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Crossroads
Location:
Oakland, CA
Description:
This project provides temporary, transitional housing for 125 homeless people. The design recognizes the special circumstances of homeless people seeking to regain their self-reliance. Crossroads is a refuge that resonates with dignity, good health, and hope in an environment where people can begin to reverse the trend of living on the streets. Shared areas are spacious for socializing, and the kitchen and dining room serve three full meals each day. Counseling space is easily accessible and provides privacy for the residents. Families live in a separate residential wing that holds five rooms (each with a private bathroom), a learning center, and a tot lot in a landscaped inner courtyard. It is the first shelter in the United States to be built from the ground up using green building technology. Solar panels defray the high energy costs of operating a large residential and service facility, and a state-of-the-art hydronic heating system, ceiling fans, and other innovations add to the building’s energy efficiency.