In a bid to alleviate the global refugee housing crisis, Paris-based design studio Cutwork developed a conceptual housing proposal that it
says will only take one day and, at a minimum, two people without special
construction skills to assemble.
The concrete textile exterior can harden into a protective shell within
24 hours after water is added – a process that led to the project’s nickname,
“Just Add Water.”
According
to the UN Refugee Agency, there are approximately 25.9 million refugees in the
world. To help address the humanitarian crisis in refugee housing, Cortex Composites teamed up with Cutwork to design a self-built,
low-cost housing solution that could last for over 30 years with minimal
maintenance.
The
Cortex Shelter combines Cutwork’s bendable metallic tube construction system
with Cortex Composites’ rollable concrete technology to create a conceptual,
flat-pack housing unit that can be easily assembled without the need for heavy
equipment or machinery.
Each housing unit would feature a frame of metallic
tubes, easily bent by hand, with waterproof and washable insulation sheets
“snapped and locked” into place. Finally, Cortex Composites’ rollable concrete
textile would be laid over the top of the exterior frame and combined with
water to cure and harden into a protective shell.
Topped
with a simple gabled roof, the refugee shelter measures 22.6 feet in length and
11.8 feet in width to offer enough room for a private kitchen and bathroom area
in addition to living space. Solar
panels can
be installed on the roof to power mobile phones and internal lighting. Operable
windows would let in natural light and ventilation.
“Built to last for over 30 years, the Cortex Shelter by Cutwork is cheap to build and maintain, far more so than the current temporary tent options,” reads the press release from Cutwork. “Weatherproofed for all seasons and climate conditions, its secure and strong walls are fire-, knife- and attack-proof, and there is a strong, key-operated door for further security.”https://inhabitat.com/cutwork-proposes-innovative-just-add-water-housing-for-refugees/
