R2DToo

Portland, OR

This houseless initiative is one of the most remarkable endeavors ever undertaken in Portland, Oregon. It is a shelter for houseless people that is run entirely by volunteer houseless people. Each night a rotating unpaid staff of 12 people provides safe, warm, and clean beds for approximately 100 additional houseless people. The shelter is divided into sections for women-only, men-only, and couples. It also includes a community kitchen, toilets, security structures, gathering areas, and a dozen private tiny homes. In these images you will see some substantial infrastructure, and the designs have been approved and funded for implementation. However, due to an Eastside Industrial Council appeal to LUBA, the nearly 900,000 in funding that was in hand has been wasted on a futile exercise, and nearly all of R2DToo’s funding base has been temporarily lost. Not deterred, the project has persevered with whatever materials could be amassed as R2DToo has relocated to a new "river view" site in Portland’s Rose Quarter. Communitecture's role since the inception of R2DToo, through each stage of R2DToo's development and redevelopment process, has been to work closely with the leadership and community to gather goals, objectives, design ideas, and provide professional services. We have supported by confirming the village program, working on building design ideas, and developing site plan options. This has included coordination with project staff, city leaders and bureau’s. This was done in collaboration with Tim Merrill, architect. Site planning at the new site has been coordinated and developed in collaboration with architect Russell Wisniewski. Tiny homes have been provided by Benson High School students.