A few years ago, the IKEA Foundation struck up a partnership with an unlikely ally: the United Nations. However, it quickly became apparent that the furniture designer and retailer could bring something valuable to the UN — the company’s experience with flat-packed home furniture made it a good choice to help the UN redesign and update its refugee shelters. The older tent-style shelters used in refugee camps around the world aren’t well insulated and could have a lifespan as short as six months thanks to the impact of sun, rain, and wind. But many refugees need to live in them for several years or longer; this need led IKEA to design a refugee shelter that’s flat-packed like its furniture and uses a more modular building approach, making it easier to set up.
via The Verge
