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Ikea's flat-pack refugee shelter is entering production

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Re: Ikea's flat-pack refugee shelter is entering production

#101

Post by Potando »

nl wrote: post #92
adamesque wrote: post #24

There's a startup in Austin, TX aiming to compete in a similar space: http://www.reactionhousing.com Full disclosure: I work there. ;) And if you find this sort of mission compelling: we're hiring software engineers! (firmware, backend) http://www.reactionhousing.com/careers/#embedded-firmware-en... http://www.reactionhousing.com/careers/#software-engineer Our design is quite different (and geared towards a shorter l…

How many of those can you fit in a shipping container? It looks like it is rigid, whilst the Ikea ones are flat pack. Logistics is everything in disaster relief.

They nest inside each other as the picture shows. This is clearly a low-labour product. Though I think if you have a lot of people needing a house, there's already a pool of excess labor available.

Re: Ikea's flat-pack refugee shelter is entering production

#102

Post by Potando »

munificent wrote: post #53
Someone1234 wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Likely but the real problem with doing so is actually land. Even if you own some many cities take issue with non-permanent domiciles that are lived in for long periods (not least of all because you escape housing tax, and aren't up to "code"). However several people have done what you're suggesting by: - Living on a boat (either out at sea, moored just off-shore, or at a marina). This can range from being cheaper, to…

> Campervan, or enclosed truck. They often park semi-legally overnight and move every few days to escape harassment. Bathrooms are problematic (gym? work?). My neighborhood has had an increasing influx of these in the past few months. At first I figured, "Live and let live. If this is all they can afford until they get back on their feet, more power to them." Since then, I've learned that the solution to the bathroom…

Sounds like your problem is drug users/dealers, not people with mobile homes. I hope you wouldn't also want to push out the good ones who aren't causing problems. You can just consider that you now live in a bad neighborhood. Some people have this from their permanent house neighbors too.

Re: Ikea's flat-pack refugee shelter is entering production

#104

Post by maxerickson »

jedrek wrote: post #100
maxerickson wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How long are the beds? I'm 6' tall and find that many things are too short. From the pictures, they don't look to be tremendously long (but it is hard to tell). Also, what's the longest period of time that 4 of you have lived out of one of the prototypes? They look pretty tiny for 4 people. Especially when someone decides they need to get out of one of the upper beds in the middle of the night.

I'm going to assume you've never stayed in a European hostel.

No, I haven't. What's your point? If I had, do you think I would be less likely to ask those questions, or something like that?

Re: Ikea's flat-pack refugee shelter is entering production

#105

Post by rmc »

threeseed wrote: post #68
smegel wrote: post #45

I think a flat-packed boat with the autopilot set for Italy or Australia would be far more popular.

They wouldn't make it to Australia. The government would force them to Nauru or Cambodia where they would be locked up in basically a prison until the tried to commit suicide or were beaten/raped by staff. Or until they gave up and decided to go back to where they came from. Australia truly is a lovely, compassionate country.

And if you're gay and try to flee persecution and claim asylum in Australia, they send you to Papua New Guinea. Where being gay is a crime.

Re: Ikea's flat-pack refugee shelter is entering production

#107

Post by systemtheory »

Retric wrote: post #82
chmullig wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you considered that maybe actually selling them to end users is > double the cost? Massive amounts of risk, supply chain, logistics, all eliminated when selling to the UN like this.

Don't forget about advertising which on it's own often adds 20% to niche items costs. Also, CC processing might be ~3% but it's added on at the end. aka 3% of manufacturing, 3% sales etc. Which can add up to 10% of the initial manufacturing cost.

Some companies minimize advertising budget but manage do do very well. Patagonia spends less than 1% of sales on advertising. (http://www.bain.com/publications/articles/brand-strategy-tha...)

Re: Ikea's flat-pack refugee shelter is entering production

#108

Post by dalke »

maxerickson wrote: post #104
jedrek wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm going to assume you've never stayed in a European hostel.

No, I haven't. What's your point? If I had, do you think I would be less likely to ask those questions, or something like that?

To double the lack of point, the average male height in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway is 6', so presumably the beds in a "European hostel" in those countries will be able to accommodate them.

Re: Ikea's flat-pack refugee shelter is entering production

#109

Post by analog31 »

As I understand it, Buckminster Fuller designed a geodesic dome to be made from wax coated cardboard. The pieces were printed with instructions for assembly with some kind of large stapler. His intention was for these to be used in similar situations such as refugees, disaster relief, etc. He claimed that the structures would survive rainy seasons and winters, but that they were still supposed to be temporary.

Re: Ikea's flat-pack refugee shelter is entering production

#110

Post by systemtheory »

codeshaman wrote: post #20

These things are great. But at the same time - so weird. Helpless victims of failed states, social injustice, greed, hatred, etc can now rely on high tech structures to take care of them. Genocide ? No problem, we've got you covered. We've got just the perfect structures for $1000 a pop for you to take shelter in. I mean, it IS the right thing to do, but at the same time, I don't know.. I guess would prefer that some…

I'm bothered by the out-sized number of negative attacks on this comment. Not because they are negative, but because they are personal. I wholeheartedly believe in constructive criticism, but discounting someones viewpoint based on another subjective viewpoint is not constructive criticism.
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