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ReFrame

ReFrame was a project that aims to design and build a tiny house for the homeless community in Ann Arbor called Camp Take Notice. In hopes they can make use of it as a model and build multiple for themselves. 

 

Purpose:

Provide the homeless people a sense of security and stability which help them to rebuild their life. 

Give them confidence in life by letting them learn skills and build their own house. 

Make it possible for Camp Take Notice to get authorization from the governement to build a healthy, safe, and supportive homeless community in an unused land. 

Allow the homeless to have their own privacy and respect. At the same time, a strong supportive community. 

 

Team:

For this project we are a multidiscipline team of engineers, graphic designers, photographers, and industrial designer who are all very passionate about architecture, Tiny House Movement and how it can help our local homeless community to rebuild their lives and confidence. 

 

Everyone propose their own tiny House design then are divided into groups to do different tasks after the final design is finalized.

I was responsible for the Interior design where we design where everything should be, how it looks like, and how the user interact with every element in there. 

Research:

We all visited the homeless community where they are currently occupying and waiting for government's approval to use this land to build their own tiny houses. We heard their stories, problems, and goals to get an idea what's really crucial to them, and how can we design and make a tiny house that solve those needs. 

 

We also researched about other tiny house movement for the homeless throughout the world especially in United States.

My Proposal for the Tiny House design:
 

Lots of natural lighting:
Save energy use. 
Give positive vibe into the space.
Allow the homeless to be more integrated into the community by allowing them to see what's   happening outside of their house.  

 

Maximize space:
Lots of storage area integrated into the furnitures. 
Loft for sleeping and resting. 

Maintain clean and comfortable environment: 
Storage is hidden in the bench or behind the stairs or above the seating area so one living in it will not see all the things in the house.
Open space for one to move around freely instead of crammed little pathways.

 

Provide privacy:
Loft provides a personal space that people from the outside will not be able to look in which balance out the open windows at the first floor. 

Modified Design of the Final Tiny House Design:

 

Windows are recycled windows so redesignthe windows' arrangements. 

To save more floor space, we changed the normal stairs into samba stairs but still keep the storage under it.

The extending backward wall return back because it is too difficult to build and find a window that fits the top opening.

Interior Design & User Experience Design:

To prompt them to be engaged with the community, we incorporated a lot of windows near the places they sit down to rest or passby all the time so they see what's going on outside and hopefully encourages them to go out. 

 

To give them a sense of security and privacy and help them reorganize their belongings, we designed multiple types of storage spaces that most of them have doors or are enclosed. 

 

Having a simple table by the window and few stools around prompts people to have informal gather or personal contemplation while looking out the window. 

 

 

 

 

 

Loft as sleeping area to provide some personal space and privacy so no one from outside can disturb. 

 

Since there is a big windown at the front door, we placed the window at the right so outsiders only see the stairs instead of straight into the living room which gives more privacy to the home owner. 

 

However, due to the availability of a door in the recycled place, there was only a glass door. 

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