Header: Aung Htay Hlaing
In early 2025, a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake devastated Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city. Amid the destruction, a small community of 26 bamboo houses, located just 15 kilometers from the epicenter, stood completely undamaged. These weren’t just any houses; they were the work of Housing NOW, an initiative by the architecture studio Blue Temple, designed to provide safe and affordable homes for families displaced by conflict.
Building with bundles
The key to the homes’ strength lies in a clever construction method developed by designers at Blue Temple. Instead of using large, expensive bamboo poles, the system uses bundles of smaller, locally sourced bamboo. These bundles are locked together to create a strong, interlocking frame. This technique makes the most of an abundant and often overlooked material, turning it into a reliable building component. The geometric design of the frame helps to spread out the force from earthquakes and high winds, which was proven during the recent quake. Each house, costing between $1,000 and $1,300, can be assembled in less than a week with the help of the families who will live there, guided by construction manager Ko Zin and the Housing NOW team.
A toolkit for housing
Housing NOW offers more than a single housing model. The initiative has developed a set of three different strategies to tackle the housing crisis in Myanmar. The first is the modular bamboo house that proved its strength in the earthquake. The second is a Do-It-Yourself Bamboo Manual. With 500 copies already distributed, this guide empowers communities to build their own structures using local materials and tools. The third approach is an optimized cash-for-shelter program, where the team provides technical advice and structural guidance to families and carpenters to improve their self-built homes. This flexible approach allows the program to adapt to different local conditions, material availability, and community involvement.
A new standard in crisis housing
The work of Blue Temple and Housing NOW shows that emergency housing can be more than just a temporary shelter. By involving families in the construction process and allowing for different layouts and facade options, the project provides a sense of ownership and dignity. The initiative has received recognition for its innovative approach, earning awards from MIT Solve, the Good Energies Foundation, UNICEF Innovation30, and the Nikkei Asia Award. It provides a real-world example of how creative design and local materials can deliver resilient and affordable homes where they are needed most.
Project info
Official Project Name: Housing NOW
Location: Mandalay, Myanmar
Year: 2019–2025
Architects/Designers: Blue Temple
Project Type: Low-cost modular housing for internally displaced families
Units Built: 79 units
Photographers: Aung Htay Hlaing, Raphaël Ascoli
Source: v2com-newswire
