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Transforming London buses to support people experiencing homelessness

May 13, 2022

In partnership with The Change Please Foundation, tp bennett has repurposed two London buses, transforming them into support assistance for people experiencing homelessness.

Driving for Change is an all-in-one direct intervention service providing those experiencing homelessness access to GP consultations, haircuts, dental care, digital and financial literacy training, employment support, shower facilities, therapy assessments, and essential everyday items.

Celebrating projects that demonstrate both a deep engagement with the local community and an exceptional and sustainable outcome for all stakeholders, we are thrilled that  Driving for Change has been recognised and shortlisted for an AJ100 Community Impact Award.

We have created a welcoming ‘cocoon’ space at a domestic scale which promotes a sense of belonging that is crucial to the concept. The bespoke sanctuary space has been designed for guests to feel safe and comfortable. Plywood joinery details and a base palette of calming cues are complimented by bright and uplifting street art, designed and sprayed by Bud Studio, which lines the walls at the entry point and up the stairwell, enlivening the transient areas.

Efficient use of space and the creation of confidential and closed rooms was crucial in order to cater for the diverse range of needs facilitated by the project. Every part of the interior space is used to its potential, combining intelligent fit-out with bespoke joinery details and playful elements such as finger-hole cupboard doors.

tp bennett worked closely with Object Atelier and all of the fit-out partners to achieve a high-quality bespoke space.

The number of rough sleepers has risen exponentially over the past 18 months, with an estimated 130,000 households made homeless because of the Covid-19 pandemic.  This one-stop solution is a vital offering that will give people experiencing homelessness pathways to potentially life-saving key services that centralise support.