Pallet Shelter

This project was done in the Design Studio 'Pop Up Shelter' in the Technical University of Vienna.The topic of this project is “Beat the Heat” and serves as a pilot study to explore temporary living in Vienna for Viennese residents during heat waves. The proposed solution is based on sustainability, using recycled construction pieces and sustainable raw materials. An efficient design of the constructive elements that compose every unit has the aim of avoiding unnecessary cost and reducing at most the transport to the site. Also, the industrialization of the different walls and slabs, prefabricated to promote an easier and faster assembly. The social aspect of the project is a significant aspect too, therefore the shelters are joined into groups, creating external common spaces. Those spaces are designed for people to spend most of the time there, thanks to the projected shadows of the sails. In addition, common services and spaces are placed, where sociability between neighbors is encouraged.

The construction of these shelters was based on “low tech”. This is achieved with the cheapest construction materials possible, acquiring an intuitive and simple assembly. The design of the different walls and slabs that compose the shelters, and how the spaces and windows are distributed, stimulate at most passive mechanisms of radiation protection and creation of air flows.

The pallet on the one side is almost a residue from a lot of industries, one of them the construction industry, besides having a ridiculously affordable price compared to other possible solutions. On the sustainability aspect it would be well-considered because of being recyclable and coming from sustainable raw materials. In fact, it could even be used again as a construction Pallet. From the other side, it has a considerable durability and mechanical resistance, which allows it to be used as a substructure element and as the external face of walls. Lastly, we considered that, with an appropriate design and treatment, aesthetically and formally it would be an attractive project.

We thought in a wood-based structure, in line with the rest of elements, which would be solidary with walls and slabs, achieving a 100% natural raw materials construction. Another important aspect about using pallets was the fact that the geometry acts like a ventilated facade, a smart design when pretending to protect from solar radiation, and as a visual filter too, when used in front of windows so that the privacy of the user wouldn’t be affected. In addition, in case of rain, it works like the first protection layer against water, and his air chamber would help to evaporate the drops, so it won’t reach the internal layer of the facade as the radiation doesn’t either.

In the final phase of the project’s design, we decide to add an external structure to host sails from variable geometries that, from one hand, act as the very first protection layer against solar radiation, creating  shadows too in the external common spaces between shelters. On the other hand, in our opinion, it improves the aesthetical aspect of the project, making it much more attractive for users and visitors. With a low effort and cost, we consider the design gets a plus of brightness and beauty. These resource makes the difference compared to other possible simpler proposals.

To put it in a nutshell, along with the composition of these Pallet shelters, we have always tried to achieve the better solution, focused on a smart and attractive design, with the less amount possible of effort and money, and taking into account long term sustainability for a project that is only used for a short time in a year.