Makeshift Shelter :: the experience

building our shelter

the final look

Shelter, a comforting place, a sanctuary for refuge, during the tragic episodes that took place in Haiti, many families were robbed of this. In order to bring awareness to the tragedy that took place in Haiti, the UNCG Interior Architecture program decided to hold a fundraiser in an effort to raise funds for the American Red Cross. The event was held during the second year studio design project reveal. The goal was to design a makeshift shelter. Using only 5 types of found materials and two binding agents, we were assigned a specific task that would take place in our shelters. Given a small area to work within, each group also had to consider outside elements. The project had a two week deadline, and inspiration was everywhere.

The natural world and organic elements influenced our project design. Our group wanted to create a space that was apart of the earth rather than against it. We looked to delicate shapes that would gently fold over and could possibly hold something inside. Inspiration was found in the shapes and designs of petals and leaves. We created a geometric frame inspired by the intricate shape of a leave. This allowed one to feel confined to the space, perfect for studying. With an inspired motivation, our group decided to get started on the construction process of our design.

With a final design consensus, it was time to start processing and constructing our shelter. We began by first choosing our five materials. We came to an agreement on plastic sheeting, plastic beams, fabric, cardboard and paper. It was a bit of a challenge deciding on these materials, however, we worked around the constraint and it turns out using less is more. Working with the chosen materials also presented a few problems. The cardboard was not as moldable as we had originally thought and using paper on an outdoor structure may not have been the smartest thing to do. The final steps were putting the structure together and assembling the group poster board. With a lot of luck and pre-fabricated elements we were able to build our shelter with little difficulty.

Shelter, a comforting place, a sanctuary for refuge, during the tragic episodes that took place in Haiti, many families were robbed of this. They were left without a place of peace. However, rather then running from tragedy, they stayed to fix the pieces. They sought refuge in their land by building spaces out of objects left behind from the catastrophe. Through tragedy, they found their place. Our first project allowed me to picture myself in the shoes of others and what I would do in their situation. Though, I could never imagine the pain these individuals have gone through, I would imagine that they would find their sanctuary and treasure it.