Students from Drury University earlier this month completed the construction of a distinctive-looking shelter at the Revive 66 campground in Springfield, Missouri.
Revive 66 is a nightly stay campground for the homeless at 3839 W. Chestnut Expressway that is open to everyone, including the homeless.
According to a news release from the university:
The unique shelter is larger and more accessible than other options; providing space for couples and those using a wheelchair for mobility. Inside the shelter, there is a full-sized bed with a custom-built headboard that also serves as storage for solar equipment. Heat provided through an electric radiant floor system is conserved by highly insulated walls, floors and ceiling designs.
“The structure honors the role of community in helping to provide dignity for those that so often encounter the indignities of poverty and homelessness,” said Traci Sooter FAIA, Hammons School of Architecture professor and director of Design-Build Programs. “Through intentional design and the play of light, shadow, color and texture in this small cottage, we hope it will not only provide a warm, safe place to rest but will welcome and uplift its visitors.” […]
The design for this project was inspired by Thomas Kinkade’s painting “Christmas Miracle,” featuring the refuge and subtle glow of a warm cabin on a snowy night.
The Springfield News-Leader reported Scooter received feedback on the design from local homeless people:
“We’ve been out here working on the project. And every night, homeless check in. They start lining up about three o’clock in the afternoon … so that they can get one of the teardrop campers or one of the handicapped units. And so I’ve had a lot of conversations with them. And one of the things that really motivated me and kept me coming out here when it was cold and rainy, one of the ladies who was waiting outside the fence just kept saying thank you.”
Gates to Revive 66 open at 8 p.m. daily. All shelters can be rented for $10 a night by anyone, including those who are homeless. Pets and couples are welcome.
(Image of the new shelter at Revive 66 in Springfield, Missouri, by Traci Sooter, courtesy of Drury University)
A few internal pictures would have been more useful – for example, showing how many floors are there in this tall building susceptible to roof damage in high winds. Missouri is known for its tropical storms. More so than going on about some “Christmas Miracle” painting. That “Kinkade died of ‘acute intoxication’ from alcohol and the drug diazepam at the age of 54” (Wkilipedia) hardly brings cheer to the down and outs it is intended to cater for.