Many people are in need of shelter. War, extreme weather events, and famine... Unfortunately, these crises are frequent and lead to large-scale migration. Welcoming individuals in extremely vulnerable situations is a challenge. Ensuring comfort, well-being, and dignity is a humanitarian imperative. Today, there are around 103 million displaced people worldwide, and climate change could significantly increase this number.
Well-designed emergency housing is crucial to ensuring safe and humane conditions for these individuals until they find a permanent home or return to their places of origin. The goal of providing a sustainable, resilient, and temporary shelter led to the development of the Essential Homes Research Project, a partnership between the Norman Foster Foundation and Holcim, a Swiss building materials company.
The result is a low-carbon, energy-efficient modular structure that can be fully recycled at the end of its life cycle. The Essential Home prototype is now complete and can be viewed at the Venice Biennale through November.
“Natural and man-made disasters trigger a continuous exodus of people. At the Venice Biennale, we are presenting our proposal, the result of months of intense collaboration with Holcim. Given that refugees can spend up to 20 years in so-called temporary housing, a measure of long-term success would be the transition from refugee camps to communities, from shelters to homes,” explains architect Norman Foster.
The project was conceived to offer durability, safety, dignity, and well-being to displaced communities. According to the designers, the prototype has a 70% lower carbon footprint compared to similar purpose-built structures.
The exterior shell is made of rollable concrete sheets by Concrete Canvas. This material serves as an alternative to poured concrete; it is relatively rigid yet flexible enough to take on various shapes. The sheets are made with a low-carbon cement mix by Holcim that produces 20% less CO2, requiring 95% less overall material than solid concrete.
This more durable alternative can generate significant savings compared to conventional tents, which lack resilience and fail to provide private, weather-protected spaces.
Additionally, the unit offers enhanced thermal and acoustic comfort, improving the home's energy efficiency. The flooring is made with Holcim's Elevate boards, which protect against water infiltration, while the roof features Airium foam insulation. Natural light is also integrated through roof skylights, helping to save energy.
The shelter is built on a base made from recycled construction and demolition materials, such as cement, concrete, and aggregates. This strengthens the foundation, eliminating the need for excavation. These recycled demolition materials are sourced using ECOCycle by Holcim—a circular technology platform that the company hopes will help scale up circular construction practices.
The modular shelters can be erected individually or in clusters to form larger community facilities or entire villages with streets and courtyards. These units are connected by pathways made of ECOPact concrete, which features light-absorbing aggregates that glow at night to enhance visibility.
“The modular nature of the project accommodates the growing needs of families of various sizes. When clustered side-by-side, the curved form of the houses defines open spaces between them, creating public areas for everyone,” Norman explains.
Once the shelters are no longer needed, the structure can be easily dismantled and either reused or recycled into new materials.
The wood-lined interior is significantly more comfortable than canvas tents or other refugee shelters. The layout includes sleeping pods for up to six people, a dining area with a table and four chairs, ample storage space, and a small shower and food preparation area on the opposite side.
Via CicloVivo.
This article was written by Natasha Olsen. The translation is powered by AI.
