Contextual Art

The Situation

Persons that are homeless can suffer from a sense of placelessness and dislocation that is disorienting. This can occur in emergency or transitional shelters or in permanent supportive housing. This unanchored feeling can contribute to a sense of loss or detachment, which can add to stress levels.

Potential solution

Art can be a humanizing, connection-building element within an interior. Sculpture, paintings, graphics or other forms, if presented in a positive, non-provocative way can help lend a positive reinforcement of the neighborhood or city to persons who may feel cautious about their surroundings. Art that references the projects’s early history or the culture of the neighborhood are but two options for relevance and connection. DOWNLOAD REPORT

Location: Third Avenue Apartments, New York City

Managing organization: Services for the Underserved (SUS)

Interior Designer: John Shuman, Services for the Underserved

Architect: James McCullar Architecture, PC

Key words

Permanent supportive housing

Transitional shelters

Emergency shelters

Stress management

Community

Dignity and Self-Esteem

Beauty and Meaning