Improv: Remaining Human in a Humanitarian Crisis

Refugee accommodation often oscillates between the bare minimum emergency standard and the “IKEA” modular shelter, envisioning an utopian expression of agency. However, determinants of the essential and standard guaranteeing a dignified life are regional and cultural. In the Kutupalong refugee camp, the traditional Rohingya gender seclusion discourages single female-headed households’ economic participation. This project uses spatial expression to negotiate and expand the vocabulary of standards from biological needs to mental wellbeing, promoting access to livelihoods. By considering the ad hoc social practices and their embodied resource requirements for upholding dignity, the standard ensures a more equitable provision of services to disadvantaged segments of the population.