Status: International Competition Entry
Location: not specified
Year: 2017
Program: shade for refugees
Design Team: Yoontaek Lim, Dasom Kim
Structural Undulation
: temporary refugee shelter only with non-structural materials
Proposal of temporary refugee shelter only made of non-structural materials
This design proposes two prototypes of refugee shelter only made of non-structural materials ; one is of Sunbrella® fabrics with sprayed polyurethane foam(SPF), the other is of Sunbrella® fabrics with felt. Such materials are soft and regarded non-structural in architectural sense. But when they are bundled and make specific architectural forms, that forms can be regarded as light-weight structures which can support against their own loads and other forces. The purpose is to make structure stand without any kind of rigid frames(such as metal frames, wood post, carbon fiber pole etc), and to make shelters easily transported and deployed due to their lightness and simplicity.
This design proposal includes the idea of using minimum sort of materials that can insulate the shelter (thermally and acoustically) without any additional materials. SPF and felt are used for both structural purpose and insulation purpose . SPF is used in various building constructions to provide thermal insulation and minimize air infiltration. Felt is generally not used for building construction, but when layered with Sunbrella® fabrics and undulated to bundled form, it is supposed to be satisfied structural purpose and insulation purpose too.
Sunbrella® fabrics are used for weather resistance purposes ; wind barrier, water proof, sun shade, etc ; and for architectural purposes ; building skin, making space, keeping privacy, giving aesthetic dignity etc. By infilling of SPF or layered with felt, Sunbrella® fabrics make series undulated section form which performs as structure of shelter. Sunbrella® fabrics play as container and fixture of other two materials and make possible the non-structural-material shelters can support their own loads and not collapse.
