ShelterPack: A Lifesaver in Post-Disaster Scenarios

Hakan Gürsu's Innovative Design Provides Essential Shelter for Disaster Victims

ShelterPack is a flat-pack shelter, designed to be easily transported and assembled in just a few hours. It offers 12 square meters of living space, enough to sustain a family of four for months following a disaster. Each unit includes four single beds, a bathroom, a fully-equipped kitchen, a foldable dining table, and storage spaces. The design is thoughtful and practical, with adjustable legs allowing installation on sloping lands and an elevated structure to prevent heat loss from the ground and wind intrusion.

The design's unique properties extend beyond its practicality. It also incorporates features to protect inhabitants from the elements. Water spouts on the roof prevent rain load and water leakage, while a skylight ensures sunlight throughout the day. These spouts also collect rainwater, storing it in a tank for future use. The walls are made from fire and waterproof materials, with two different fabric surfaces and plywood in between for heat insulation.

ShelterPack is compact, with dimensions of 80 cm in height, 4.5 meters in length, and 2.5 meters in width. This compactness allows for efficient transportation, with 12 disaster shelter systems fitting on a single standard semi-trailer truck. This feature makes it an ideal solution for organizations or governmental emergency management departments to deliver to disaster-stricken areas.

The ShelterPack project was designed in Ankara between 2013 and 2014, in response to the global refugee crisis. The challenge was to create a shelter that not only provided a safe space for disaster victims but also promoted the use of existing resources and social networks. The result, ShelterPack, is a testament to the power of design in addressing critical global issues.

The design's excellence has not gone unnoticed. In 2016, it was awarded the Golden A' Social Design Award, a prestigious accolade granted to outstanding creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom. These are products and ideas that advance art, science, design, and technology, embodying extraordinary excellence and significantly impacting the world with their desirable characteristics.