downtown core or any place with large numbers of homelessness exists. is the area be flooded with these through a government incentive. so that there wouldn't be a need for one person to steal the dwelling from another. i think this is an example of someone really trying to help with obviously some creative ingenuity. someone trying to help out is far and few between unfortunately. thanks for caring.
oh and for the haters..go sleep on the cement for a few nights. see how that works for ya..
oh and for the haters..go sleep on the cement for a few nights. see how that works for ya..
angela 03.25.10
WHat`s the price of this cart? I strongly doubt you find one homeless who would prefer buying this "caravan cart" instead of booze... However, I appreciate author`s innovative idea. Have never thought about living in a slightly modified shopping cart... :-D
BTW, cart`s weight 225 pounds (cca. 112,5 kg) is too heavy for daily usage and homeless owning this caravan cart would have to push/pull this cart everywhere with him, not leaving it out of sight. Homelesses would need to lok like Rambo to be strong enough... :-P
BTW, cart`s weight 225 pounds (cca. 112,5 kg) is too heavy for daily usage and homeless owning this caravan cart would have to push/pull this cart everywhere with him, not leaving it out of sight. Homelesses would need to lok like Rambo to be strong enough... :-P
Psycho 03.25.10
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