SF Chronicle - Embarcadero’s New Homeless Navigation Center a Compassionate Work of Design
Excerpt from San Francisco Chronicle, by John King.
See full article here.
San Francisco has opened 10 Navigation Centers since 2015. Their purpose is to provide round-the-clock refuge for homeless men or women who have been evaluated by outreach workers beforehand. Along with beds and storage space, there are social services to, ideally, transition clients into stable living situations.
The newest center isn't only the biggest, with 200 beds, it's by far the most visible -- three rounded fabric tents rising along the Embarcadero at Beale Street just south of the Bay Bridge. Thirty residents have moved in so far.
You enter beneath a smart-looking canopy that extends near to the Embarcadero sidewalk, a tilted screen of corrugated polycarbonate atop wooden beams. The door doesn't open without a punch code and the OK from someone inside who can see visitors via a remote camera.
The canopy serves to shield people and their possessions from the elements while they wait to go in; the tilt means that no drainpipe or gutter is needed. The doors swings open slowly, automatically, so that someone in a wheelchair will have no problem entering.
I describe the portal in such detail because it embodies how the architects have tackled the design dilemma inherent to ad hoc sanctuaries like this. They need to create a contained environment that's secure yet soothing. Durable enough to withstand damage from troubled residents, yet also offering comfort to people seeking to get themselves back on their feet.
The balancing act continues when the door closes. Outside the glass doors of the first tent, there's a triangle of bare asphalt, evidence of the site's former use as a parking lot. Benches and potted trees will be added soon. In between the structures is an asphalt clearing that serves as the courtyard and includes a large sandbox where dogs can play. There are some tables and chairs, and metal poles that will be outfitted with sail-like canopies.
The extra-large water heaters are one touch, ensuring that hot water doesn't go cold when a procession of residents take showers. Motion-activated faucets are another, so that water doesn't run ad infinitum. The floors are covered in epoxy, helping with traction, and they slant slightly toward multiple drains, so puddles don't form. As for rods that hold the shower curtains, they're thick metal bolted into place.
"You could do a chin-up on them," said Charles Bloszies, the local architect who worked with G&G Builders on the construction documents for the center.
The customization makes things hardier. It also allows residents to feel a bit more like they're guests to use Chase's words. The shower stalls, for instance - each is accompanied by a changing area, also curtained, where residents can get undressed or dry themselves.
"Upgrading the bathrooms seems mundane, but we're trying to give folks a positive environment," said Rachel Alonso, Public Works' project manager for navigation centers. "Safety and security is a focus. So is dignity and humanity."
Photos: Photos by Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle