"Wounded Walls"
by Kalia Platyrrachou


The Planning proposal for Charing Cross Underpasses is "Wounded Walls" created by Kalia Platyrrachou.


This proposal is for living and working units for the homeless which will be built into the walls of Charing Cross Underpasses. The single living /working units, which will be dotted along the site's walls will be connected to each other by small tunnels enabling visual and aural contact. During
the day, the horizontal doors of the units can be opened outwards, and transformed into tables for vending.

The units (built from water resistant materials) will be cleaned periodically. The money for maintaining these units will be generated through advertising along the walls, between the dwelling units.

The work responds to the current emptiness and uselessness of Charing Cross underpasses; it recalls the recent history of the homeless in these underpasses; and it protests against the eviction of the homeless from the site by Westminster, last year.

As the eviction of the homeless people was merely for aesthetic reasons (beautification of the site) Platyrrachou critically decided to attack and wound the walls, and action that created the shelters.