AWARD YEAR
2015
CATEGORY
Home
GOALS
Refugees and Migrants
KEYWORDS
housing, natural disasters, displaced people
COUNTRY
Sweden
DESIGNED BY
UNHCR / Ikea Foundation
WEBSITE
http://www.ikeafoundation.org/
IKEA Refugee Housing Unit
An innovative shelter designed to improve the living conditions of displaced people.
The Refugee Housing Unit is composed of three individual parts – RHU Frame, Panels and PV System. All RHU components can be assembled on site without additional tools and equipment. Prototypes have been tested and evaluated by UNHCR with respect to the personal, social and cultural expectations of the people that it aspires to rehabilitate, the environment that it is designed for, and the critical logistical and financial aspects of a large scale production and deployment, so as to deliver a dignified and viable end user experience.
The Refugee Housing Unit is composed of a modular design to make it a viable solution in the most shifting contexts. The RHU Frame is filled with pre-manufactured panels to create a temporary home. An included Photo Voltaic system can be attached to provide energy for the supplied light or to charge a mobile phone. Moreover, many Refugee Housing Units can be connected together to create bigger structures suitable for larger families.