I think these are engineering-wise fantastic. Though, I do worry that they look a little too non-local. When you take care of someone, sure you start at the base of Maslow's law of hierarchy, but it is important to take cultural, personal, etc. issues into consideration as well. This hold especially true when dealing with prolonged displacement where identity and self-worth can be challenged.
Ikea's flat-pack refugee shelter is entering production
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Re: Ikea's flat-pack refugee shelter is entering production
#112These look like the solution to Bay Area housing prices. BRB going to IKEA.
Doesn't solve any of the drivers of real estate cost in Bay Area; price of land, regulations, demand.
Re: Ikea's flat-pack refugee shelter is entering production
#113I think these are engineering-wise fantastic. Though, I do worry that they look a little too non-local. When you take care of someone, sure you start at the base of Maslow's law of hierarchy, but it is important to take cultural, personal, etc. issues into consideration as well. This hold especially true when dealing with prolonged displacement where identity and self-worth can be challenged.
It can very easily turn into mockery when you don't understand a culture and then try to emulate it. Think parents trying to act hip, it just doesn't work. Why try to falsely disguise what it is and where it's from?
Re: Ikea's flat-pack refugee shelter is entering production
#114I think these are engineering-wise fantastic. Though, I do worry that they look a little too non-local. When you take care of someone, sure you start at the base of Maslow's law of hierarchy, but it is important to take cultural, personal, etc. issues into consideration as well. This hold especially true when dealing with prolonged displacement where identity and self-worth can be challenged.
I disagree. The condescension that western people show to the rest of the world is very grating, as a non-westerner.
People don't care about "culture" when it comes to basic needs and survival. A roof, any roof, over my head is worth infinitely more than no roof when it's raining outside or -10 degrees.
Re: Ikea's flat-pack refugee shelter is entering production
#115Earlier 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…
- RV? RE: Shower/bathroom - PlanetFitness is popular amongst vagabonds from what I hear - $10/mo and has many national locations.
Costco sells cheap gym memberships as well, I think I saw one for $350 / 2 years.
Re: Ikea's flat-pack refugee shelter is entering production
#116Re: Ikea's flat-pack refugee shelter is entering production
#117Earlier quoted context omitted.
10,000 of these are contracted to the UNHCR. I've always found it curious; often innovations in the refugee arena would often be very welcome in other venues: camping, cheap structures, etc. These things are always priced really cheap, but we never see them really entering into the commercial market -- or when they do, they're always going for some kind of 2x the price scheme. For example, these 188 sqft shelters wou…
LuminAID does this with their LED lights: http://luminaid.com/
Gravity Light sell their products, I bought one for my in-laws: http://gravitylight.org/
Re: Ikea's flat-pack refugee shelter is entering production
#118There'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…
There is sometimes nothing more permanent than something needed temporarily.
Re: Ikea's flat-pack refugee shelter is entering production
#119I haven't found their weight, but their lifespan in only estimated to be three years, does anyone know if they are easily recyclable, do they burn, if so are any gases toxic? Can they be combined to form interlinked structures?
They are polymer but it doesn't say which polymer, if they are PLA then they are biodegradable and safe to burn but I think that making them from PLA might not make them so robust? They are probably made from some petrolium-based plastic, so they probably aren't very burnable and thinking on it you don't want them flammable.
Looking at the structure it looks like it wouldn't take much to link them together and I think the materials look easy to reuse.
Re: Ikea's flat-pack refugee shelter is entering production
#120Earlier quoted context omitted.
10,000 of these are contracted to the UNHCR. I've always found it curious; often innovations in the refugee arena would often be very welcome in other venues: camping, cheap structures, etc. These things are always priced really cheap, but we never see them really entering into the commercial market -- or when they do, they're always going for some kind of 2x the price scheme. For example, these 188 sqft shelters wou…
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.
If Ikea stocked them in their stores then the logistics could easily be covered with their economies of scale. Importantly if Ikea did stock them it would be a way of raising money for the project. They could sell them for $1500 and give away one to charity for every three sold (assuming 20% overheads and $300 donation).