In 2nd year, I was tasked with designing for the homeless. In my research I realized NIMBYism was a reoccuring problem that I should design around. Inspired by the field kitchens used in old armies, I designed a “Field Soup Kitchen”
The Result
The Field Soup Kitchen was a design to circumvent issues with NIMBYism by allowing the soup kitchen to move around the city to where vulnerable people are. The design of the kitchen features 2 countertops, a sink, and a 500 liter pot for cooking and serving stews. The construction is a steel frame and wooden carcass. Intended to be manufactured cheaply for charities or municipal food programs.
The size is within road regulations, fitting within an 8’6″ x 10′ x 12′ box. It is intended to be towed by G class vehicles.
Research
Food access is an issue for the homeless. Soup kitchens and food banks can be difficult to establish, and may set up away from where the homeless are. By designing something to make easier access to food available, we aim to help feed those in need. There are about 300 homeless in Halton region, and 13.8k house- holds in Halton with food insecurity.
There are examples of food banks and similar charitable programs that are capable of feeding a large amount of people. A notable example is the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India. This Sikh Temple is known to feed 100,000 people a day. To do this they employ various techniques, but those techniques mostly surround around cooking in bulk, and cooking a very limited menu.
Another thing to take note of are field kitchens. These were mobile kitchens used in the army, with modern versions existing in the 1890s. While two-wheeled mobile kitchens are not as common in modern military, the old models are still good case studies.
Design
When I first started this project, I had to think of what to design first.
Final Reaction
The professor brought in an aid worker for Halton Region to give input on our pitches. He liked the idea and recommended actually bringing it to a charity in Hamilton for further development. While I plan to possibly do that, I have personal gripes with my design so far:
- Are there off-the-shelf towing frames to use
- Are there better layouts for the kitchen
- Should the kitchen be on the trailer, or off-site
- What other meals could be considered aside from stew and soup
Because of my own issues with my design, and the good reception by those who have seen my design, I want to revisit this project
The design of the Field Soup Kitchen is a good concept to pitch. It still requires further work though before I feel proud of it and confident enough to try to make it a reality.