Project phases 1 to 4
Phase 1: Conceptual development (2002 - 2003)
Principal contributors:
- Eivind Solberg, industrial designer, Design without Borders
- Luis Fernando Mata, industrial designer
- Oscar Arce, former director of the Faculty for Design, Universidad Rafael Landívar
In 2002, the Red Cross, Design without Borders and Universidad Rafael Landívar proposed the idea of a shelter that can be transformed into a permanent home through recycling the building materials.
Industrial designer Eivind Solberg from Design without Borders worked with Universidad Rafael Landívar in developing the concept for a progressive shelter.
The main features of the concept:
- Development of the progressive shelter goes through three phases, the first two of which are temporary.
- In its final phase the shelter is converted into a permanent home, using a special concrete mixture, constructing foundation walls, and providing plumbing and electric wiring.
- The shelter is designed to suit to Guatemala's different cultures and climatic conditions.
- Residents can choose among three different materials for the walls: coconut husk, plastic bottles and the earth mixture bahareque. Using locally available materials reduces the need for long-distance transport, making the shelters more environmentally friendly. Bahareque and coconut husk are traditional Guatemalan building materials which users are willing to accept.
- A design manual has been prepared. The manual makes it easy to assemble and disassemble the shelter. In disaster conditions, shelters are often set up without building permits. Residents must therefore be able to move and transport the shelter themselves.
Phase 2: The shelter is taken into use (2006 - 2007)
Principal contributors:
- Vanessa Ligorria (architect at the presidential secretariat SCEP)
- Ilovna Cortés (architect, former staff of the presidential secretariat SCEP)
- Susana Alemán (student of industrial design)
- Oscar Quan (student of industrial design)
- Oscar Arce (former director of the Faculty for Design, Universidad Rafael Landívar)
In October of 2005 hurricane Stan swept across Central America, leading to heavy rainfall. Due to the ensuing floods and landslides thousands of Guatemalan lost their homes. The authorities opted for mass-production of the new shelter concept, and 4000 shelters were built and taken into use over the course of a few weeks. Only the first phase of the shelters was used because the next phases had not yet been tested fully.
The shelters were built at several different locations in Guatemala, and building was supervised by numerous engineers and architects. The architects Vanessa Ligorria and Ilovna Cortés played an important role in the production and supervision of the shelters.
Working through local designers and architects, Design without Borders provided instruction and guidance on the further development of the shelter.
The project proved the beginning of an extensive dialogue with the national authorities in Guatemala, the objective of which was to persuade the authorities to implement the progressive shelter concept as part of its national emergency preparedness planning.
Principal objectives for phase 2:
- Disseminate the idea of a progressive shelter to authorities, major institutions and NGOs.
- Create a database on experiences with the shelter following hurricane Stan.
- Explore new ideas, such as a collapsible shelter, new modules and vertical concepts.
Phase 3: Prototype (2008 - 2009)
Principal contributors:
- Vanessa Ligorria (architect at the presidential secretariat SCEP)
- Ilovna Cortés (architect, former staff of the presidential secretariat SCEP)
- Catherine Fión (architect)
- Luis Fernando Mata (industrial designer)
In 2008, Design without Borders hired a team to create a prototype for the shelter.
The prototype illustrates the various stages and the development of the shelter. The prototype also demonstrates the various local materials used for insulation in the walls, such as coconut husk, plastic bottles and bahareque, a Guatemalan earth mixture.
Phase 4: Shelter catalogue (2011 - 2012)
Principal contributors:
- Vanessa Ligorria (architect at the presidential secretariat SCEP)
- Oscar Quan (industrial designer at the Faculty for Design, Universidad Rafael Landívar)
Oscar Quan developed a catalogue of existing shelter concepts. The catalogue is intended as a tool for authorities, NGOs or other parties working on disaster planning and emergency preparedness.