Nomadic Shelter – a Portable Haven for the Unhoused

Background

In cities around the world, unhoused individuals face immense challenges in securing safe, private, and weather-resistant shelter. Many rely on temporary solutions such as bridges, subway stations, or makeshift tents, often without adequate protection from the elements. While shelters exist, they are not always accessible, leaving many forced to carry their possessions and search for a secure place to sleep each night.

Inspired by the resilience of these individuals and the necessity for a dignified, mobile living solution, this project explores a portable, weather-resistant shelter that can be easily carried and set up when needed. Taking cues from nature—especially the snail, which carries its home on its back—the design emphasizes warmth, security, and adaptability. By integrating lightweight materials, modular construction, and sustainable elements, this temporary shelter provides an immediate, flexible housing solution while ensuring it can be repurposed or recycled when no longer needed.

Why I Created This Homeless Shelter Tent

Through firsthand observations of urban wanderers, I recognized that their most pressing need was not just food or clothing but a safe, insulated, and portable space to call their own. The lack of proper shelter exposes them to extreme weather, insecurity, and vulnerability, limiting their ability to rest and rebuild their lives.

This project was born out of a desire to bridge the gap between necessity and dignity—creating a shelter that is functional, protective, and considerate of their mobility needs. The tent is designed to be lightweight yet durable, foldable yet spacious, and protective against wind, rain, and cold temperatures. Additionally, elements like a ventilation system, mosquito netting, and waterproof layers ensure it provides a safe, comfortable environment.

Beyond functionality, my goal was to design a structure that would not contribute to urban clutter or stigmatization. The aesthetic and structural design ensures that this temporary home blends into the urban environment without disrupting public spaces, making it an inclusive solution rather than an isolating one.

Ultimately, I hope this project can offer a moment of stability in a life filled with uncertainty—providing unhoused individuals with not just a tent, but a sense of security, warmth, and dignity.

Wanderers are a group of people who wander in the city. Because of their own or external reasons, they do not have a fixed house or a fixed place to live. Most vagrants are forced to wander for their own reasons. For example, some of them have certain mental or physical dis- abilities, and some are just abandoned by their families.

After a series of observations of the wanderers, I found that in fact the most urgent need for them is a warm house, a place where they can be sheltered from the wind and rain, and an independent space. So I thought of designing a tent like a snail's shell, which is both warm and safe, and can be carried at any time.

According to my observation, the vagrants would spend the night under the bridge or in a shelter. The vagrants usually have one or two large backpacks to carry their daily necessities such as quilts and clothes, which is more con- venient for them to travel in the city.

After a series of observations of the wanderers, I found that in fact the most urgent need for them is a warm house, a place where they can be sheltered from the wind and rain, and an independent space. So I thought of designing a tent like a snail's shell, which is both warm and safe, and can be carried at any time.

The uppermost part of the tent is to set up with a double convection ventilation layer and rain guide layer. Inspired by the folding umbrella, I designed the tent on both sides of the foldable ultra-light aluminum poles for the skele- ton, which is easy to fold and store. And I set up small doors at both ends of the tent, I added screen, and fixed with a zipper, which can be convenient to enter and exit. Also, it can be used as the ventilation and can prevent mosquitoes. Finally, I was inspired by the yurt, so I decided to design the tent from the outer layer of canvas, plus a layer of plastic, and plus a layer of warm felt, a total of four layers of synthetic lining. In addition, i added a layer of canvas, a layer of moisture-proof pad in the bottom, so that the tent can be weatherproof.

In the model making, firstly I made a simple tent model with stockings, foam board and pegs. The model being made was based on the existing two-dimensional product bitmap, and the material was processed to show the real space state.

My design is a tent that can shelter the homeless from the wind and rain, and is convenient to store and carry. Besides, the warm tent will not affect the ap- pearance of the city with such design.

Secondly, the built-in space should be large enough to facilitate people to live in comfortably. There is a certain amount of space to store the luggage of the wanderers.

After the design was completed, I also had some more thoughts. I really hope my design can bring some care, help and warmth to the homeless people. Iwant to make the world a better place for the homeless people by providing them a safe haven in my own way.