Interior Architecture

By Laura Clifton

Just a short drive around Greensboro’s main thoroughfares is evidence enough: homelessness in our city is a problem. More official surveys put the number at over 700 people without housing within the city limits alone. Fortunately, there are organizations seeking to solve this problem and designers with the skills to help them. Tiny Houses Greensboro, a non-profit group building a tiny house neighborhood in Greensboro specifically for homeless individuals, broke ground on their project in July. This groundbreaking would not have been possible without the design assistance received from Interior Architecture MFA candidate Jessica Ocasio. Ocasio served as THG’s summer intern, working on site and building design, creating construction documents, generating specifications, participating in project management, and assisting with advertising and fundraising.

Specifically, Ocasio’s design for a 288 square foot home with room for a kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom was approved by the city and will serve as the blueprint for five of the homes in the six-house neighborhood. Her design took into consideration not only the limitations of the neighborhood’s half-acre lot size, but also the need for the tiny houses to be accessible to occupants with a range of disabilities or physical limitations. Ocasio’s work is proof that design can truly transform lives. More information about Tiny Houses Greensboro and their tiny house neighborhood project can be found through the following online resources:

•        Tiny Houses Greensboro Provides a Model for Success
•        Tiny Houses Greensboro Celebrates Groundbreaking of Causey Street Tiny House Community
•        Tiny House Project to Help Homeless in Greensboro
•        Tiny Houses Greensboro Breaks Ground on Project to Combat Homelessness
•        A First Look inside a Tiny House that Could Help Solve Homelessness