Ameliorating Homelessness Through the Built Environment

This thesis seeks to provide a focused design solution to ameliorate the homelessness epidemic by addressing human needs through the built environment. Clinch Memorial Hospital would like to relocate people experiencing homelessness from the Atlanta metropolitan area to Clinch County in a planned community called Homervillage. Homervillage is designed with human needs and ecological democracy as outlined by Maslow and Hester, respectively. Human needs are met by using nature as a healing tool and utilizing the design principles of Alexander’s A Pattern Language to actualize theory as a design program. The thesis culminates in actionable program items organized in a table as they relate to Maslow and Hester’s theory, various case studies, studies on nature’s relation to the human psyche, and Alexander’s vernacular. These program items are illustrated in a rendered plan and model images to guide the design and construction of Homervillage.