Since finishing my graduate thesis project this in August of 2011, does not mean that I have stopped my research on temporary sheltering and post-disaster events. After spending a year designing the “Sofortig(a) Shelter,” I want to keep up on sheltering options that would be feasible for a United States application (the Cocoon, the Pallet House, the Concrete Canvas Shelter, the Sanctuary House, the Cardboard House, and Studio D’s temporary sheltering option).
A post-disaster temporary shelter design is in need to create a reliable, cheap, and portable shelter that provides a roof over the displaced individuals’ heads. Allen Sammels, a professor at the School of Art and Design at the University of Michigan, has been in the industrial design industry for 40 years. His interest in post-disaster sheltering came after reading an article on the stackable bedding and overcrowding in jails. This article persuaded him to design the U-M emergency shelter. His shelter comes in two components. The first component is the bed tray and foam mattress. The second component is the disposable roof canopy. This canopy attaches to one end of the shelter; therefore, the canopy can be rotated to create a “C” shape. When the canopy is in the down position, it provides the users with visual and audible privacy, as well as a roof over their heads. On the other hand, when in the up position, the canopy can provide a standing exterior area where the users can change clothes and groom. With the addition of fabric screens, this space can be transformed into an exterior courtyard area.
Image 1 - The various uses of the LifeLINK Modular Shelter
Image 2- Showing how multiple shelters can be grouped together in a community atmosphere
To create a sense of community, these shelters come in a larger scale to accommodate a small family. However, two elements make the U-M emergency shelter a extremely feasible option. The first element is the shelter’s wheels. These wheels allow the user(s) the opportunity to move the lightweight shelter to a new area. The second element is the shelter’s ability to be constructed without the use of tools. All of these elements come together to provide the user with privacy, security, as well as personal space to store their belongings. In the future, Sammels plans to incorporate interior and exterior lighting to the shelter to provide the users with the needed security in their times of devastation.
In a post-disaster or wartime situation, it is important that a shelter provide a sense of community, as well as a sense of personal space and privacy. Jordan Cleland, a member of LifeLINK, designed the LifeLINK Modular Shelter to solve just that. Cleland’s shelter is made from 1,000 denier nylon walls, which includes a self-skinned foam. During transportation, to conserve as much space as possible, the self-skinned foam is vacuumed packed. Therefore, once unpacked, the shelter springs to life to create a shelter that can house two individuals. To help alleviate depression that could accompany a post-disaster situation, the LifeLINK Modular Shelter’s skin is not only functional and practical, it also helps creates a beautiful aesthetic form.
Image 3 - Showing how multiple shelters can come together to create a communal space
Image 4 - Shows the components that make up the LifeLINK Modular Shelter
In a post-disaster situation, a sense of community can provide the users with security, as well as decreasing their depression. The LIFELINK Modular Shelter provides two components to help create a communal space for the users. The first component is the shelter’s Velcro straps along the shelter’s exterior. These straps can be connected together to create an interior opening space for community interactions. The second component is a covering that turn the open interior space, between the shelters, into a covered sunroom. This sunroom, while providing a communal area, helps heat the interior of the connected shelters, as well as providing a secured entry to the sunroom. When these shelters are connected, the pre-designed sunroom can bring six shelters together under one roof; therefore, sheltering a maximum of twelve individuals.
Text
Nesbit. J. U-M Designer Hatches Emergency Shelter. (2005, February 14). Retrieved
October 15, 2011, form htty://www.ur.umich.edu/0405/Feb14_05/10
LifeLINK Modular Shelter is Based on Community Values. (2009, March 22). Retrieved
October 15, 2011, from http://www.designbuzz.com/entry/lifelink-emergency-
shelter-also-provides-an-emotional-haven-to-victims
No comments:
Post a Comment