Sustainable Housing: Progress in the Works

            In Sierra Leone as in many parts of the world, sufficient housing for the population is a huge problem. As it is, there are not nearly enough homes as there are people who need them, as well as a dearth of builders and supplies. However, some interesting news comes in the wake of Hurricane Sandy that may provide a spark of inspiration or hope for those looking for answers.

            Dutch designers Wouter Kalis and Corinne de Korver have created a bedroom unit to be used in homeless shelters, a design that can be implemented with relative ease to accommodate more people in areas that are currently experiencing a higher volume than they are prepared for due to the hurricane. While this may not suit the needs of Sierra Leone, the team’s design is intriguing, because it is completely made of consumer waste, such as bottle caps and beer crates, and the techniques employed are no more complex than basic woodworking skills the previous generation may have learned in home economics class.

            This model shows promise for the housing crisis in Sierra Leone. If a design for a home can be produced using only consumer waste and basic techniques, new builders can be trained in trained in these skills, and widely available waste used to build. New homes can be constructed quickly and without much overhead, and used to shelter people in need. Additionally, any money put towards the project would be going to local builders, employing local people, and stimulating the local economy.

            It’s not completely implementable yet. However, Wouter Kalis and Corinne de Korver’s design for homeless shelters holds a lot of promise for making a dent in the global housing crisis. Sustainable, green homes, built using widely available materials, while simultaneously reducing trash, employing and training local young people with skills that will transfer to future work, and sheltering those with transient, insufficient or inconsistent homes. Could we really ask for more?

Marisa N. | Volunteer Blogger
Khadarlis for Sierra Leone
marisa@khadarlis.org