Y2Y Harvard Square

Location:

Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

Photographer:

Date:

2015-12-01

Type:

Shelter

At Y2Y Harvard Square, the nation’s first youth-led shelter for unhoused youth, guests collaborate with service providers, other youth experiencing homelessness, and student volunteers to create sustainable pathways out of homelessness and develop skills for long-term success.

The Y2Y shelter has 27 beds, which make up over 2/3 of the youth-specific shelter beds in the Greater Boston Area. Y2Y Harvard Square provides opportunities for both guests and student volunteers to become the next generation’s leading advocates for youth-driven solutions to homelessness. The shelter provides access to basic resources and services ranging from case management to linkages with legal, medical, and mental health providers.

In the front of the photo, you can see the seating area. At the back, you can see the tiered sleeping cubbies.

The space offers multiple types of lighting, at different heights.
including from the dropped ceilings and some that reflects off the higher ceiling.

Despite being in a basement, the dimmable lights are in layers and are designed to enhance the cheerful color scheme. On the left-hand side you can see a mural made by the residents, which increases the sense of belonging and ownership. A large open floor plan with plenty of places to choose from and to sit and relax. The kitchen provides dinner and breakfast to its residents while providing opportunities to gain new skills as cooks, servers, and dishwashers. In the back are the offices for medical, legal and mental health services. Administration for Y2Y is in an entirely separate location.

The upper cubbies are accessed by a ladder. Each cubby has a plexiglass shade that can be closed for increased privacy and a recessed cabinet in which guests can secure their belongings.

The computer area allows guests to access services, conduct job searches, and check email and social media. You can also see the movable storage cabinets, which maximize storage while allowing varied placement for both, privacy and sight lines.

Y2Y Harvard Square

Be the first to know!