Architecture

Prototype shelter offers basic home for displaced Nepalese

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The recently-built Temporary Shelter in Nepal
Charles Lai and Takehiko Suzuki
The Temporary Shelter in Nepal project came about in the wake of the earthquake that devastated the country earlier this year
Charles Lai and Takehiko Suzuki
Following the quake, architects Charles Lai and Takehiko Suzuki created the architectural relief organization Architecture for the Mass
Charles Lai and Takehiko Suzuki
The architects designed a simple bamboo-based framework that could be erected efficiently with materials local to the villages of Nepal
Charles Lai and Takehiko Suzuki
Measuring 18 sq m (193 sq ft) and comprising one large interior space, the prototype shelter has no amenities to speak of
Charles Lai and Takehiko Suzuki
The prototype pictured cost around $500 to build
Charles Lai and Takehiko Suzuki
The roof is sloped to aid rainwater runoff
Charles Lai and Takehiko Suzuki
The prototype shelter took two days to build
Charles Lai and Takehiko Suzuki
The design can be scaled up or down as required, and the idea is that locals can follow a build manual to create makeshift temporary buildings
Charles Lai and Takehiko Suzuki
The Temporary Shelter in Nepal project came about in the wake of the earthquake that devastated the country earlier this year
Charles Lai and Takehiko Suzuki
Architectural drawing of the shelter
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Architectural drawing of the shelter
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The prototype shelter took two days to build
Charles Lai and Takehiko Suzuki
Lai and Suzuki designed a simple bamboo-based framework that could be erected efficiently with materials local to the villages of Nepal, by locals themselves
Charles Lai and Takehiko Suzuki
The recently-built Temporary Shelter in Nepal
Charles Lai and Takehiko Suzuki
View gallery - 14 images

Efforts to design a safe and affordable home for the world's poorest and most vulnerable people have resulted in some impressive architectural innovation, including the Bamboo Micro House, S House, and Ikea's Better Shelter. The recently-built Temporary Shelter in Nepal is aimed at offering displaced Nepalese a basic but flexible shelter that can be built by a group of unskilled workers within three days.

The aptly-named Temporary Shelter in Nepal project came about in the wake of the earthquake that devastated the country earlier this year. Following the quake, Architects Charles Lai and Takehiko Suzuki created the architectural relief organization Architecture for the Mass and collaborated with Hong Kong-based charity One Village Focus Funds along the way.

Asserting that one of the challenges facing Nepal's vulnerable is that supplies, including suitable shelters, often can't be delivered quickly due to poor transport infrastructure, Lai and Suzuki designed a simple bamboo-based framework that can serve as the basis for a temporary shelter and is easily replicated by unskilled locals.

The prototype shelter took two days to build
Charles Lai and Takehiko Suzuki

With a floorspace measuring 18 sq m (193 sq ft) and comprising one large interior space, the prototype shelter has no amenities to speak of. The roof is sloped to aid rainwater runoff, and the interior floor section is raised on a platform. The prototype cost around US$500 and took two days to build using timber and metal sheets salvaged from damaged houses. However, the crux of the project is not the prototype pictured, but rather the manual that Lai and Suzuki also created to aid locals in building their own shelter.

The pair report that following their instructions, which could be downloaded or distributed on paper, even unskilled workers should be able to erect their own shelter within two or three days using local bamboo and whatever suitable cladding can be salvaged. The design can be scaled up or down as required, and the idea is that locals can follow the design to create makeshift temporary buildings like basic shelters, nurseries, community centers, and clinics.

The video below shows the shelter being constructed.

Sources: One Village Focus Funds, Archtitecture for the Mass via Arch Daily

View gallery - 14 images
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5 comments
Robert Walther
Might be easy for unskilled locals in Nepal. I could not build one such without divine intervention. I doubt I am the only American lacking this ability. On the other hand, in the good old days my device clocks never blinked 12:00, and my computers always made sense to me. Modern civilization began with hot showers on demand. Modern tech civilization began with the 'Undo' command.
pwndecaf
@Robert Walther Good one, Robert - I am in the same place as you.
Is a tin house a good thing in Nepal? I suppose they can use whatever is available.
From World Atlas: Year round temperatures run from 32°F to 115°F (0°C to 45°C) in the Tarai Region; 0°F to 74°F (-17°C to 23°C) in the Hill Region, and from -25°F to 60°F (-31°C to 15°C) in the Himalayan region.
jerryd
Terrible design that will be too hot or too cold and wastes materials Instead use a U vault shape with much smaller bamboo, 2 bent into a U tying them together. Then hay, etc insulation with flat tin on the outside. Better would be a pit house with rock/sod knee wall with insulated tin roof and be permanent, much lower % of the bought materials.
MatsPersson
http://www.profil-montage.se/
You build at less than half the cost – in a fourth of the time. You build yourself without professional help, without saws, hammers and nails. 1 pallet = one 20 m² structure.
The loading pallet holds an entire 20 m² -structure. Everything's there – the roof, floor, walls, insulation (2-component), windows, door and ceiling material.
A small village for between 80 - 200 people and your price for the entire village is approximately 65 000 EUR. The price is based on single walls - we can of course supply double walls.
William H Lanteigne
I'm not sure this is an improvement over the basic "tipi" design of the Native American plains tribes.