The case studies in the development of the proposed medical center have been on Al Zaatari (pop. 84,000), a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan and Dadaab (pop. 450,000) , a Somalian camp in Kenya. However it aims to be able to adapt to multiple environments and cultures.
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UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees) regulates these camps and imposes
a series of restrictions in order to control their development. These include restrictions on building materials and limiting buildings to single storey. However UNHCR does not consider the protracted lifespan of camps at a policy level, and hence after the initial 6 month period, no additions or improvement of services are required. Accordingly, they can deteriorate over the lifespan of the refugee camp, which currently averages at 25-30 years.
This medical center offers a solution to multiple issues.
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Standard UNHCR tents have a lifespan of 6 months at which point they are not fit for reuse. The SHS (Square Hollow Section) steel frame of the designed medical center tent is robust enough to be reused multiple times, and is easily constructed and dismantled with out heavy machinery, hence is more sustainable and a better investment for the UNHCR.
However, should the camp last substantially longer than initially expected, as is unfortunately the trend, the steel frame acts as a base structure for more permanent cladding and roofing. The adaptability of the frame means this can be done by users at minimal to no cost to the UNHCR or host country.
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