Building Bridges - Breaking Down Barriers

BACKGROUND: Building Bridges sits in the discipline of design and focuses on design for the homeless. Leading figures in the field include Dr Barbara Adkins, New York artist Michael Rakowitz, and Boston designer Kenneth Bailey. While many researchers focus on physical shelter for the homeless, this project focused on social inclusion. Working in partnership with the 300Blankets charity, we designed and constructed a suite of urban furniture to take out on their weekly soupvan runs. Aim: To provide an environment for the volunteers to sit down, spend time, and share conversation with their homeless friends. It was also hoped the design would help erode social barriers between the homeless and the wider community by encouraging the public to join. CONTRIBUTION: The project explored how design might generate/inhibit social interaction. It also applied 'bodystorming' in the homeless context to generate empathy and enable researchers to see the world through the user's eyes. The project was carried out over the course of 2015 and involved two staff and a group of students over two semesters. Semester 1 developed a brief and generated a range of concept designs based on that brief. Following guidance from our client team, semester 2 simplified these designs in a suite of urban furniture. This movement towards simplicity was ultimately found to generate the most appropriate outcome, both the 300 Blanket volunteers and their homeless friends. The client has since suggested that we continue the project into a second stage. SIGNIFICANCE: Project was supported by funding from StreetSmart Australia, RMIT School of A&D SRC, with materials donated by Bolon & Di-Bond. Project outcomes: Entered into the US-based Core77 Design for Social Impact Award (tba); Presented at the Design for Social Intervention seminar with aforementioned designer Kenneth Bailey; Features on 300Blankets website; Informed an abstract accepted by Journal for Social Inclusion.