Day Labor Station

The Day Labor Station is an innovative conceptual design for an adaptable structure which would provide shelter for day laborers waiting for work. The design would also create a community environment by providing a meeting space and classroom for those in between opportunities. The project was developed by the social impact design firm Public Architecture under Project Director Liz Ogbu, and is notable for its adaptable structural and spatial propositions. In addition, the Day Labor Station is an especially powerful design because it directly considers day laborers as clients, aiming to provide them with dedicated space and a sense of dignity. By providing community resources, the Day Labor Station would also help workers empower themselves and advocate for their shared interests. Though unrealized, the project became a powerful tool in the efforts of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network. It was featured in the “Design for the Other 90%” exhibit at the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum in 2007 as well as being awarded the 2009 Global Innovation Prize by the Holcim Foundation.