Warming Huts Introduction Meeting

Orange benches built outside of Main Street Project.

Warming Huts v2022 Introduction Meeting

Based on the success of the Faculty’s Warming Hut project from last year (Seating Portal & Sharing Circle), we are launching a new Warming Hut project for this coming year, following the steps of our collaboration with the homeless community downtown. Since winter 2021, the site of the Thunderbird House has been undergoing great change. Copper roof tiles were stolen from the building, forcing its closure and the installation of a protective fence. The Sharing Circle was removed in this process as it could no longer be operated without Thunderbird House’s supervision. A new public washroom is under construction, so is a new transitional housing project. With all these changes, the local homeless have been displaced once again, and the site is right now in disarray. With the upcoming opening of the public washroom, there is an opportunity to revitalize the site through a new project on the site—a potential new warming gathering place. We propose here the Faculty of Architecture 2022 Warming Hut as the seed for this new gathering space.
 
There is great uncertainty about how COVID-19 will impact future public space design, use, and perceptions. What is the relationship of an individual to a public space? How will our relationship with public space change? Considering the relationship between public space design and disease transmission, how will people’s emotional connections with places change? Will the pandemic teach us new lessons to incorporate into our street designs? 

For the Warming Huts v2022, we invite ALL STUDENTS AND INSTRUCTORS from all disciplines of the Faculty of Architecture to collaborate in the design of a new Warming Hut! THE CHALLENGE: How can we meet while alone and create a Warming Hut together? Throughout this process, all the COVID-19 protocols will be rigorously respected, including staying in our homes. All students and instructors of the Faculty of Architecture interested in participating should sign up using the link below.

There will be a first meeting to launch the project on December 23, 2021, at 12 noon.

ALL ARE WELCOME!