Origami-inspired Prefab Pod with a folding design makes it easy to set up instant refugee shelters

Originally designed as a modular pod for luxury getaways, Hariri & Hariri Architecture’s prefab folding structure is now proving to be an incredibly cost and labor-effective solution to ongoing refugee crises caused by political unrest and climate change. The prefabricated structure ships as a flat-packed unit and can be opened out and assembled in mere minutes with just a crane and minimal manual labor, allowing you to set up instant refugee shelters anywhere.

Conceptually, the pod’s unique folding structure is inspired by Origami. It’s designed to fold flat when not in use and can be shipped as a set of flat palettes stacked together and assembled on-site. When assembled, the walls open outwards and lock into a hexagonal shape, making the pod’s structure geometrically stable and modular.

Designers: Hariri and Hariri Architecture

Iranian architects Gisue and Mojgan Hariri designed the prefab pod based on their own experience of losing their home. The compact pods have an area of 500 sq.ft., making them modestly sized for a family of 3-4. The single-story pods can also be linked together to create larger living units.

The prefab pod comes pre-hinged and can be set up without any tools. The panels on the pod are made from Equitone (a fiber-based cement) to create a robust yet lightweight structure, while large glass windows let abundant light in, eliminating the need for electric lighting during the day. Open areas in the structure also promote natural ventilation.

Harari & Harari Architecture emphasize the versatile nature of the pod by pointing out how it can simultaneously be used as “a refugee or disaster shelter, a woods or beach cabin, assembled into clusters for large music or sports events, and even into a single luxury home.”

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These prefab cabins require zero assembly and unfold into shelters in case of emergencies!

The modern world is overwhelmed with what feels like countless crises‒climate change, human displacement, and global pandemics begins a list that barely scrapes the surface. Architects and designers alike have been taking notice and utilizing their learned disciplines to provide relief. Entering the conversation around structural relief projects, Hariri & Hariri, a New York-based architecture firm founded by Iranian sisters Gisue and Mojgan Hariri, debuted their own solution: a prefabricated folding pod or cabin that doesn’t require hands-on assembly or the need for hardware or tools.

Modeled after the intricate paper folding art of Origami, the pod’s initial folded form can fit onto flatbed trucks for efficient and manageable shipping. Once positioned for assembly, the pod from Hariri & Hariri readily expands and unfolds to create a prefabricated and modular, single-story housing unit. Born out of a need for emergency shelter across the globe, the architects behind the pod note, “In the middle of a hurricane you don’t have time for a screwdriver.” With this in mind, the pod was designed to instantaneously unfold and build itself with the push of a button. Structured like a pop-up cardboard box, hinges and hidden panels strewn across the pod’s creases aid in the unit’s assembly process. Whether multiple emergency shelters are needed or if the pod is used as a luxury single home unit for a beachside vacation, the modular construction allows the pod to either be configured together with multiple pods to form community shelters or stand alone as a single prefabricated unit.

Hariri & Hariri developed the pod into one that leans on an affordable, transportable, and efficient design by giving it a lightweight and thin exterior build. Constructed with accessible building materials like glass and Equitone panels, the pod can be acquired and utilized by most countries across the globe in need of emergency shelters. The prefabricated pod boasts simple and speedy assembly and transportation processes, making it an ideal modular unit for any event from beachside couple retreats to crowded music events or even extreme emergencies that call for immediate shelter units.

Designer: Hariri & Hariri

When situated in clusters, the pod from Hariri & Hariri can create community-wide shelters in the case of emergencies.

Alternatively, the pod can make for the perfect beachside getaway, with an open-air layout and expansive windows.

The pod can also function as a luxury single-residency for longer vacations.

Inside, the pods are roomy and offer sweeping views of the outdoors.