U of I Students Work on Designs for Homeless Housing

Harrison Berry wrote a nice article in the Boise Weekly on the topic of personal shelters. It should be pointed out that the U. of I. is agnostic on the Cooper Court or homeless coordination per se; this was merely a student exercise in addressing the most basic human needs for personal safety and protection from the elements through design. These concepts could easily be adapted to provide shelter for any internally displaced individuals or families, whether as a cause of natural or economic factors.

Design by U of I student E. Marek. Materials cost = $499.20

Great effort by the architecture students; they were able to tour Cooper Court and interview residents, some of whom were able to see the presentation and results of those interviews. Good luck to everyone involved! With any luck and an acceptable site, we may be able to translate a few of these designs into useable shelters.


There are many approaches to providing housing and shelter options, the city is moving forward on a few fronts, as are several area providers and partners. The ultimate goal is to find safe, healthy places where people can find the stability needed to move forward.

Read the full article here.