HOME MADE Private Retreat Possibility

HOME MADE Private Retreat Possibility

HOME MADE Private Retreat Possibility is an innovative architectural intervention designed to create dignified living spaces within vacant office buildings, specifically developed as a humanitarian response to refugee accommodation needs. This transformative design solution, which won the Bronze A' Design Award in the Social Design category, represents a significant advancement in adaptive reuse architecture, employing readily available materials to create private, modular living spaces that can be rapidly assembled and disassembled. The system's core structure utilizes a combination of sun umbrellas, construction site fence pedestals, and plumbing pipes, complemented by textile partitions that provide both privacy and security. Each living unit is designed around a central three-meter diameter parasol that forms the primary structural element, with additional spaces radiating outward to accommodate sleeping areas and personal zones. The design's ingenuity lies in its cost-effectiveness, requiring only 50 euros per person and 50 minutes for assembly, while incorporating essential amenities such as LED lighting, power distribution, and customizable spatial divisions. This architectural solution demonstrates exceptional versatility in its application, extending beyond refugee accommodation to serve various scenarios where temporary private spaces are needed within larger environments, such as open-plan offices or creative studios. The design's success is particularly noteworthy for its participatory implementation process, where future residents actively engage in the construction and customization of their living spaces, fostering a sense of ownership and community while ensuring the solution's practical functionality and social sustainability.

private retreat design, modular architecture, humanitarian housing, adaptive reuse, temporary living spaces, social architecture

— Adam Dawson

CITATION : "Adam Dawson. 'HOME MADE Private Retreat Possibility.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/define/home-made-private-retreat-possibility?E=442774 (Accessed on October 14, 2026)"