Modular Shelter, New Delhi

Description #1

Built with easy to locate & eco-friendly materials- bamboos, bricks, canvas etc, the design solution called for temporary shelters to serve during extreme climates faced by Delhi. In winter, the temperature falls to 1-2 degrees Celsius in late Dec/January, and in May reaches over 45 degrees Celsius. The monsoon period lasts for over a month during July/August. The vision for the sponsoring organization, IGSSS and mHS is for the shelters to serve as a model & demonstration site that will influence design of other private and government shelters standards in Delhi and other parts of India.

The location provided by the Municipality of Delhi allocates the responsibility of shelter management amongst different non-government organizations. This location is wasteland on the banks of the River Yamuna opposite the main Inter State Bus Terminal (ISBT), a lone patch, bordering heavy traffic of the outer Ring Road. The end clients- homeless in India, are mostly migrants, able-bodied hardworking men with families back in rural villages. They usually work 8-12 hours on daily wage, as construction labors, as rickshaw pullers, and others serving related works.

• » Description part 2

Description #2

The interaction with the promoting organizations & interviews with end clients highlighted the problems and developed the modular shelter base concepts:
• Easy to build/transport/build
• Functional
• Modular/incremental
• Climate responsive
• Eco-friendly materials
• Durable materials
The bamboo structure is designed in order to create a double layer wall and a double roof. The air gap in between creates the insulation required. Additional material can be used to fill the gap to increase insulation capacity. The external and internal layers can be configured in different way according to the seasons, ensuring retain of heat during winters, and providing screening from heat and sufficient ventilation during the summers. The height of the module is to ensure adequate circulation as well as accommodate bunker-beds to maximize user capacity. Other services, such as kitchen, medical facilities & toilets could be add-ons to the base/dorm modules.

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