Toronto ideas competition seeks designs for unhoused people

The West End Phoenix and Maytree have launched a design challenge to develop immediate, humanitarian responses for people who are unhoused.

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Maytree, a foundation committed to advancing systemic solutions to poverty and West End Phoenix, a local periodical community newspaper for Toronto’s west end, have launched un/SHELTERED: Toronto Design Challenge, a competition which seeks imaginative, innovative designs for people who are homeless and unsheltered.

In Toronto, there are approximately 1,000 people who are unsheltered, living outside in encampments, ravines, doorways, and bus stops. Through the challenge, Maytree and West End Phoenix hope to find solutions that are practical, feasible, and respect every person’s human dignity—their  fundamental human right to adequate housing.

Maytree notes that this challenge isn’t necessarily intended to address the city’s overall affordable housing needs, but instead, are asking entrants to think creatively, but practically, to develop an immediate, humanitarian response for people who are unhoused.

“We need new ideas and new solutions as our housing systems are clearly not working and our emergency shelter system is failing the people who have the most urgent needs. The challenge is to come up with solutions that are practical and feasible; and they must honour every person’s human dignity—their  fundamental human right to adequate housing,” reads Maytree’s website.

The competition is open to everyone, and Maytree will award up to $10,000 in prize money.

The submission deadline is September 16, 2024. For more information, click here.

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