UCC students design pop-up shelters to house refugees in large camps around the world

Irish engineering students have devised expandable pod-like shelters with roll-out roofs, some of which can be erected in just 40 minutes, which could help refugees fleeing conflict or famine around the world.

The civil engineering students at UCC designed and built the refugee shelters as part of a course project designed to test their ability to respond to real-life issues.

Following briefings from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, (UNHCR) and architect Grainne Hassett, who has worked in the Jungle refugee camp in Calais, France, the students started work under the guidance of Akiboye Connolly Architects on their design solutions.