TARPguide
TYTHEdesign pro bono project
TARPguide is a single-page instructional manual intended to help populations displaced due to natural disaster or conflict construct their immediate shelters. It is a communication design solution to some of the problems around shelter construction, intended to support the immediate response work of the aid community. Aid workers on the ground often have to spread limited resources as far as possible until further supplies arrive, which can take weeks. In these cases victims are often forced to construct their own shelters from a few materials, most often with plastic sheeting or tarpaulins.
There is a wealth of knowledge within the humanitarian community on the provision, construction and basic requirements of emergency shelter. In our research however, TYTHEdesign noticed a shortage of instructional materials directed at displaced populations themselves. We have created a single-page guide illustrating a few basic methods of tarp erection, tenets of The Sphere Project minimum standards for disaster response, and best practice construction information available on Plastic-Sheeting.org, a project of Oxfam and IFRC. We designed this page using strong communication design strategy; it uses clear, universal graphics rather than text instructions to circumvent language and cultural boundaries. The content was chosen to be as useful as possible in diverse situations, and will be updated on a rolling basis according to consultation by partnering international organizations. The guide is designed to be printed double-sided on standard letter (North America) or A4 (international) sized paper.
The topic of disaster response shelter is often discussed in the design community, but issues of cost, availability and practicality are seldom given the importance that they assume in the real world. TARPguide is TYTHEdesign's response to the conversation. The strengths of our solution are that it works with materials that are commonly available to internally displaced persons, empowers through the distribution of knowledge and costs a minimum to produce.
The significant amount of information available in the aid community regarding emergency shelter is humbling. TYTHEdesign does not claim special expertise in humanitarian shelter provision, and for further information about the use, construction and planning of shelters in disaster relief, we would like to refer you to the Sphere Project, Shelter Centre, Plastic-Sheeting.org or UNHCR.
If you are interested in learning more about the project or are an aid organization interested in critiquing, sponsoring or distributing it, please contact us at: info [at] tythe-design.com
