Holcim and the Norman Foster Foundation have struck a partnership to rethink emergency shelters to turn them into sustainable and resilient homes.
Holcim will use its expertise in low-carbon innovative concrete-based solutions and affordable housing to design a concept for building 1,000 shelters and a medical facility in one day, according to a news release. The goal is to offer dignified and resilient accommodation to the world’s growing number of displaced people.
The collaboration will begin with a one-week workshop in June in Madrid, Spain. The aim is to create affordable shelters capable of disassembly, reuse, and recycling. Holcim will use its experience in building affordable housing and on innovations such as low-carbon concrete, lightweight prefabricated support structures, and green cements for soil stabilization. Holcim built Africa’s largest 3D-printed affordable housing project in Kenya, developed by its joint venture 14Trees in partnership with CDC Group, the UK’s development finance institution.
“Currently we have over 80 million people who have been forced to flee their homes around the world,” said Jan Jenisch, CEO, Holcim. “Emergency shelters can be more than just a roof over their head—they should offer people the dignity and safety of a home. We are excited to collaborate with the Norman Foster Foundation to put our solutions as well as our expertise in affordable housing to work to achieve this goal.”
Related Stories
Building Team | May 3, 2016
Piazza in San Francisco will feature a 92-foot stainless steel statue
Made of 2,500 seamlessly-welded panels, Venus will be the centerpiece of a new public piazza containing other works of art.
Building Team | Apr 6, 2016
Evaluating the value proposition of project vendors
CBRE Healthcare's Daniel Waters has a few pointers for Request for Proposal (RFP) writers and Project Managers when it comes to handling project vendors, including clearly defining performance expectations.
Building Team | Feb 25, 2016
Long-time BD+C editor Gordon Wright, 1939-2016
Gordon Wright, whose career at BD+C spanned 32 years, passed away on February 15, at the age of 76.
Building Team | Feb 10, 2016
DBIA disputes study claiming design-build projects often delivered on time, over budget
Says study did not account for owner-initiated scope changes.
Building Team | Jan 7, 2016
4 reasons the C-suite should care about design-led construction
Lou Astorino shares four examples how a unified approach can directly help C-suite leaders achieve their organizational goals.
Sponsored | Building Team | Dec 16, 2015
How to fix 3 common mistakes AEC teams make in project interviews
In a LinkedIn post, Scott Johnson, business writing specialist at Johnson Training Group, highlights three common missteps that AEC firms make during project interviews. His insights are based on more than 90 interviews conducted with members of various selection panels.
Sponsored | Building Team | Dec 7, 2015
Why employee advocacy is key to social media success
Employee advocacy is key to boosting social media engagement, and employee advocacy is about more than just the promotion of a firm’s brand.
Sponsored | Building Team | Nov 30, 2015
5 ways to bring data into marketing and business development
Here are five ways to use data to enhance the client acquisition process
Cultural Facilities | Nov 23, 2015
BIG plans for Pittsburgh: Bjarke Ingels’ Lower Hill District master plan evokes hilly topography
Paths will be carved to create a dialogue between Pittsburgh’s urbanscape and its hilly surroundings.
Sponsored | Building Team | Nov 17, 2015
The benefits of selling your firm to employees
One business advisor recommends professional services businesses to develop a group of employees who are willing and able to buy the business
