The King Solomon Village is the adaptive reuse of an aggregate of vacant industrial buildings to provide a Temporary Shelter for a hundred homeless individuals in the heart of South Los Angeles. The project is located along the Rail to River bike and walking path along Slauson Avenue that will connect South L. A to the Los Angeles River in the east and the City of Inglewood in the West.

In empathy with the street life experienced by many previously homeless individuals, the design embeds a nuanced street and park within the existing buildings. By sculpting daylight from the industrial skylights and clerestories and positioning active spaces accordingly, the project recreates the openness of a less confined space. The design is articulated by an internal pedestrian “street” that extends from the entrance and continues to the sleeping areas, functioning as the primary axis along which discrete programs are organized. A greenhouse is situated on a perpendicular axis to the main corridor and recreates a well-lit  “park” or public square that invites the community of residents to gather at the intersection of the cruciform axes.

The design transforms the existing structure by extrapolating the tectonic members of the building’s structural skeleton and envelope to construct a hierarchy of spaces for different programs. The intervention reshapes the industrial buildings into a vibrant community for the homeless. It provides a sense of home without alienating them completely from their previously unconfined living conditions. 

The architectural interventions are plugged-in and derived by extrapolating the intricate structure of the existing building. In this manner, the subtle architectural intervention creates separate definable programs within the interior while preserving the openness of the space. The programs inserted into the communal spaces are intended to support the residents and prepare them for their next stage of life. The project extends the intervention by replacing the outdoor surface parking lot with a dog park and lawn while relocating the required parking to the furthest corner.