Ikea refugee homes are 'cheap and tough'

[The Straight Story]

Ikea refugee homes are 'cheap and tough'

With Ikea set to send flatpack refugee homes to war-torn countries, The Local chats to Swedish designer Johan Karlsson about why a flatpack house is cheaper, more durable and above all a better home than a tent.

The project, set to be trialled in July for a six-month run, began three years ago in an attempt to improve living conditions for people in refugee camps.

The Ikea Foundation joined forces with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to make it possible, with the team deploying flatpack style shelters to areas in desperate need of temporary housing, with the aim of replacing the commonly used white canvas tent.

With 28 of the units already shipped out to Ethiopia, The Local chatted to Refugee Housing Unit designer Johan Karlsson to find out more.



http://www.thelocal.se/48738/20130628/

[hobbit709]

1. Doesn't look like it has a lot of flow through ventilation.

In hot climates that could be a problem, especially with the tin roof. good idea but I think it needs some modifications.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. The roof isn't tin - it's a reflective fabric

to reflect heat during the day, but act as insulation at night. There's a more informative article, with video, here:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2349480/IKEA-develops-flat-pack-REFUGEE-CAMPS-designed-replace-tented-cities-disaster-zones.html

Each shelter also has a solar panel, so they can have a battery and light for the evening.

[frazzled]

10. There's ventilation

In addition:

The best part, the homes have solar paneled roofing, allowing inhabitants to generate their own electricity, extinguishing the need for candles or kerosene lamps. The roof also helps to deflect solar reflection by 70%, keeping the interior cool during the day and warmer at night.

Read more: IKEA Unveils Solar-Powered Flat Pack Shelters for Easily Deployable Emergency Housing IKEA Refugee Shelter - Gallery Page 1 – Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building

http://inhabitat.com/ikeas-solar-powered-flat-pack-refugee-shelters-offer-easily-deployable-emergency-housing/ikea-refugee-shelter2/

They are also built to official European housing standards.

What's with knocking things that are clearly incredibly innovative. If I were a refugee and given the choice between a tent and this, I'd choose this in a heartbeat.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

24. It's just a plot to sell the $3.99 Klossbkkn fan.

[davidpdx]

2. It is essentially a storage shed

but a good idea. It's possible a family of six could fit in there (I'm assuming grandparents as well).

[Ichingcarpenter]

3. shelter kits weigh 100 kilos each, compared to just 60 kilos for the average tent.

Lasts at least 3 years ....

Costs $8000 but the price will go way down.

Refugee camps today often consist of overcrowded tents that can be sweltering hot during the day and freezing at night, with no electricity and thus no light or heat after nightfall.
UNHCR hopes that could become a thing of the past, as it prepares to roll out 50 cottage-like shelter prototypes with flexible solar panels on the roofs for power and specially-made walls that can deflect heat during the day and retain it at night.


Read more: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/world/ikea-makes-flatpack-shelters-for-refugees/story-e6frfkui-1226671728909#ixzz2XblfslHM

[dipsydoodle]

5. Looks more sturdy than the VW Camper tent.

Those crack me up.

[bahrbearian]

6. How easy is it to put together,, you know it is IKEA.

[bobduca]

14. Yeah, haven't refugee's suffered enough frustration already?

[backscatter712]

17. IKEA: assembly instructions by M. C. Escher! n/t

[surrealAmerican]

22. I'm pretty sure that part is for assembling ...

... a set of stairs that go up in a circle infinitely.

[pinboy3niner]

25. I have nothing but sympathy for all the refugees from IKEA

Poor devils!

[kestrel91316]

7. Looks hot as an oven. JMHO.

[tammywammy]

8. Here's an article with more info

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2349480/IKEA-develops-flat-pack-REFUGEE-CAMPS-designed-replace-tented-cities-disaster-zones.html

The small square tiles are integrated into a fabric net that covers the structure, reflecting the heat in the daytime and pulling in heat at night for warmth.

------------

After receiving feedback from those who are using them, the IKEA Foundation will fund further improvements before they are put onto the market via the 'open source' method, where any commerical organisation can come along and buy the design, to sell to the UN Refugee Agency.

[yellowcanine]

9. Maybe not.

TL: What are the main features of the design?

JK: We would say it is the safety and comfort that you can expect of a house. The Referee Housing Unit (RHU) is built in coherence with European building standards and designed to withstand tough climatic conditions.

Sounds as if the potential for heat buildup was addressed in the design.

[frazzled]

11. The roof helps to deflect solar reflection by 70%, keeping the interior cool during the day and ...

warm at night.

This thread astounds me. Instead of lauding an innnovative, green design meant to improve the lives of refugees, a bunch of nattering nabobs of negativity decides to pass judgment, with no rational basis whatsoever ... because, why? Because you hate Ikea?

[kestrel91316]

12. No, I am just skeptical. I know how horribly hot any structure can get in a hot climate

when there isn't adequate ventilation. Where I live, for instance, my apartment can easily get 100+ indoors without AC - the windows and doors provide no cross ventilation.

[frazzled]

13. There are ventilation louvers, so you can breathe easy

as well as solar-paneled roofing, for generating electricity. Less chance of fires from use of candles and/or kerosene.

[kestrel91316]

20. Those tiny louvered windows are useless in a hot climate.

Hell, our bus shelters here get too hot to stand under, and they are only "enclosed" on one side, lol.

[treestar]

15. Yes. Any good news of any kind is frustrating to some

And jumping to conclusions is a national sport. The tin roof comment above shows that. Didn't look into it at all but just concluded it was a tin roof.

[kestrel91316]

19. I don't give a flying fuck what kind of roof it's got. If it doesn't

have EXCELLENT cross ventilation, it's not going to prove acceptable in a hot climate.

I never claimed it had a tin roof. Don't put effing words in my mouth.

[muriel_volestrangler]

21. Someone else, also 'above' in this thread, did

Maybe, just maybe, it's worth thinking that the UN might have thought 'how hot will this be?'. You know, they have a bit of experience in hot climates too.

[RandiFan1290]

16. I still like the VEC mobile housing units

They are insulated and they have power, AC, TV, and refrigerator.
Not the best for refugee situations though.

[frazzled]

18. $25,000 vs. $500

I would hope you'd like the VEC mobile unit better. Because it costs 50 times as much.

Not to mention the cost of shipping it to some remote war-torn area. The IKEA unit is shipped flat, and can be constructed in under 4 hours. I assume that the VEC unit is not a breakdown unit, and therefore does not really make sense as a viable alternative to tents for large refugee camps all over the world.

But you can like it better, for yourself.

[surrealAmerican]

23. Interesting design.

I would like to see a few skylights, but even so, it sure beats a canvas tent.

[Gin]

26. I think it looks like a good idea....Haiti came to mind....I think they still live in tents since

The hurricane.