cocoon carts by tony lau from uk

[Cocoon Carts] In the UK alone, around 100,000 shopping carts are discarded every year due to age or damage - many going into landfill sites. These abandoned (homeless) carts, can be given a new life as a Cocoon Cart.

The design will be made from recycled materials and combines a shopping trolley with a foldable recliner. The cart has a lockable lid, which secures their possessions. The foldable recliner can serve as a chair for resting, or can be folded out into a comfortable bed. A polythene cocoon (recycled plastic bags) can be pulled over the user to provide shelter from the rain, wind and cold.

Whilst being pushed during the day, the wheel dynamo and photovoltaic cells charge a small battery. At night the night LED lights activate, creating glowing cocoons thus provide greater security to the homeless and increasing their visibility to the public.

When the homeless congregate, these cocoons form small communities with their own private space within the public realm. Through colour and light, these cocoons will remind the public about the plight of the invisible homeless. Using recycled carts, the homeless can live in the protection of the cocoon until the day they emerge and a permanent home can be found.