The Urban Bothy

The Urban Bothy: Combining empty retail space with the values of a bothy to create a human centred temporary accommodation for the unhoused.

My self initiated project began with looking at the traditional Scottish Bothy, something that has been close to my heart growing up. A Bothy is a small house in very remote parts of the wilderness that is maintained and left open for anyone who may need to seek refuge while out in the hills. The magic of a Bothy is not the building itself however, but the values within it. My project looked to use those bothies and bring them into the urban environment to help those who need it most.

The Urban Bothy is a unique solution to short term temporary accommodation for the unhoused. Taking advantage of the abundance of empty retail space within our city centres, we provide temporary accommodation that doesn’t have the usual cold and sterile feel that night shelters have, we focus on making people feel comfortable, dignified and safe. We provide each person an individual, lockable sleeping area. Each day support services check each Urban Bothy and offer support to those using the Urban Bothy to help begin the processes to get their lives back on track, from housing applications, to addiction support groups.