The IKEA Foundation, the company’s division devoted to social issues, spent years developing a prototype to replace the UN-provided tents that do not protect from the heat or cold, nor provide any sense of privacy. Better Shelter, as the modular unit is called, arrives in two cardboard boxes with assembly tools, features a locking door, windows and ventilation, and photovoltaic cells to provide electricity.
Each of the strong, lightweight steel-framed shelters has 366 square feet with full standing height. The units are built to last three years, and contain user-friendly, word-free image instructions on how to assemble them. ##
(Image credit: Better Shelter)