Shelter

Each year, the Winter Stations competition transforms beach lifeguard stations in Toronto into temporary structures. The winners for 2023 have now been revealed and consist of an eclectic collection of huts, art installations, and simple shelters.

Zaha Hadid Architects is best known for designing high-profile buildings, but its latest project sees the firm focus on creating flexible tent-like shelters for displaced people that are being distributed in Syria, Turkey and Yemen.

Los Angeles-based tiny house company Vika Living has recently revealed a compact Accessory Dwelling Unit called the Vika One, which is fully prefabricated and delivered flat-packed on-site, to simply unfold into position within an hour.

Many campers protect their outdoor seating area from the rain by covering it with a tarpaulin, suspended between nearby trees. The Shelter takes what looks like an easier, more versatile approach, as it's a stand-alone tarp that can be put up anywhere.

A very different style of hammock tent, the iDome Shelter uses a stout aluminum, steel and carbon frame to hoist up to 1,000 pounds off the ground. It can keep you and a friend lounging blissfully while also holding gear over top the critters below.

Toronto's Winter Stations event is a design competition that turns the city's lifeguard stations into temporary structures over winter. This year's winners have been announced and range from abstract installations to relatively practical shelters.

Design Academy Eindhoven graduate Stella van Beers has transformed an old grain silo into a charming micro-house. Named Silo Living, its snug interior is split over two floors and squeezes in a small living area and a bedroom.

Japanese outdoor gear company Snow Peak has introduced a flexible new shelter with a modular design that could mean backcountry fun for the whole family, or perhaps just high comfort for an intimate group of campers.

While 2020 has given us serious cabin fever, it's also provided some antidotes. The new Jupe shows that sometimes the cure to cabin fever is ... a cabin, albeit one with a better view. The modern prefab shelter serves as an escape from city life.

If you've ever wanted to spend a night inside a dumpster – but without the accompanying smell – then Culture Campsite may be of interest. Situated on a former parking lot, it features an eclectic mix of micro-shelters made from recycled materials.

The SynVillan is a striking addition to Sweden's Eriksberg Hotel and Nature Reserve. It runs off-the-grid with solar power and lets visitors get up close and personal with bison, deer, and other wildlife thanks to its a glass-bottomed living room.

When you think of papier-mâché, school art projects and carnival floats may come to mind, but a team of architects has used strips of recycled paper and non-toxic glue to create pair of simple prototype shelters in rural Texas.