AN APPLIED RESEARCH PROJECT

EMERGENCY HABITAT: AN INSTANT DEPLOYED EMERGENCY CITY

SHELTER
Moshe Nissan, Advisor: Prof. Emeritus Michael Burt, Technion IIT, Industrial Design Program, 2014

ABSTRACT
The natural disasters that have occurred during the last decade have shown the need for temporary emergency
housing that could be quickly dispatched and placed. Foldable structures have shown optimal performance and
great space utilization, lightweight and great mobility possibilities. But how to design a portable, foldable,
lightweight, ultra-compact emergency shelter that can be easy shipped and assembled by unexperienced users?
Foldable air supported structures can be a solution for emergency shelters, covering structural and habitability
requirements for disaster victims.
The project defines a system for emergency housing; showing the process of an applied industrial design
research for temporal housing in disaster-stricken areas.
In addition, a shelter design processes, market analysis, emergency recommendations and action plan for disaster
zones, presented.
A Bio-mimicry (or bio-mimetic1) design Method presents some nature -inspired visions applied to R&D
products for disaster relief.

INTRODUCTION The importance in focusing on other vital factors

Disasters have caused immense losses in the history
of humanity. Even today despite the technology's
advances and the well-organized rescue systems,
teams and organizations, millions of people are
affected every year. The global warming affects the
weather behavior and disasters increase causing
human emigration, for example the "environmental
2
refugees" , that are being affected by destructive
disasters and then, they found themselves with no
basic services, Shelter or Food forcing them to
emigrate to save their lives. This is why in this
project is presented a well-designed "Emergency
Shelter system, a must today. Aspects like shipping
time to the disaster zone, and population mobility or
adaptation to harsh situations.
After a Disaster, civilians are challenged by survival
shortages, water supply, hygiene and food is critical
for ensuring the populations survival. The first 72
hours are a key to ensure survival relief, and prevent
further complications. This Project responds to the
need for an emergency shelter in case of a disaster.
like: creating user's privacy or giving secure storage
for belongings is a priority.
I believe that the development of an integral
“Emergency shelter-system” will drastically
improve the situation of the victims of natural and
man-made disasters.
Offering temporary shelter and basic habitability
conditions are the best allies of the victim's process to
rebuild their homes and lives.
Portable folding pneumatic structures are easy to
manage, and is practically impossible to achieve
higher compactness with any other structure.
The modular and lightweight possibilities that air
supported structures allow like optimal
transportation since the folded pneumatic structure is
very compact using ship, rail, air, truck
transportation, or even airdrop3 like a possibility.

Our goal is to give displaced individuals and their

families some shelter while they rebuild their homes,
or at least gain some time after the shock of losing
everything.
Figure 1 "airdrop" image by Michael Downes, Fort
There are options for emergency shelter in the skill, Oklahoma
market, but yet they don’t focus on vital factors like:
shipping time, part reduction and easy assembling Temporary housing using pneumatic structures
for non-experienced users. would be easy to prefabricate at an off-site location
or factory, which could cut costs on traditional
construction while increasing quality control and
consistency.
The design includes considerations for connection
and between modules, is a modular structure which
aspires to erect an instant tent city after a natural
disaster, using modularity as a key-advantage to take
care of the stricken community.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
The use of emergency shelters in case of emergency
due to natural disasters is not a new solution, but for
optimize the actual solutions is important to improve:
1. The emergency shelter transportation time:
2. The assemble and disassemble of the
structure:
3. The linkable capacity between structures,
and the advantage of modularity.
4. The field reparation possibilities
5. The general usability of the shelter
optimized for a stricken community, taking
into account family's privacy requirements
and hygiene considerations.
6. Structure's Instanticity and extra mobility
capacity to serve the now "nomad" victims
of a disaster.
7. Offering versatility to the "design" to meet
the needs of different family sizes.
My thesis is that the usage of modular, portable,
foldable, air-supported structures is the right
solution for fast-shippable, movable, easy to fold and
instant lifting structures in case of emergency after a
disaster.
A) Disaster Facts4
Asian tsunamis and earthquake of December, 2004,
affected twelve countries causing over 150,000
deaths and at least a half million injured, and leaving
five million homeless or without adequate access to
safe drinking water, food or health service. After this
event, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued
a declaration entitled “focus on life”, which states
that the response to any disaster has one primary
focus: enabling those who are affected to live,
Sustain their lives and enrich their livelihoods.
(World health organization)
Immediately after a disaster, when houses have
rendered inhabitable by its effect, the initial
approach may be in the form of large emergency
shelters such as gymnasiums and other facilities, or
with hotels to accommodate large numbers of
victims5.
In August 2005, when Hurricane Katrina hit the
southern coast of the U.S., the city of New Orleans
made available a sports stadium as a shelter. The
occupancy reached an estimated 12,000 people with
insufficient water and food supplies, while high
winds and flooding limited access by road to the
stadium during the first days to provide additional
supplies and management. During the weeks
following the hurricane, tent cities were erected in
Biloxi, Mississippi, to shelter victims.
Figure 2 "the legacy of hurracane katrina –large
emergency shelter" from an exhibition in the Ogden
museum of New Orleans6
Figure 3 the inside of the New orleans Auditorium after
the Katrina hurricane7
Man-made or Natural Disasters Between 2000 and
2012, natural disasters caused $1.7 trillion in damage
and affected 2.9 billion people.
Worldwide in 2011, there were 154 floods, 16
droughts, and 15 cases of extreme temperature.
The year 2012 marked the third consecutive year of
worldwide natural disaster damage exceeding $100
billion. In the year, 2011 reached a record high of
$371 billion.
1.1 million People killed by natural disasters between
2000 and 2012.
Floods are the most widespread natural disaster aside
from wildfires. 90 % of all U.S. natural disasters
declared by the President involve some sort of
flooding.
Earthquakes are disasters that cause associated
destruction of manufactured structures and instigate
other natural disasters such as tsunamis, avalanches,
and landslides.
In 2012, there were 905 natural catastrophes
worldwide including severe storms, droughts,
tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, hailstorms, typhoons,
wildfires, and hurricanes.
Nearly 50 percent of the fatalities caused by natural
disasters in 2012 were due to hydrological events like
flooding or mass movements.
Hurricanes are large, spiralling tropical storms that
can pack wind speeds of over 160 miles an hour and
unleash more than 2.4 trillion gallons of rain a day.
Hurricanes can couple with storm surges and severe
flooding.
Damage paths of tornadoes can be in excess of one
mile wide and 50 miles long.
Landslides often accompany earthquakes, floods,
storm surges, hurricanes, wildfires, or volcanic
activity. They are often more damaging and deadly
than the triggering event.
B) User Needs
The hierarchy of the victims needs is based on the
Maslow pyramid8 which presents a five layer
pyramid placing in the most important levels the
Physiological and safety levels, which are expected
to be uncovered by the system.
Figure 4-Maslow Hierarchy of needs
The user requirements are directly defined by the
first two levels of "the hierarchy of needs"; what we
need to design in a shelter to provide physiological
and safety opportunities to the victims?
C) Actual solutions (Benchmarking)
1) Pneumocell: The pneumocell architecture is
created by a series of shapes, all with the same
edge length, that can be joined together to form
an unlimited number of shapes and sizes. These
cells enable a resilient design that is capable of
rapid alteration.
2) Vetter Shelters: Production of pneumatic,
rescue equipment and tents for fire services
and medical services throughout the world.
3) "Emergency Pneumatics", Custom oriented,
rescue experience.
4) Rofi Shelters: Protecting People oriented textile
industry. Is a supplier of soft shelters and
protection solutions, such as tents, body armour,
and lightweight ballistic protection for vehicles.
Heimplanet: The goal is to develop the best possible
travel equipment to support you on your journeys.
Our inflatable tents provide you with a particularly
easy set-up – simply roll it out, pump it up and
welcome home. The tents’ extraordinary design
creates, a very comfortable interior and offer an
amazingly generous amount of space, which can be
felt, among other ways, in a large sleeping area.
D) Foldable air supported air structures
Technological development nowadays is so rapid that
soon the innovations of today will be obsolete
tomorrow, is an era of constant change influencing
social trends.
Greater turnover material belongings, cars, furniture,
cloths and physical environments will evolve to a
more versatile design.
Portable, instant, short-term throwaway architecture
will emerge; pneumatic architecture is infinitely
more flexible in its options like: quick erection and
dismantling, lightweight, portability and material
inexpensive material usage.
Therefore offers a possible solution to a wide range
of problems, both social and commercial kind.
Pneumatic architecture construction can be sued to
overcome temporary shortages of warehousing, this
spaces canbe also used to provide shelter for stricken
population in case of natural or man-made disasters structure, arranged with structural A) airbeams acting
and some radical designers affirm that can be even as supporting devices and B) thin membranes linking
used in space exploration and lunar shelters and the airbeams acting as walls.
space structures thanks to its deployability
possibilities. The structural capabilities of these structural
The most important is that pneumatic architecture elements are dependent of four things:
points to a "habitability revolution", correcting 1. Air volume: contained within the element by
environmental deficiencies, ventilation and heating its membrane
standards and insulation of traditional structural 2. The excess pressure: differential exerted on
envelopes. the membrane.
3. The characteristics of the membrane:
The essence of pneumatic architecture is a "fully material's porosity, impermeability, etc.
conditioned environment" without a conventional 4. Structural form: strength, and optimal form,
structure usually linked with architecture.9 (Herzog, which will be discussed in the "form finding
1976) section", adding some biomimicry visions
for structure form-finding.
As an industrial designer professional I feel
extremely attracted by the idea of manufacturing Some applications (watch appendix for images) of
living spaces in a foreign industrial plant in far east pneumatic structures are:
or wherever that will be erected in the other side of
the globe. 1. United states atomic energy commission
exhibition structure (dual walled air-
Pneumatic structures are membranes, membranes are structure inflated construction)
made with fabric or plastic thin sheets arranged in a 2. BARRACUDA sports hall
geometrical pattern that allow, all together a form, a 3. Pneumatic hybrid manufactured by krupp
structure, an envelope, an habitat that protect with its 4. Inflatable survival life-radt
boundaries from the brutalities of weather or any 5. DEW- line radomes
other danger. 6. Warehouses
7. Inflatable tents (stromeyer inflatable
Pneumatic architecture or air supported structure tent..and others)
consist of a single structural membrane, which is 8. Balloons (hot air balloons10)
supported by a small air pressure differential. This 9. Air ships and rafts
means that the internal building volume is at a 10. Pneumatic light- airplanes
pressure slightly above atmospheric, and access in 11. Pneumatic camping equipment (chairs,
and out of the building is accomplished across mats, etc.)
pressure differential. Thus, there is a continuous 12. Emergency shelters
leakage of air from the building's interior, which 13. Portable buildings, offices, field hospitals,
must be replenished by an uninterrupted air supply. school rooms, etc.
On the contrary, in an air inflated construction, air is 14. Pneumatic formwork for concrete
contained within a closed membrane to form inflated construction (binishels for thin shell
structural elements, such as columns, beams, walls concrete construction)
and arches, which themselves resist the external 15. Pneumatic lifting devices
loads in much the same way as the structural 16. Inflatable life-jackets and rafts
elements of more conventional structures. Here loss 17. Inflatable scape slides (used mainly in
of air pressure is less, and attributed to the slight air airplanes, also called evacuation slides 11)
porosity of membrane materials. In fact is a radical 18. Inflatostair: a inflatable stair made by
flip in construction's paradigm, a complete reversal in Goodyear aerospatial12
architectures thinking. 19. Pressurized inflatable storage containers
20. Portable exhibitions structures, displays, etc.
The potential of this structural medium for mobile 21. Inflatable DAMS (made by fabridams,
architecture is a huge and very flexible option, an firestone fabridams, also called rubber
amazing opportunity for filling habitability dams13)
requirements in very wide applications. 22. Pneumatics for leisure and recreational
pursuits
The structure we present here is and inflated 23. Outer space exploration devices,
structural element that uses "airbeams" giving 24. Radomes
structure to the "emergency shelter", and then after 25. Buoyancy rings
the structural geometry is well defined and 26. Inflatable radar antennae
supported, thin membrane layers are linked between 27. Inflatable MUST shelters
this airbeams creating a portable-foldable-pneumatic-
 28. Inflatable industrial plants ( inflatable meat
process unit, Robert Wilson & sons,
gourock air supported shelter)
29. Greenhouses
30. Air supported offices
31. Airport hangars
32. Pool covers
33. Social and sport centers
34. And many, many others …
E) CBDM: Community Based Disaster
Management14
Community participation, has been recognized
as the additional element in disaster
management necessary to reverse the
worldwide trend of increasing frequency and
loss from disasters, build a culture of safety
and disaster resilient communities, and ensure
15
sustainable development for all.
After the experience of successive “mega-
disasters” within the last decade and the
positive case stories of community
mobilization in disaster preparedness and
mitigation, there have been more
communities, people’s organizations and
NGOs, government agencies and local
government units which have taken on
community based disaster management.
Which are the elements and features of
community based disaster management?
Peoples participation, priority for the most
vulnerable groups, families, and people in the
community. Risk reduction measures are
community-specfic, the aim is to reduce
vulnerabilities by strengthening capacities,
links disaster risk reduction with development.
Within this process, the formation and
strengthening of community disaster response
organization or community disaster
management volunteers team is the key to
mobilizing communities for sustainable
disaster risk reduction.
Figure 5-Temporary tent city at the Allahabad Kumbha
Mela, India
Emergency is defined as, a serious, unexpected, and
often dangerous situation requiring immediate action.
Is situation that poses an immediate risk16 to health,
life, property, or environment. Most emergencies
require urgent intervention to prevent a worsening of
the situation, although in some situations, mitigation
may not be possible and agencies may only be able to
offer palliative care for the aftermath.
Shelter:
How much Emergency?
How much Shelter?
F) Philosophy of Design
The Department for International Development of the
United Nations on its transitional settlement and
reconstruction after natural disasters report17 that
affected communities should not be displaced or
resettled unless it is absolutely essential in order to
avoid risks from physical hazard since displacement
is likely to exacerbate the impact a disaster has on
their livelihood. Planned camps are places where
disaster victims find accommodations on purpose-
built sites and a full-service infrastructure is
provided18. It is also recommended that the size of
the camps be manageable to facilitate assembly,
placement and removal in stages or phases.
Community, Synergy, and Emergency shelters:
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT
General Concept
1-System19: is a plan on "how to act", a few minutes
after the disaster, for this situations a strategy is
proposed.
Whilst the amount of families increases, services and
functions are added to the shelter camp structure.
Even if a shelter camp is meant to be used for a finite
period of time, measured in months rather than years,
functions and services are there to facilitate the
process to gearing towards the return of normalcy for Water purification kit: Personal (i-Straw and
the camp dwellers. communal Water filtering Systems.
As one can see from the chart on the right hand page, Cooking kit: a camping stove for a family and for
units consisting of family tents form larger large scale cooking some other devices can be used
components and each component adds new shared for stationary cooking.
elements into the camp. The modular structure of the Sea-water desalinization kit: like the ones used for
emergency shelter camp means that instead of the large sea trips.
whole structure one can choose to deploy a “village” 2 absorbent compress dressings (5 x 9 inches)
or an “area” only. Watch the table. 25 adhesive bandages (assorted sizes)
1 adhesive cloth tape (10 yards x 1 inch)
5 antibiotic ointment packets (approximately 1 gram)
Is a novel disaster response tool aimed at providing 5 antiseptic wipe packets
temporary shelter to people who have lost their 2 packets of aspirin (81 mg each)
homes. The capacity of the camp is 10,000 to 13,000 1 blanket (space blanket)
people depending on how many people on average 1 breathing barrier (with one-way valve)
live in one family tent. 1 instant cold compress
In addition to family tents, the structure of the camp 2 pair of non-latex gloves (size: large)
also includes the necessary infrastructure to sustain 2 hydrocortisone ointment packets (approximately 1
the life of a temporary human dwelling of this size. gram each)
The everyday function of the camp is very much Scissors
based on the active participation of its inhabitants as 1 roller bandage (3 inches wide)
well as the cooperation of the permanent local 1 roller bandage (4 inches wide)
population of the area, public authorities and other 5 sterile gauze pads (3 x 3 inches)
humanitarian actors. 5 sterile gauze pads (4 x 4 inches)
Oral thermometer (non-mercury/non-glass)
Staffing of emergency shelter camp 2 triangular bandages
1 Team Leader Tweezers
2 Administration delegates First aid instruction booklet
1 Information delegate Organization = People Services
10-15 Technical delegates (specialities: water and Family - 5 -
sanitation, IT, logistics, electricity, procurement, Tent family 5 Accessories for
relief distribution plus generalists) accommodation, food
1 General practitioner preparation, hygiene, and
clothing for one family
3 Nurses (of which one is a midwife)
In addition, emergency shelter camp hires, depending Block 4 tents 20 Latrines and shared clean
on circumstances, local staff such as teachers, water storage
warehouse staff, interpreters, nurses, electricians etc.
Neighborhood 10 blocks 200 Garbage disposal, communal
kitchen, communal space,
In Short, the system must perform very simple tasks water point and children’s
to perfection, explained by this algorithm: playground
1-get to the affected Area (fast Shipping), 2-Deploy Village 5 neigh. 1000 School, shared laundry place
the shelter (assembling), 3- Give shelter & service, 4- and space for sports
activities. Fuel distribution in
Dissasemble (fold), 5- leave to other place or a cold climate location
warehouse, 6- If needed repeat the whole process in Area 5 villages 5000 Water purification unit.
new location. Relief item distribution point
Shelter is desperately needed in the disaster zones, to Camp 2 Areas 10000 Basic health clinic, market
find a place for the victims to live is a “priority”. square, cemetery
A temporary solution, in emergency moments is the
difference between life and death.
B) Shelter Kit: The shelter should add some extra
2-Emergency kit: devices that add belter usability performance, for
example, field reparation kit, or some strings and
The Emergency kit is divided by 3 sub-systems and a reinforced fabrics for customize the shelter in case of
few complementary recommended gadgets need (linking two or more structures, etc.), also is
important to be ready to adapt the shelter for colder
A) First Aid Kit20: The first aid Kid is a typical kit or hotter weathers, using "Sunshades" or ventilation
but optimized for mobility, it should be easy to carry devices in for very hot areas or heating systems that
and easy to fold up, some of the needed items can be improvised using plastic bottles for example
include: or even the cooking systems , some of the
complementary devices are listed below:
The Shelter
Sanitation-kit (portable-WC, inflatable lavatory seat, purchased, sends a matching light to
shower, etc) someone without access to electricity.
Inflatable furniture kit, (a bed, chair, table, pillow, a
puff)
Shelter fixing kit (similar to rafting reparation kit)
Sunshade (fabric, strings, hooks)
Mylar coated poncho 21(Space blanket)
Collapsible water recipients (water-storage)
Water resistant container for important documents,
could be linked to the Shelter (for security reasons)
Tap with grommets, in case of raining, etc.
C) Resilience Kit22: The resilience kit is a list of
articles that are not required just to accomplish the
Physical and Safety hierarchical needs (watch
Maslow's Pyramid) but too give an extra comfort to 3-Emergency Shelter:
the victim, and include:
Eton* Radio23
Flare Required qualities
Compass & Watch Instanticity:
Local maps Fold-ability:
Snare wire Mobility:
Seal-Containers (water, food) Adaptability:
Mirror
Whistle Limitations of the System
Peper Spray The system cannot deal with extreme weathers like,
Glow sticks very hot or cold, is best performance deals with a
Portable- LED flashlight range between -5 to 40 C degrees.
Swiss-army Knife Inspirations:
Sewing Kit
Hats (for extreeme sun) Michael Burt
Parachute Cord Felix Candela
Collapsable Water containers Victor Papanek
Kitchen goods: frying-pan, etc Frei Otto
protection agaist water Buckminster Fuller
water resistent case for documents Pier Luigi Nervi
Sanitaton- kit and Portable shower Leonardo Da Vinci
googles & Dust mask Shigeru Ban
Knife Leonard euler
Axe Daniel Simons (conceptual Designer)
Pneumatic Mat Raymond Loewy
Grommets Frank Lloyd Wright
Eero Saarinen
-Complementary Gadgets: Biomimicry as Design Methods
1. SolarBall:24: The Solarball is a student- Biomimetics or biomimicry is the imitation of the
designed device that creates clean drinking models, systems, and elements of nature for the
water through evaporation and condensation purpose of solving complex human problems. The
(All photos courtesy Monash University) terms biomimetics and biomimicry come from
Ancient Greek: βίος (bios), life, and μίμησις
(mīmēsis), imitation, from μιμεῖσθαι (mīmeisthai), to
imitate, from μῖμος (mimos), actor. A closely related
field is bionics.
Living organisms have evolved well-adapted
structures and materials over geological time through
natural selection. Biomimetics has given rise to new
technologies inspired by biological solutions at
macro and nanoscales. Humans have searched from
2. LuminAID25: The LuminAID is a solar- nature for answers to problems throughout our
powered, inflatable light that packs flat and existence. Nature has solved engineering problems
inflates to create a lightweight, waterproof such as self-healing abilities, environmental exposure
lantern. Each Give Light, Get Light package tolerance and resistance, hydrophobicity, self-
assembly, and harnessing solar energy. In this project
a few natural analogies were revised as part of the
general concept of the shelter:
1) Foam Nesting Frog:
2) Cholla Cactus: self organization and coplex
geometry dealing with forces
3) Chamaleon: Adaptability and
4) Pill Millidope: folding capability
5) Soap Bubbles26:
6) Exoskeleton:
7) Turtle Shell:
8) Crystal lattice:
9) Marine Sponge:
10) Euplactella:
11) Nautilus Shell:
12) Beehive
13) Marine Shells
An Inflatable exoskeleton
APPLICATIONS
Disaster Shelter & relief
Military
Recreational
Mobile labs and Research teams
DESIGN AND BUSINESS PLAN
CONCLUSION
The design of emergency relief housing units using
foldable air supported structures represents a feasible
solution for housing of victims of natural disasters.
The solution presented here show several advantages
among which are: the versatility of the system to be
arranged according to the needs of the disaster area,
the modularity of the system which allows linkable
shelters that create communal interactions and
develop privacy using the units presented here, the
ability to be built off-site, the ease of transportation
to the required area, and, the ability to be movable,
airdropped, easy folded and linkable.
Together with that, this structure can be easy adapted
to emergent markets like: recreational tourism,
military use, field research team excursions, and
others. Is a great project for humanitarian or business
purposes.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I want to thank Hashem and my family that always
believed I would finish this master even though the
difficulties accompanying that dream. My gratitude
goes to Prof. Michael Burt, and its wife Tamara
that always welcomed me in its Home and Studio, I
always felt extremely attracted for complex
geometry, morphology and radical Design- ideas, for
me was a wonderful causality to found a person that
links all these passions in one. Michael's worldview
reflects the ultimate and unique skills that are
required to any designer, architect or engineer that
wants to change the world, first a burning passion for
life, sharp & powerful analysis and to be a proactive,
skills, which I take close to my heart in every session
during the project. I want to thank Mr. Alex
Gordon, which somehow was part of the magic that
connected me with Michael, Alex you gave me a few
good lessons here at the Technion, thanks. Finally
yet importantly many thanks to Irit the Architecture's
and Town planing graduate students secretary that
always help me with no exception, Many thanks.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Frei Otto, 1973. Tensile Structures (v. 1 &
2). Edition. The MIT Press.
2. Keith Critchlow, 2000. Order in Space: A
Design Source Book. Spi Edition. Thames &
Hudson.
3. Burt Michael , 2005, Infinite Polyhedra,
Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning
of the Technion, Israel Institute of
Technology (2005)
4. Laszlo Aranyi, 1980. Design of Long-term
Care Facilities. Edition. Van Nostrand
Reinhold Company.
5. Arnt Cobbers, 2010. PreFab Houses.
Edition. Taschen.
6. C. Gantes, 2001. Deployable Structures :
Analysis and Design (High Performance
Structures and Materials). Edition. WIT
Press / Computational Mechanics.
7. 2014. Shell Structures for Architecture:
Form Finding and Optimization. Edition.
Routledge.
8. Waclaw Zalewski, 1997. Shaping
Structures: Statics (Simplified Design
Guides). 1 Edition. Wiley.
9. Roger Nicholas Dent, 1972. Principles of
pneumatic architecture. Edition. John Wiley
& Sons.
10. Thomas Herzog, 1976. Pneumatic
Structures: A Handbook of Inflatable
Architecture. Edition. Oxford University
Press.
11. Heinrich Engels, 1971. Structure Systems.
Edition. Praeger.
12. Frei Otto, 1973. Tensile Structures (v. 1 &
2). Edition. The MIT Press.
13. Heinrich Engel, 1981. Structure Systems.
First Paper Back Edition Edition. Van
Nostrand Reinhold Company.
14. Magnus J. Wenninger, 1974. Polyhedron
Models. Edition. Cambridge University
Press.
 15. Protecting Health Following the Asian
Tsunami. Humanitarian Health Action.
World Health Organization. July 17, 2012,
from http://
www.who.int/hac/crises/international/asia_t
sunami/key_objectives/en/index.html
16. Lizarralde, G., Johnson, C., & Davidson, C.
(2010). Rebuilding after Disaster – From
emergency to sustainability (Spon Press).
New York.
17. Nigg, J. M. (1995). Disaster Recovery as a
Social Process. In Disaster Research Center-
University of Delaware, The disaster
Recovery Process. Article 284. (13pp.)
Newark, Delaware.
18. Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and
Recovery (GFDRR), The World Bank and
The Government of Haiti. (2011). Haiti
Earthquake Reconstruction – Knowledge
Notes from DRM Global Expert Team for
the Government of Haiti (pp.1-48).
Washington, DC: July 17, 2012, from:
https://www.gfdrr.org/
19. McCarthy, F. X. (2010). FEMA Disaster
Housing: From Sheltering to Permanent
Housing. (Publication No. 7-5700).
Washington, DC. Government Printing
Office.
20. Klarreich, K. (2010, January 31). Haiti
Earthquake Diary. The Christian Science
Monitor. September 17, 2012, from:
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Haiti-
Earthquake-Diary
21. Haiti Earthquake: One year later (2010). In
Britannica. December 1, 2011, from
:http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2011/01/h
aiti-earthquakeof- 2010-one-year-later-
picture-essay-of-the-day
22. Reyner Banham, 1984. Architecture of the
Well-Tempered Environment. Second
Edition, Revised Edition. University Of
Chicago Press.
23. Winfried Nerdinger, 2005. Frei Otto.
Complete Works. 1st ed. 2005. 2nd printing
Edition. Birkhäuser Architecture.
Reference Generator: Harvard Online:
http://www.harvardgenerator.com/
APPENDIX:
WHAT IS DESIGN?
People ask me what is Industrial design? Is the same
as graphical design?
Sometimes is difficult to give a quick answer, but is
important as designers to be ready to explain others
what we Industrial Designers do.
Industrial design is a very flexible profession full of
varied roles, as designers is important to know that
we are responsible of defining products and services,
in short, new systems that give solutions for human
need. Design, is a discipline in constant search for
authenticity and identity, and necessarily, oriented to
the final user.
Design is results-oriented, but is about the process. Is
easier to visualize the result of a process, rather than
the process itself, is elemental to move toward a
specific goal. Design is a model of things, how they
were planned for which reason, role and how to
produce them, commercialize or recycle.
Design explain things to be implemented, it also
describes how the thing can be realized giving
direction to others who will be in charge of that
implementation.
Designs are testable, for example building and testing
a real aircraft, using the design to analytically test is a
safer and cheaper option, prospective users can reach
agreement when testing this models before building
the final model.
We can say that any process, that develops
appropriate designs as described above is an instance
of designing.
There are many possible design processes that lead
the designs to the right answer, there are several
ways to ask the questions but few questions to make.
Not all the answers can be answered completely.
There are questions that require a lifetime to be
answered; this is when the hierarchical thought gets
in scene, which are the most important thing to relate
in the project, how to do it, who needs it, why and
how to achieve the goal.
The best design process depends on the awareness of
the “Context”, nonetheless, a review of designing as
it conducted in many different industries, companies
cultures, disciplines and challenges, reveals certain
key features that are always present and require a
“professional” to storytell those aspects. Design is
way to see the case, a eyeglass to create a solution for
a problem.
Design is the process of making proposals for
change. Design is a constant reality description with
analytical bounds for constant change and
improvement. Is a continuous processing of
information between, and within different design
domains, is a problem solving activity where a design
problem and its solutions co-evolve.
Design is also any complex system or course of
action, without an existing plan. It is common now to
trait the design process as falling into four stages:
Analysis of the problem, conceptual design,
embodiment, detailing.
The purpose of design as any scientific discipline is
to produce knowledge; this activity can also be
helpful in manufacturing objects, services, ideas,
tools, or creating synergies between members in a
organization.
Design is: describing new possibilities, which is
expected to allow the achievement of a preferred
situation. Depending of how we want to focus, we
can say, we have two ways to perceive design:
SPECIFIC DESIGN: research, analysis and creation
of innovative products & services which shape the
human experience.
GENERIC DESIGN: is a bridge, a gap between the
present and the future as a catalyst for improvement
of the human condition. is a constant responsibility
for improvement.
Design is the human power to conceive, plan, and
realize objects, ideas, products, services, interactions,
experiences that serve human beings in the
accomplishment of any individual or collective
purpose - (Richard Buchanan, Carnegie Mellon).
Design involves the strategic development, planning,
and production of artefacts of visual and tactile
communication. It deals with the effective and
efficient communication of: ideas, beliefs, attitudes,
messages, and information, to specific audiences for
specific purposes, and within specific intentions.
Design is constant sharpness of our individual and
collective intentions, is defining our mission, here
and now.
The idea of design rests in its ability to escape
definition.
Conception, intention, arrangement, graphic
representation, communication, pattern, ornament in
the same sense product design as an occupation came
about mass production allowing the separation of
design from making (except for the making of plans
or prototypes).
Design is a variety of mental skills that relate to our
previous object creation. A concentration on planning
the user experiences has become central for many of
us in the design area.
Design is the human power to conceive, plan and
realize products that serve human beings in the
accomplishment of any individual or collective
purpose (Dan Saffer).
Design is the opposite of everything else a designer
doesn't do to earn a living (Glenn Johnson).
Design is an attitude ( Moholy Nagy).
Design is hope made visible, which means to create
something responsive to people’s needs, ambitions,
and dreams, and not such a thing.
Industries:
1) Shelter systems: http://www.shelter-
systems.com/relieftents/
2) Creative Tents: http://creativetent.us/home
3) Hexayurt: http://hexayurt.com/
4) Heimplanet: http://www.heimplanet.com/
5) Rofi shelters: www.rofi.no/
6) Vetter: http://vetter.de/
7) Design for Disaster:
http://www.design4disaster.org/
8) Pacific Domes: http://www.pacificdomes.com/
9) Ferrari Fabric structures:
http://en.sergeferrari.com/
10) Cannobbio tensile architecture:
www.canobbio.com/
11) Shelter centre: http://www.sheltercentre.org/
12) Krupp- Light structures and tensile architecture:
http://www.kruppconstruction.com/about
13) Satellite Industries & CO.Portable WC (the best
in the market – US):
http://www.satelliteindustries.com/
14) IFAI Coated fabrics (for the shelter):
http://www.ifai.com/
15) BIRDAIR one of the first companies for
pneumatic architecture:
http://www.birdair.com/
16) Universal Structures: Military, fabric structures:
http://www.ufsinc.com/
17) Shelter box: http://www.shelterbox.org/
18) KH Air compresors ( portable):
http://www.khindustries.com/
19) PAPER: DESIGN OF REUSABLE
EMERGENCY RELIEF HOUSING UNITS
USING GENERAL-PURPOSE (GP) SHIPPING
CONTAINERS, José A. Peña, Purdue University
Calumet; Kurt Schuzer, Purdue University Calumet,
Fall 2012
20) Designing Like They Give a Damn . 2014.
Designing Like They Give a Damn . [ONLINE]
Available at:
http://archive.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2
004/08/64409. [Accessed 28 July 2014].
21)
Possible Clients:
1) UN
2) FEMA
3) USOC
4) USAID
5) DWOB
6) UNHCR
7) Global Emergency group:
http://globalemergencygroup.com/
Emergency kit devices:

Space Blanket:

Eton Radio (emergency radio with: weather alert,

man-powered battery, solar powered, music on the
go, LED flashlight, radio, even wireless depending
Extras:
on the models.
- Instant City
 Figure 6- Inflatostari by goodyear aerospace

Project – explanation Posters:

In this image, I explain the "10k emergency Camp concept & services required for Disaster Relief
This is a complementary image- showing the services, interactions between victims and the plan for survival.

This is the "APEX-Emergency kit" explanation were every recommended gadget is mentioned and presented
This slide presents Disaster facts and how the user's needs arise from the shocking reality after the destruction is
left behind after a disaster, some examples of economical loss in Disasters.

Problematic and concept definition of the System

This is a very short but high quality selection of similar projects that have succeed in the market

Defining the pneumatic shelters, instanticity and fold ability for high mobility as prime requirements for disaster
relief. Some of those concepts were inspired by the project "Instant city by: Ron Herron en Peter
Cook27
In this slide the Biomimicry28, were some natural analogies presented.

In a kind of Zoom in, this slide presents a brief research of the "Soap-bubble" and how can be used for
performance oriented form-finding structures
In this slide: some inspirations, designers, architects, inventors, engineers and conceptual ideas for further
product design development for emergencies, and disasters.
1
Biomimetics: Biomimetics or biomimicry is the imitation of the models, systems, and elements of nature for
the purpose of solving complex human problems.[1] The terms biomimetics and biomimicry come from
Ancient Greek: βίος (bios), life, and μίμησις (mīmēsis), imitation, from μιμεῖσθαι (mīmeisthai), to imitate, from
μῖμος (mimos), actor. A closely related field is bionics.[2]

Living organisms have evolved well-adapted structures and materials over geological time through natural
selection. Biomimetics has given rise to new technologies inspired by biological solutions at macro and
nanoscales. Humans have looked at nature for answers to problems throughout our existence. Nature has solved
engineering problems such as self-healing abilities, environmental exposure tolerance and resistance,
hydrophobicity, self-assembly, and harnessing solar energy. – Wikipedia, 2014,
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Biomimetics&printable=yes
2
Environmental Refugees: http://www.unhcr.org/3ae6a0d00.html ,
http://www.globalization101.org/environmental-refugees/
3
Airdrop: An airdrop is a type of airlift, developed during World War II to resupply otherwise inaccessible
troops, who themselves may have been airborne forces. In some cases, it is used to refer to the airborne assault
itself. Early airdrops were conducted by dropping or pushing padded bundles from aircraft,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airdrop
4
Disaster Facts from UNISDR- The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction,
http://www.unisdr.org/archive/31685
5
National Disaster Housing Strategy, January 2009, FEMA (US- Homeland Security), " Traditional approaches
to disaster housing, which worked well in most disasters, were inadequate to meet the demands of this
catastrophic event. Those involved faced the challenge of rapidly registering and housing more than 1.4 million
households in large congregate shelters and hotels spread across a multistate area. The challenge to succeed in
the midst of the confusion and imperfect information that accompanies a catastrophic event unfolded before the
Nation. Throughout the Hurricane Katrina response, responsibilities and roles that seemed clear in previous
events became less clear as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other Federal departments
and agencies provided increasing levels of support to State and local officials." (manual page 6.)
6
Katrina image library. http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/2010/08/24/129400381/telling-their-stories
7
LJ world Journal, http://www2.ljworld.com/photos/2006/aug/15/
8
Maslow Pyramid http://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html ,
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/hide-and-seek/201205/our-hierarchy-needs
9
Thomas Herzog, 1976. Pneumatic Structures: A Handbook of Inflatable Architecture. Edition. Oxford
University Press.
10
Hot air Balloons, The hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. It is part of a
class of aircraft known as balloon aircraft. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, the first untethered[1]
manned flight was performed by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air
balloon created on December 14, 1782 by the Montgolfier brothers.[2] Hot air balloons that can be propelled
through the air rather than just being pushed along by the wind are known as airships or, more specifically,
thermal airships. , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_air_balloon

11 An evacuation slide is an inflatable slide used to evacuate an aircraft quickly. An escape slide is required on all
commercial (passenger carrying) aircraft where the door sill height is such that, in the event of an evacuation, passengers
would be unable to step down from the door uninjured (Federal Aviation Administration requires slides on all aircraft doors
where the floor is 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above the ground).

Escape slides are packed and held within the door structure inside the slide bustle, a protruding part of the inside of an
aircraft door that varies in size depending on both the size of the aircraft and the size of the door.

Many, but not all slides are also designed to double as life rafts in case of a water landing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evacuation_slide
12
Goodyear- Aerospace, Goodyear Aerospace Corporation was the aerospace and defense subsidiary of
Goodyear. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodyear_Aerospace ,inflatostair:
http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/61285308/
13
RUBBER- DAMS, Rubber dams are long tubular-shaped fabrics placed across channels, streams and weir
crest to raise the upstream water level when inflated. The membrane is a multi-layer fabric made of synthetic
fibre which may be rubberised on one or both sides, and possibly coated with plastic film,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflatable_rubber_dam
14
CBDM: Community based disaster management: Disaster Risk Reduction is a systematic approach to
identifying, assessing and reducing the risks of disaster. It aims to reduce socio-economic vulnerabilities to
disaster as well as dealing with the environmental and other hazards that trigger them,
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_community_based_disaster_management ,
http://www.adpc.net/v2007/programs/CBDRM/ , ADPC: The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC)
believes that community action for disaster risk management is a crucial element in promoting a "culture
of prevention" and creating safer communities. Therefore, community based approaches have been an
integral part of the various projects and programs of ADPC since mid and late 1990s.
15
PAPER: COMMUNITY BASED DISASTER MANAGEMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES:
MAKING A DIFERENCE IN PEOPLE’S LIVES, Lorna P. Victoria - Director, Center for Disaster
Preparedness
16
Emergency definition by Wikipedia "the Free Encycloedia", http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency
17
OCHA- Office for the coordination of humanitarian Affairs , Shelter centre, Department for international
development, "transitional settlement and reconstruction after natural disasters" – MANUAL.
18
Container Technology A-Z, Container Architecture and ISBU Technology ™
19
Based on the Finnish- red Cross Emergency shelter 10K Plan, that in 2010 gave Emergency shelter services
for 2.300 families to Haiti, in connection with the January 12th 2010 earthquake. -
http://www.redcross.fi/about-red-cross/our-work-throughout-world/emergency-shelter-10k
20
Based on: The American Red Cross Anatomy of a first AID –kit,
http://www.redcross.org/prepare/location/home-family/get-kit/anatomy
21
Used by NASA and other rescue organizations like Red-Cross, A space blanket (also known as a Mylar
blanket, first aid blanket, emergency blanket, thermal blanket or weather blanket) is an especially low-
weight, low-bulk blanket made of heat-reflective thin plastic sheeting. Their design reduces the heat loss in a
person's body which would otherwise occur due to thermal radiation, water evaporation, or convection. Their
compact size before unfurling and light weight makes them ideal for use in spacecraft—where cargo space is at a
premium. Civilian versions may be included in first aid kits and also in camping equipment. Lost campers and
hikers have an additional possible benefit: the metallic surface appearance flashes in the sun, allowing use as an
improvised locator-beacon for searchers. , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_blanket
22
The Resilence kit, is alist of recommended devices that will certainly give an EXTRA in case of an
emergency, but are very expensive articles, that’s why is just a extra recommendation.
23
ETON devices are very well designed products, emergency radios sold in retail stores and online , some of its
radios are manufactured and branded for the American Red-Cross , http://www.etoncorp.com/en
24
Solar Ball- Solar powered water purifier system: http://www.gizmag.com/solarball-creates-drinkable-
water/18270/
25
LuminAID, The LuminAID is a solar-powered, inflatable light that packs flat and inflates to create a
lightweight, waterproof lantern. Each Give Light, Get Light package purchased, sends a matching light to
someone without access to electricity. , http://www.luminaid.com/
26
Prof. Michael Burt has a very extensive project that deals with Soap bubbles and complex geometries, and the
optimal use of surfaces and structures, minimal use of materials, etc.
27
Archigram magazine presents a brief explanation of the Project,
http://www.classic.archined.nl/news/0201/archigram_eng.html
28
Concept by The Biomimicry institute 3.8, http://biomimicry.net/