the clean hub.

architecture for humanity and shelter architecture in collaboration with university of minnesota architecture students have conceived the clean hub, a prefab, self-sustaining housing module.

in refugee camps and areas effected by natural disaster, a common policy exists that most structures or improvements must be temporary, even though they may be used for decades. As a result, infrastructure systems are designed to last only a few months, resulting in substandard living conditions. today, this condition adversely effects over 170 million people worldwide. the clean hub is a portable, self sustaining source for clean water, electricity and sanitation. designed within an intermodal shipping container, the clean hub can be fabricated, shipped and deployed anywhere in the world in a matter of days. [project description from website]


it seems like a lot of designers are thinking about how to reuse shipping containers for housing. this isn't the first design solution i've seen, but i like the implications for refugee populations. [via inhabitat]