Take cover: temporary dwelling structures for emergency situations

Abstract

The increasing number of refugees coming to Germany has greatly contributed to a changing understanding of home and dwelling within the urban context, especially in the city of Berlin. Due to the growing demand for temporary structures, refugee accommodation is placed as a central topic of interest. The challenge of adequate accommodation is one of the first undertaken from their date of arrival. However, the main problem arises when solutions meant to be a temporary settlement become a permanent home. These unexpected circumstances can lead to the situation of losing one's home, entailing a great psychological impact. This issue emphasizes the importance of a proper handling of the design, supply and deployment of temporary dwelling to prevent both mental and emotional damage. The phenomenon of temporality and permanence as well as the aspects of home have been addressed already by different academics and practitioners. Proposing a design for the refugee accommodation, this thesis examines and explores the psychological and physical aspects of home in temporary structures. First, the meaning of home as defined by Mary Douglas, Reyner Banham and Martin Heidegger will be compared. Then, four case studies from Shigeru Ban, Toyo Ito, Nils Holger Moormann, and Kentaro Yamazaki will be analyzed with the consideration of the earlier literature. After the evaluation and analysis of the information obtained the thesis will finalize with a design proposal.