The migratory and humanitarian crisis has increased significantly over the last few years, which denotes that many people have lost their place of residence and risked looking for a new one, becoming refugees. There is a growing need for hosting places designated as refugee camps, however most have several problems. The present approach assumes itself as a reflection on dwelling and its reinvention, associated with the sense of welcoming. It presents a study on practical solutions with the aim of providing refugees with a shelter that allows them to rebuild their quality of life and recover the sense of belonging. The concepts supported by temporary architecture, sustainability and flexibility, support and guide the proposal. Dwelling acquires more meaning for those who have lost their way of life and find themselves in a life of waiting. The concept of dwelling is not restricted to the shape of a house, but to an entire universe in which a sense of peace, freedom and protection is sought. In this context, a proposal for a shelter was developed. The relationship between simple shapes, minimal dimensions and adaptability, generated the conceptual idea, imposing the intention of creating a shelter with the sense of being a kit. The important issue of transport, which involves weight and the occupation of space, interfered with the design of the architecture, the choice of material and the way it was built. The project, casa kit, is made up of two volumes, both made up of three modules. The larger volume includes the modules for the preparation of meals, the toilet and the shower. In the smaller volume, each module incorporates a bed and space for individual storage. In addition, the walls of the shelter are made up of two independent panel sheets, of different thickness and texture, which allow adaptation to the needs of the site. The prototype of the shelter was designed with the capacity to accommodate three people. The empty space, with 9 m2, which is between the two volumes, provides a place for living, eating and sleeping functions. The kit house also offers the possibility of being added to another shelter with the capacity to accommodate six people. Prefabrication was the chosen method, which facilitates the amount of serial production and subsequent transport, creating equal construction systems for all shelters. In order to occupy as little space as possible and to be able to transport the largest number of shelters, the side walls, the roof and the floor of the shelter are closed, leaving the shelter with a smaller and more compact shape. When the shelters arrive on site, their construction involves a sequence of simple steps that can be performed by just two people. The sloping roof makes it possible to collect rainwater for a tank connected to a filtering system that allows its reuse, in addition to the possibility of connecting it to local supply systems. Also on the roof of this volume are incorporated photovoltaic cells that collect solar energy that is stored in batteries. Thus, it becomes possible to use it later in heating water, in the electric stove and in providing light to spaces. Regarding the materiality of the shelter, following the requirements of sustainability, efficiency and lightness, plastic was adopted as the basic material. This option also makes it possible to generate flexible, light and resistant shelters that can be differentiated in visual terms and allow different forms of appropriation and configuration depending on the inhabitants who occupy them.

More info:

https://casasparaumplanetapequeno.fa.ulisboa.pt/ENG/projects-and-thesis/24_refugiados-grecia-macedonia-croacia.html

Image: Transitory Shelter, (source: by the author, 2021)