Adopt a Tent is a project that aims to help refugees by providing them with shelters based on local production and accessible materials.
We are four Architects, come from different backgrounds: Argentina, Greece, India, and Italy but we all share the same will, which is to help people in need.
Adopt a Tent
Project Name: Adopt a Tent
Project Type: Start-Up Group Campaign
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Status: Funding Unsuccessful (2016)
Migration
Immigration is a contemporary international phenomenon. More than 17 million people are constantly moving around the world, some of them legally, but some of them not. Some of them move because they want to but others because they have to. In Europe, the number of refugees is steadily rising at an alarming rate; we are deeply concerned by the refugee's experiences: how they travel, feel and interact with locals.
We are a group of architects from four different countries: Argentina, Greece, India, and Italy. Coming from different backgrounds, we all share the same will: help refugees in need. We believe that every human being, no matter the country of his origin, deserves a space where he can feel secure, comfortable, himself. Their journey is long and the conditions are hard. Our idea is to offer the minimum necessary space to cover basic needs; so people can spend the night safe and protected.
The project
We started this project as a result of observation and investigation. Our proposal is articulated in two phases. The first one consisting in defining design for a shelter and the second one is creating a network that guarantees the conditions for the product to be realized locally, according to local resources and expertise.
The tent:
We focused on the human scale and thought of the minimum, easiest and economical solution to show our understanding and respect to human life: we designed an overnight shelter. The particular shape is conceived to host one person plus his personal belongings, leaving more space around the upper part to guarantee an acceptable level of comfort.
Plan View
Section
3D Views
Constructive system:
The constructive system is based on rigid panels, connected by fabric. In this way it possible to use a different kind of fabric and rigid materials, according to local availability. The structure is foldable, in order to be transportable, and the geometry based on triangular panels is balanced. The folding process reminds us of the way we cover ourselves with a blanket. Textiles create the necessary tension for the planes to stand together and at the same time prevent from weather conditions. The key factor is that different materials can be used: rigid planes could be cardboard, plastic planes, wood pieces etc, while the textile could be fabric, plastic sheets, truck covers, sailings, boat rubbers etc, all cut in specific shapes.
Prototype:
We have already built a prototype of the shelter in our current city, Barcelona, Spain, reusing materials we collected around the city: cardboard and fabric.
Local realization:
In order to eliminate cost and time distribution, we would like to create a network with local organizations and services. We distribute the design and run the procedure according to the number of inquiries in that specific location and the availability of material providers.
Goals:
In this campaign we ask you to support for:
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12% of the goal. Second environmental adaptive prototype. To solve issues such as waterproofness, ventilation, solar heating of the product.
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70% of the goal. Help us creating an on-site pilot project. This sum will cover travel expenses and the costs of coordination for local assembly and distribution.
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18% of the goal. Kickstarter campaign costs (Rewards plus expenses)
You can be a part of this effort by helping us to move our design a level up and create a network of suppliers and distributors.
What we need are funds to make this project real by finding materials, organizations, and people that are able to contribute to this project.
We believe in human, we believe in rights, we believe in dignity, we believe in life. Do you?
Risks and challenges
As specialists in fabrication, our aim is to solve problem-related to assembly and realization of this product. In order to deal with different conditions, we need to test different combinations of materials.
Furthermore, the networking process with local organizations is very challenging but totally doable. We already listed NGOs that can get involved, the next step will be making agreements with them.
Adopt a Tent - Design Team
