In group Somalia

Sustainable Solutions Working Group

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Designing Shelters

Shelter design must balance many factors and considerations to ensure the most appropriate response. The main aim of the Shelter Design is to: 

  • Minimize risk and to ensure shelter safety: The design phase is a useful platform for communicating and incorporating disaster risk reduction (DRR) techniques. Designing shelters in response to the local climate increases the performance of the building in keeping the occupants comfortable, e.g. ventilation, thermal comfort.

  • Respond to the context: The design is adapted to project and reflect the needs of the local culture, vulnerabilities and capacities of the affected community and the resources available.

  • Involve the community in the design process to ensure socio-cultural awareness. Customs, traditions, cultural habits and other activities of daily life should be reflected in the design.

  • Additional support should be provided to the most vulnerable people to ensure accessibility of the shelter to all users.

  • Incorporate local construction techniques, taking into account the availability of materials. In most parts of the world, local construction techniques and the use of local materials have changed significantly during the last century, with the introduction of materials such as corrugated galvanized sheeting. In general, shelter design should try and mirror as much as possible the local construction techniques and materials. Improvements to local techniques can be made if risk reduction measures are required.

  • Additional support should be provided to the most vulnerable people to ensure accessibility of the shelter to all users.
  • Incorporate local construction techniques, taking into account the availability of materials. In most parts of the world, local construction techniques and the use of local materials have changed significantly during the last century, with the introduction of materials such as corrugated galvanized sheeting. In general, shelter design should try and mirror as much as possible the local construction techniques and materials. Improvements to local techniques can be made if risk reduction measures are required.

 

Case studies, best practice and archiving:

The Shelter Cluster in Somalia is using an online database: Regional Toolkit, for sharing information on projects implemented in Somalia.

The Regional toolkit​  has been developed by UNHCR Regional Service Center in Nairobi to assist UNHCR and partners to keep track of infrastructure projects in the sector of Physical Planning and Shelter for Refugees within the region of East and Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes.​ 

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