Unique Shelter for Refugees Worldwide by Sanjana Paramhans

The design, developed by Sanjana Paramhans, can be assembled easily and is equipped with special features to ensure the privacy of its users.

Of the 7.5 billion human population in the world, the United Nations has reported that as of 2015, 65.3 million people have been forced to flee their homes. Of these, 21.3 million are refugees, many of whom are forced to live their lives in just tents.

In a bid to provide a semblance of permanence to the displaced, an Indian designer has designed a unique makeshift shelter, keeping the needs of refugees in mind.

Sanjana Paramhans, who has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in interior designing from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, USA, developed the prototype in 2016. According to her, the structure has been designed to ensure the privacy of refugees.

The structure can be packaged and shipped without much hassle, and is made of lightweight yet durable materials.

It does need any form of electrical hardware to be assembled and can be completed by two people in an hour.

Sanjana, speaking about her motivation to build the shelter, noted, “I decided to make a sanctuary for those who are temporarily displaced. An emergency shelter, to settle in before the legalities take place. Although intended to last a few days, sometimes these processes take up to months, leaving the refugees in extremely temporary dwellings.”

Since it can be assembled in various permutations and combinations, the shelter is ideal for both single occupants as well as families. To further ensure privacy, there is also an incorporated roof and essentially functions as a complete home once fully assembled. However, the shelter is currently only in prototype stage, and it might be a while before it may be used in various refugee camps around the world.

About Sanjan Paramhans

Design is not just about pretty lights and wallpaper, it can also be an enabler of social change.

As a designer, I am constantly inspired by human interactions with their environment. This fuels my love for creating optimal habitable spaces. Having traveled extensively I have been exposed to various architectural precedents, cultures, and people I often find myself reflecting back on those experiences while designing. I strongly believe that design stimulates people to behave a certain way—it can condition and control their actions and reactions.

Over the past few years, I have worked on a variety of residential, commercial, and retail mixed-use projects.Along with being a finalist at the United Nations and Ikea Foundation, for my solution to refugee housing I have worked on several projects designed to serve a social impact.