#cardborigami

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“It’s a sustainable cycle of helping people" --  Architect Tina Hovsepian 

Idea: The idea is called Cardborigami and it is a temporary house for homeless people made from cardboard. Origami has inspired The difference between this and other similar structures is that after the initial construction, which is just folding and taping it together, there’s no further assembly required. People can just pull it open to have a floor, roof and door they can use, and when they need to move, they can fold it up and it becomes a backpack for them. Additionally, the ridges inside help keep it insulated and make it sturdier than a tent and it’s lightweight and recyclable. It can be used and then taken down instantly. 

Insight:  Homelessness is a big problem and like other cities, Los Angeles struggles with it in a significant amount. There are roughly around 58,000 people who are homeless in L.A. County but the shelters around LA have less than 2,000 beds. . Homelessness affects us all. We see it on the streets we walk by everyday. This is why the architect behind Cardborigami, Tina Hovsepian came up with this idea and wants to help address the issue at the root of the cause. This design is supposed to be the first step on a better path to more permanent housing. 

Implications: I think that although the idea is a simple one, it will have a large impact. It is much more than just the Cardborigami itself. It is part of a four-step path for people to get out of homelessness and back on their feet. People think that providing the shelter is not going to help alone but it is a step in the right direction. One of four steps.  The shelter is the first step and people who want to use the shelter can be involved in creating it hands-on because it is so easy to do the initial construction. This will give them the sense of doing something for themselves and is a psychological boost. Tina also plans to partner with organizations that provide services for homeless people and the shelters aren’t meant to be used on the streets so she hopes to find a space where people can use the shelters or store them. She is working with Volunteers of America and the national 100,000 Homes initiative. After the first set of Cardborigami succeeds, she plans to start employing the homeless people who have gone through the program and can help construct the shelters for others. 

www.cardborigami.org

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