Liina Transitional Shelter Can Be Modified To Suit Your Needs

Created by students attending the Wood Program at Aalto University, the Liina Transitional Shelter is a prefabricated structure designed to house refugees and people in recovery situations.

The shelter is a modular structure that can be increased in size to accommodate the needs of any displaced individuals.  The walls are constructed from insulated panels that are made with locally sourced Finnish wood, helping to boost the projects eco-credentials. The panels themselves are made of plywood, LVL (laminated veneer lumber), and wood-fiber insulation, creating a lightweight wall structure that can be assembled using simple wood dowells.

Nylon straps (‘liina’ in Finnish) are used to fasten the insulated wall frames together before assembling the entire structure. Apparently the shelter can be put together by just two people in under 6 hours without the need of any power tools, making it great for situations where you might be low on man-power and electricity. Once the panels are assembled the entire shelter is covered with a canopy to protect it from rainwater and UV rays.

The shelter has been designed to cater for 4-5 people for up to 5 years. The interior of the 18-square-meter dwelling contains two semi-private sleeping areas, a galley kitchen and a multifunctional living space that also serves as a dining and workspace. An additional sleeping space can be found in the loft. Alternatively, it can be used as a storage space. The exterior of the Liina shelter features an enclosed patio area.

The Liina transitional shelter is just one of many temporary emergency shelters to be developed. The AbleNook is another example of a prefabricated modular shelter. The Life Cube can be assembled in under 5 minutes. Michel Zateef designed a concept shelter that expands to provide space for two bedrooms. Even IKEA has jumped on the bandwagon with it’s UNCHR flat-packed temporary shelter. Not that it’s a bad thing – it’s great to see people investing so much time and energy in housing that provides for those in need.

It should also be mentioned that the design team behind Liina originally intended the shelter to be used for a specific climate – the Ararat region of Turkey. The region has a history of natural disasters, and often experiences political turmoil.

Via Inhabitat