With the recent experiences from COVID, urban dwellers are seeking alternatives to their dense, tight living conditions (causing some to flee urban centers). This challenge asks the teams to provide another alternative by creating sustainable, inviting, secure open spaces that will provide relief, activities, to a welcoming useful area. Site selection is critical; however, the space may be an empty lot or formerly occupied by a series of office buildings, storefronts, or even housing that is abandoned, in ill-use and repair, or otherwise prime for reuse or demolition. The open space can also be designed/constructed for special events/occasions etc. The spaces can be designed and built with landscaping, innovative temporary structure that provides shelter, shade, and seating for a wide range of public events, and/or permanent buildings to facilitate and enhance the area overall.

Every day thousands, if not more, of people arrive along the border of the United States, overwhelming even the most basic humanitarian support from health care, hygiene, food supplies, to temporary housing as they await disposition and legal processing. Teams are challenged to address this urgent need through use of design and construction techniques that will help direct the flow to centers envisioned and created to handle the multitude of needs while dealing with the difficulties of security, safety, language, gender, ages, varied timelines and comfort of the influx of people. Your solution should be done as a prototype or model that can be replicated along the 1,000-mile border in various hot spots or heavily traveled corridors.