Caring for vulnerable homeless people

Development goals

• Increase the care centers’ ability to restore vulnerable homeless people
• Make the care centers more homely and less institutional
• Increase accessibility for people with disabilities or functional variations
• Increase the centers’ ability to attract and retain volunteer helpers

Homeless people are one of the most vulnerable groups socially and health-wise. The group is hit hard when they are discharged from hospital, as the healthcare system increasingly encourages short and specialized hospitalizations with final treatment and care at home.

The Red Cross runs three care centers for the homeless – Eirsgaard (formerly Thorsgade) in Copenhagen, Pitstop in Aarhus and Svalegangen in Middelfart, covering the Region of Southern Denmark. The care centers fill a function that is not offered by other actors. It is an intermediate stop between treatment at the hospital and discharge to their own home, which for many is the street.

In this project, a team from Architects Without Borders is lending a hand with upgrading and redecorating the care centers Pitstop and Svalegangen, aiming to achieve a less institutional and more homely environment, with an eye for universal design and accessibility. The project is carried out in close collaboration with Red Cross staff and volunteers as well as the centers’ users.

Read more about the Red Cross work for the homeless and the three care centers here.

Project updates

Update Dec. 2024: The AWB team, in collaboration with the Red Cross, initiated and completed the analysis phase of the project. The purpose was to develop value- and function programmes as management tools for the upcoming design phase. The team agreed with the Red Cross to have the three development goals below as a starting point for the design phase.

Comfortable and accessible:
– Create a cozy and comfortable atmosphere e.g. through choice of materials and furniture
– Ensure care centers are easy and safe to use for all residents

Connected and inspired:
– Promote social connections, centered around enjoyable things, e.g. food and relaxation
– Create opportunities for inspiration through participation in activities
– Promote inspiration in spatial design e.g. through art, plants, furniture

Autonomy and recovery:
– Enable residents to customize their living space and use it as they wish
– Ensure that residents can easily and independently move between cozy, private areas and social common areas
– Ensure that the design promotes healing and recovery

The functional programs contain background information on the Care Centers, identified challenges and how they can be turned into improvements, and the framework for the design phase. Contact [email protected] if you want to see the value and feature programmes or have questions about the project.