Instant Housing: An Innovative and Sustainable Solution for Disaster Victims

It has been twelve years since the Great East Japan Earthquake; a tragic event that reminded us all how important it is to have safe, accessible shelter in the aftermath of a disaster. This is particularly crucial in regions like Japan, frequently ravaged by windstorms and earthquakes. Consequently, a professor at Nagoya City University took on this challenge, developing an efficient solution: the Instant House.

Professor Keisuke Kitagawa of Nagoya Institute of Technology has pioneered this innovative housing solution. Built within four hours, the Instant House is a fast, effective refuge for disaster victims. The process involves inflating a conical tent using an air blower. The tent is then secured, and a thermal insulating material is sprayed on the inside. After four hours, the material solidifies, forming a 10 cm thick wall, thus establishing a dwelling space of about six tsubo (approximately 20 square meters). Remarkably, an Instant House costs around two million yen, making it an affordable solution for emergency shelter.

One of the strengths of the Instant House lies in its ease of assembly and disassembly. The lightweight materials used means no professional construction workers are required for its setup. Additionally, the design’s seismic resistance is excellent, providing a warm haven in winter and a cool refuge in summer. Disassembly is equally simple, involving merely cutting away the internal polyurethane foam. This entire process can be completed in about ten minutes.

The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake was the catalyst for Professor Kitagawa’s research into the Instant House. Upon visiting a shelter in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, a month after the quake, children’s questions about why temporary housing took six months to build stirred him deeply. This encounter shifted his aspirations from becoming an internationally recognized architect to developing a rapid and comfortable solution for displaced victims of disasters.

Upon returning to Nagoya, Professor Kitagawa dove into research to develop the Instant House. Key criteria for…