A group of University of Washington architecture students are holding a workshop to come up with ideas for how to design the Ballard homeless encampment site. It’s part of the yearly Seattle Design Festival, with Design for Equity as this year’s theme. The workshop will be held on Sept. 22 at Gould Hall Court (3950 University Way NE) from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
According to the advertisement, the workshop will address, “the potential design of the Ballard encampment and its presence in Ballard.” They’ll look at who will live on the encampment, how the land should be divided, how it should be managed, and the rights and responsibilities of the residents, city officials, social service agency staff and neighbors.
The students have developed a few design concepts, some of which include using repurposed storage containers, others depict tents, and most involve a community garden.
The workshop hopes to involve potential residents of the site, decision-makers who will manage the site, potential designers, and neighbors who live or own business nearby. “By the end of the evening, you will be able to show off a colorful model of your visionary ideas,” they say. “Come prepared to roll up your sleeves and be creative.”
