Bardsir Refugees Shelter, Kerman — 3rd Place: Individual Dwellings

3rd Place: Bardsir Refugees Shelter, Kerman Location: Bardsir, ten kilometers on the Bidkhowan road, Bardsir Settlement Client: NRC (Norwegian Refugee Council) / Construction: Solmaz Sabbaghnovin with three to four Afghan workers residing in the settlement / Supervision: Solmaz Sabbaghnovin / Built area: Shelter A: 33 sqm, Shelter B: 31 sqm Solmaz Sabbaghnovin Project Objectives: To design and build a shelter for Afghan refugees living in the Bardsir settlement that would be livable and safe, affordable, buildable by the refugees themselves without specialized skills, create a sense of belonging among the settlement residents, be compatible with the environment, and be constructable and usable in a short time. Project Studies: Using construction methods familiar and traditional to the builders, drawing on the traditional regional architecture of the kapar (reed hut), using materials available in the region, considering the climatic characteristics of the area, and understanding the concerns of the settlement residents and existing shelter problems. Addressing the Issues: The shelters were designed considering the region's climatic issues regarding temperature, sunlight, and favorable and unfavorable winds. The simplest construction methods, completely familiar to the Afghan workers, were used. Each shelter was completed at a cost of between 2,000 and 2,500 dollars. Three to four full-time Afghan workers, assisted by Afghan women (for weaving the reeds) and two carpenters, were employed for both shelters. Construction of both shelters together took 21 days. All materials are available in the Kerman region and were easily procured. The residents' concerns — including neighborly relations, large households, lack of light and air in self-built shelters, the presence of mice and lizards in mud plaster (resolved with lime), and minimum private space — were all addressed in the shelter design and construction. Seven years since the shelters were built, not the slightest problem has occurred regarding moisture and rainfall, shelter security, or structural instability. Bardsir has endured at least two moderate earthquakes during these years. The kapar roofs of the shelters were tested by residents climbing on top and placing heavy stones on them, and they have held up well. Concept and Design: Optimizing the built space within the kapar was the project's central idea. Changing the spatial structure of the kapar while making it safe and using the earth element to make it more climatically compatible shaped the shelter's design along these lines.