Author & Designer: Hendrik Hornig & Dennis Berkemeier
The housing situation in refugee camps is poorly regulated. Every family gets a 4 x 4 meter tent, regardless of whether a family consists of 3 or 7 people. Living, sleeping, cooking and storage – all of this has to take place in this limited space. Privacy and security are hardly or not at all possible. Because of the thin tent walls they do not protect against the ears of others, nor against vandalism and the cold. In addition, the thin tent walls do not withstand strong gusts of wind. Also there exist a high density of buildings, which stems from the fact that growing families use the space between the tents to expand their own one. In the event of a fire, several tents will be destroyed at the same time.
“A simple construction against complex problems.“
The Accordion Shelter consists of modules that can be transported easily and in a space-saving manner. The construction is also uncomplicated. They are set up on site and pulled apart. The walls consist of expandable pockets that can be filled with earth or sand on the spot. This means that the Accordion Shelter can be placed anywhere and supplemented with the local raw material earth. At the same time, the walls are more stable and the structure of the shelter is strengthened. The massive wall also promotes the insulation and soundproofing characteristics. Before filling, the wall is flexible and can be set up depending on the situation. Various combinations for larger families are possible
