Dubai students' cardboard homes to solve refugee housing crisis

Five Dubai students say they plan to solve the region's refugee crisis through a piece of cardboard. Using automated 3D printing, they have created an inexpensive, interconnected housing model for people displaced by conflict and natural disasters.

But for those of you a little skeptical, you should also know the boys - collectively known as team 'Pentagon' - have just been selected as one of the winners of the Global Innovation Challenge. In August they will present their project at the Singularity University Global Summit in Silicon Valley, California.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Safwan Mohiuddin, Avinash Pulugurtha, Ivan Thomas, Saad Alam and Abaid Isaac (Our Own English High School - Sharjah, Boys' Branch), said their project aims to offer a sustainable solution to the refugee crisis by way of cardboard.

"Cardboard is everywhere but it's often tossed to one side so we thought why not make homes out of them."

Explaining the concept using a mini prototype, they said they plan to 3D print a basic mould "measuring 7 metres high and around 2.5 metres squared" before wrapping it in cardboard.

"If you wrap the cardboard around the mould 27 times and coat it in linex, the structure can last about 100 years."
Although cardboard is biodegradable, over a period of 100 years only "four to five layers" will degrade, leaving the structure more than durable as a habitat.

Using 3D printed units, team 'Pentagon' said by operating from mobile units and not factories, they can print the moulds in one hour and wrap them in just 30 minutes - making it easily accessible and transferable in areas of conflict or disaster.

And with the UAE's plans to welcome 30,000 refugees to the country, team 'Pentagon' have a message to the country's leadership.

"Let us erect our sustainable housing units in the many deserted areas of Dubai. This would save on infrastructure costs to house these residents and the turnaround time to erect the homes will be a lot quicker."