El Hogar: Ephemeral Architecture for Refugee Housing and Community Integration

El Hogar, a project by Peaches Shipley and a shortlisted entry for No Man’s Land, positions architecture within one of the most complex global conditions: migration. Rather than attempting to resolve geopolitical tensions through static built form, the project reframes architecture as a responsive system. It proposes an ephemeral architecture for refugee housing, one that evolves with shifting timelines, fluctuating populations, and uncertain policy frameworks.

A Global Issue Beyond Static Architecture

Migration, particularly along the United States–Mexico border, is not a problem that can be contained within a single built environment. Political discourse, media narratives, and policy shifts continuously reshape the conditions under which refugees move and settle. Traditional architectural models, which rely on permanence and predictability, struggle to respond to this fluid reality.

El Hogar acknowledges this limitation. Instead of designing a fixed solution, it introduces a system that adapts to change. The project recognizes that architecture cannot dictate immigration policy, but it can intervene meaningfully by shaping humane, flexible environments that respond to real-time needs.

Why Ephemeral Architecture Matters

The core premise of the project is grounded in the logic of ephemeral architecture. In contexts where timelines are uncertain and occupancy is transient, permanence becomes inefficient. Facilities designed for short-term processing often become overwhelmed when conditions shift, resulting in overcrowding and infrastructural failure.

Ephemeral architecture addresses this by prioritizing:

• Temporality over permanence
• Adaptability over rigidity
• Function-driven design over fixed programming

In El Hogar, spaces are conceived as systems that can expand, contract, and reconfigure based on demand. The architecture is not an object, but a process. It is designed to appear, transform, and dissolve as needed, aligning with the unpredictable nature of migration flows.

Understanding the Immigration Timeline

The project carefully analyzes the immigration procedure timeline, revealing critical inefficiencies. Refugees may spend anywhere from a few days to several months within transitional facilities. While initial processing is designed for rapid turnover, delays in interviews, documentation, and policy enforcement extend occupancy durations significantly.

This mismatch between intended use and actual conditions creates spatial stress. Facilities designed for short stays are forced to accommodate long-term habitation, leading to compromised living conditions.

El Hogar responds by designing a system that accommodates variability. Instead of assuming fixed durations, it anticipates fluctuation, ensuring that the built environment remains functional under changing pressures.

Site as a Dynamic Interface

Located along the Rio Grande, the project engages a site defined by environmental sensitivity and geopolitical tension. The analysis identifies key factors influencing design decisions:

• Flood plains and seasonal water fluctuations
• Wind patterns and climatic extremes
• The physical boundary between nations
• Underutilized and transitional urban zones

The site is not treated as a static boundary, but as a zone of interaction. El Hogar transforms this edge condition into a connective landscape, where infrastructure supports both movement and settlement.

Bridging Communities Through Design

A central ambition of the project is to transform the sequence of immigration. Rather than isolating refugees within detention-like environments, El Hogar proposes a spatial system that connects them with surrounding communities.

The masterplan introduces a linear infrastructural spine across the site, integrating:

• Temporary housing modules
• Community kitchens and shared spaces
• Agricultural zones for food production
• Public circulation paths
• Courtyards for social interaction

This approach reframes refugee housing as part of a broader civic ecosystem. Communities are not external observers but active participants, fostering exchange, empathy, and integration.

Modular and Transformable Living Units

At the architectural scale, the project develops a series of modular housing units designed for flexibility. These units operate as adaptable systems rather than fixed dwellings.

Each module can transform through simple spatial adjustments:

• Fully open configurations for communal use
• Semi-private arrangements for shared occupancy
• Enclosed layouts for family living

Interior partitions retract and deploy to redefine space, allowing a single unit to serve multiple functions over time. This adaptability ensures that housing remains efficient regardless of changing occupancy patterns.

The geometry of the units allows aggregation into larger clusters, forming expandable neighborhoods. These clusters can grow or shrink in response to demand, reinforcing the logic of ephemeral architecture.

Construction Logic and Material Strategy

The construction system emphasizes speed, efficiency, and minimal environmental impact. Lightweight structural frameworks elevate units above the ground, addressing flood risks while reducing site disturbance.

Materials are selected for:

• Ease of assembly and disassembly
• Reusability across multiple deployment cycles
• Compatibility with digital fabrication processes

This approach aligns architecture with manufacturing logic, enabling rapid deployment in response to urgent conditions.

Experiential Quality and Human Dignity

Despite its technical rigor, El Hogar remains deeply concerned with human experience. The project challenges the sterile, institutional character often associated with refugee facilities.

Spaces are designed to support dignity and well-being through:

• Natural light and ventilation
• Visual transparency and openness
• Access to shared amenities
• Opportunities for privacy and social interaction

The experiential quality of the architecture reinforces its social ambition. It moves beyond shelter as mere containment and redefines it as a platform for living, healing, and connection.

A New Model for Refugee Housing

El Hogar ultimately proposes a shift in architectural thinking. It argues that in contexts defined by uncertainty, architecture must operate as a dynamic system rather than a static object.

By leveraging ephemeral architecture for refugee housing, the project creates a framework that is:

• Responsive to changing timelines
• Scalable across different geographies
• Integrative rather than isolating

It transforms the border from a line of division into a space of interaction, where architecture facilitates movement, exchange, and community formation.

El Hogar demonstrates that architecture can engage complex global issues without overstepping its domain. It does not attempt to resolve migration politically, but instead focuses on what architecture can control: space, experience, and adaptability.

Through its emphasis on temporality, flexibility, and human-centered design, the project offers a compelling model for the future of refugee housing. It reframes architecture as an evolving system, capable of responding to the realities of a constantly shifting world.