January 2016
Wearable Shelter
04
'In response to the refugee crisis, we have created a wearable shelter: a personal piece of clothing, that when unfolded creates a suitable dwelling to provide protection from the elements. Our concept is based on the principals of inflation and the versatility of a vest. We have opted to use a high quality material, Tyvek, a unique and multifaceted material, though, yet extremely light and soft. It is permeable to air and water wapor still repelling rain.
We seek to impart a sense of security both physically and literally by providing full body coverage. Other unique aspects are the ability to document health concerns, travel companions and originating location. We feel these aspects serve as a means of reminding the user of its connection to their origin in a moment of complete disconnect.
As a wearable piece, our clothing is equipped with pockets for personal items, a hood and heat insulation. Heat insulation is gained though the use of a patterned of Mylar, more commonly known as Emergency or Space blankets, adhered to the inside of the piece. One's own heat is trapped inside creating a self serving warmth system.
As a tent, our piece, is designed to house a full size adult as well as a small child. The shelter has two varying heights from one to the other in an attempt to reduce the amount of fabric a user has to carry on their body. The pieces used as a means of access to the shelter can be contacted to one another to join people of larger groups together.'
group project MA Interior Design RCA l Ruben Van Den Bossche. Anne Sophie Geay. Hailey Darling. Eve Hoffman. Jess Wang. Gabriella Geagea. Giulia Silovy. Zara Ashby. Cassie Buckhart. Anna Duthie
PUBLISHED VIDEOS l by Reuters - BBC - AJPlus
PUBLISHED ARTICLES l various sources and newspapers
'A group of students from London's Royal College of Art have designed a prototype coat for refugees that transforms into a tent or a sleeping bag (+ movie).'
'Students at the Royal College of Art (RCA) have designed a shelter for refugees which converts from a jacket to a tent'
'Royal College of Art students have designed a multipurpose garment for refugees, made from the insulated material used by marathon runners'
'Students at the Royal College of Art have designed a coat for refugees which can also be turned into a sleeping bag and tent.'
'Design students from London's Royal College of Art have created a prototype coat that transforms into a tent or sleeping bag. They believe the garment could offer aid agencies a cheap and sustainable solution to help refugees arriving in Europe.'
January 27, 2016
"Good design isn't about technologies and devics - it has a social heart and a role to play in meeting the needs of people facing impossible challenges."
'The coat which turns into a sleeping bag and also a tent could offer a temporary solution for thousands of Syrians displaced by civil war'
'A team of art and design students from the Royal College of Art have created a jacket that functions as a sleeping bag as well as a tent. With the help of a recently launched Kickstarter campaign, the designers hope to have the “wearable shelter” in the hands of Syrian refugees by June.'
'A group of graduate students at London’s Royal College of Art have come up with a genius solution to the Syrian refugee crisis: a hooded jacket that can transform into a sleeping bag or tent. Each one is big enough to house an adult and one child. The makers are currently crowdfunding so these can go into mass production!'