Construction Manual

Below is the construction sequence to build the shelter. The governing agency will supervise and instruct the refugees on the construction methods. This will allow the refugee to add on the structure with the proper construction methods at a later time.

Drawings

Floor Plans & Sections

Shelters in Mae La are currently built out of bamboo and timber as the need for space arises. This design aims to organize the space more formaly while allowing for future expansion. This is achieved through completely customizable wall panels. 

The first floor contains a common room for cooking and family activities.  Between the two rooms is a water pump that takes advantage of reclaimed water. 

The second floor contains the living quarters. Each family gets two rooms: A parent’s room and a children’s room. The spaces can be customized to the size desired. 

Detailing

Construction Details

The entire shelter is made out of bamboo with the exception of the roof and foundation blocks. Bamboo can be found readily in the area and is much cheaper than sawn timber. The construction will be completed by the owner with the supervision of the governing agency. All joints are constructed with pins and lashing except for the roof which is connected with screws.  

Design

CONCEPT

The biggest issue in Mae La is overcrowding. In order to alleviate this problem,  the houses must look to build vertically. In theory, if the area of once current house held two families, half of the camp would become usable for farming and other public activities. The vertical shelter will also free space for
circulation both vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

The houses in Mae La are so tightly packed together that one would have trouble even walking around. This problem is made worse by new refugees coming in and building houses in the middle of roads and pathways. By cutting the number of building foot prints in half, the camp becomes much less congested and has room for community buildings and activities. The space would also allow family to maintain small gardens to supplement their food rations.

Refugee Shelter

The next phase of ARCH 607 studio is to design a refugee shelter under 500 sqft. My shelter will be designed for climates similar to Mae La. Here are some photos that I found for inspiration.

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/9/view/24255/bamboo-houses-shape-ibukus-green-village-community-in-thailand.html?utm_campaign=daily&utm_medium=e-mail&utm_source=subscribers

Video Production

Over the past month, out team has been working hard to produce a video for the display in Basel. We finished it just in time. The point of view in the video is that of a temporary shelter located in Mae La Refugee Camp. You can find the video here- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNjgEQko9x8

Population Map

This week our team worked on finalizing our pieces of infrastructure that we wanted to incorporate into our design competition. I was tasked with creating a visual for the population of the camp. I outlined the space in the camp that was settled, and then colored the map based on population density.

Graphic Style

This weekend our group worked out the story board of the story we want to tell in the exhibit. We developed a style for our representation, and also created a script to narrate the story of our solution to refugee camps. Below are 3 trials of an image we want to include that represent the fires that occurred in Mae La Camp this year.

The Anatomy of a Refugee Camp

Here is a really good article on the anatomy of a refugee camp. It lists the basic requirements and needs of the refugees.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/refugeecamp/

And a good article on the problems of Refugee camps

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/06/beyond-refugee-camps-a-better-way/

Al Tanf Video

Al Tanf : Resources & Infrastructure

Resources

Almost all of the food, water, and other resources vital to the camp are trucked by the UNHCR into Al Tanf four days out of the week. The Refugees are given rations on these days and must make the resources last until the next delivery. Some of the refugees have planted gardens to help supplement their rations. 

The refugee above has planted radishes around his tent. These small gardens not only provide extra food, but also relieve the refugees from boredom. 

The other resources in the camp are also provided by UNHCR. There are small generators that provide power to the camp. These generators are taken care of by an electrician refugee. Heat for comfort and cooking is provided by gas. 

The camp has also developed a media group that produces videos and news in the camp. The group was started by a tech savvy refugee who has access to a computer and internet in the camp. The videos the group produces are aimed to raise awareness of the camp to outsiders. 

Al Tanf : Geography & Climate

Al Tanf - 33.29' N   38.41' E

Al Tanf is located in the middle of a desert. Its elevation creates drastic swings in temperature throughout the day. The summers in Al Tanf soar over 100 degrees, and winter dip well below freezing bringing ice and snow. The refugees also must contend with devastating sandstorms and high winds in their canvas tents.

Scorpions are a big problem in Al Tanf. There have been over 70 cases of scorpion bites since the inception of the camp. Fires have been another problem in the camp. The heating and cooking in the camp is all by open flame, and the tents provided by the UNHCR are made out of a canvas material that is very flammable.   In 2007 there was a large fire that destroyed 7 tents and injured 28 people.

The refugee camp at Al Tanf is no place for a refugee camp to stationed. The climate is much too harsh to live in tent structures for extended periods of time.

Al Tanf : The Beginning

The story of the Palestinian Refugees at Al Tanf begins in 1948 when some 5,000 Palestinians were brought to Iraq after they were expelled from their homes during the conflict the erupted from Israel's formation. Over 50 years later, these refugees are being driven out of their homes again by the war in Iraq, but now they have nowhere to go. These people are currently stateless as no country will claim them.

A group of about 800 tried to flee to Syria to escape the war and persecution. They were met at the border of Syria with an unexpected opposition. They were denied entry into Syria on the basis of a lack of travel documents. With nowhere to go, the Palestinian's set up a camp in the no-man's land between the Syrian and Iraqi borders.

Scale

The camp has seen about 1300 refugees over its lifetime with the population holding steady at about 800. The camp has around 125 children which are a major safety concern with a major highway located just a few yards away from the camp. 

The camp itself is about the size of 6 football fields placed side by side. Within this area are about 100 to 125 tents spaced about 10 ft apart. Some families have connected several tents to create a large space for the family to reside in.