Disaster is one of the principal challenges the world is facing today. It affects millions of people each year and disrupts their lives and great possessions. Typhoon and fire have been the most frequently occurring hazards not just in the world but also in the Philippines. Learning from previous disasters, emergency shelters have a significant impact on evacuees’ survival. In this study, a relief box design is proposed to function as a shelter when disasters happen. It is designed to answer the following objectives; (1) to design a relief box that could transform into an emergency shelter (2) to use fiberglass as material and procedures to produce the design (3) to produce a prototype of the design.
Anchoring to the concept of honeycomb-inspired biomimicry with traditional joinery techniques, the Design Thinking: Non-Linear Process directs the creation of this product design. The design transforms a relief box into an emergency shelter as space of refuge and organizes evacuation center situations of Barangay Buaya and Pajo in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, Philippines. Adopting the Observation and Interview Method, results show that people affected by disasters aren’t motivated to stay in evacuation centers due to its chaotic condition, but they have limited alternatives. However, organized, private and comfortable spaces, aside from food and non-food items are essentials for their survival. It also reveals that function, durability, convenience, the strength of a structure, and aesthetics are important elements in the design concept of an emergency shelter. Hence, each cell of this relief box design transformed into honeycomb-like emergency shelters must not only provide the space of refuge but also the hope to make evacuation centers more compassionate to evacuees amidst the effects brought about disasters.

Disaster is one of the principal challenges the world is facing today. It affects millions of people each year and disrupts their lives and great possessions. Typhoon and fire have been the most frequently occurring hazards not just in the world but also in the Philippines. Learning from previous disasters, emergency shelters have a significant impact on evacuees’ survival. In this study, a relief box design is proposed to function as a shelter when disasters happen. It is designed to answer the following objectives; (1) to design a relief box that could transform into an emergency shelter (2) to use fiberglass as material and procedures to produce the design (3) to produce a prototype of the design.
Anchoring to the concept of honeycomb-inspired biomimicry with traditional joinery techniques, the Design Thinking: Non-Linear Process directs the creation of this product design. The design transforms a relief box into an emergency shelter as space of refuge and organizes evacuation center situations of Barangay Buaya and Pajo in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, Philippines. Adopting the Observation and Interview Method, results show that people affected by disasters aren’t motivated to stay in evacuation centers due to its chaotic condition, but they have limited alternatives. However, organized, private and comfortable spaces, aside from food and non-food items are essentials for their survival. It also reveals that function, durability, convenience, the strength of a structure, and aesthetics are important elements in the design concept of an emergency shelter. Hence, each cell of this relief box design transformed into honeycomb-like emergency shelters must not only provide the space of refuge but also the hope to make evacuation centers more compassionate to evacuees amidst the effects brought about disasters.

Abstract i
Table of Contents ii
List of Tables iv
List of Figures v
Acknowledgments vii
Chapter 1: Introduction 1
1.1 Background 1
1.2 Context 6
1.3 Purposes 7
1.4 Significance and Scope of the study 7
1.5 Definition of Terms 8
1.6 List of Abbreviations 9
Chapter 2: Literature Reviews 11
2.1 Disasters 11
Common Disasters in the City 11
Disasters Bring Out Generosity 12
2.2 Emergency Products for Disasters 13
Food and Non-Food Items 13
72-Hour Survival Kit 15
Emergency Shelter 17
2.3 Design Concept, Structure and Material 19
Biomimicry 19
Joinery Techniques 24
Fiberglass 26
2.4 Summary and Implications 27
Chapter 3: Methodologies and Outcomes 28
3.1 Methodology and Research Design 28
Observation Method 29
Interview Method 29
Design Thinking: Non-Linear Process 32
3.2 Participants 34
3.3 Instruments 34
3.4 Procedure and Timeline 35
3.5 Data Analysis 35
3.6 Outcomes 36
Demographics of People Affected by Disasters 36
Prevailing Disasters in the City and Conditions of Evacuation Centers 38
Perceived Function of Relief Box and Emergency Shelter 42
Efficiency of Honeycomb-like Design and Structure 44
Effectiveness of Fiberglass as Material 46
Important Features of an Emergency Shelter 47
Chapter 4: Product Innovation 49
4.1 Ideation and Prototyping 1 49
4.2 Ideation and Prototyping 2 51
4.3 Ideation and Prototyping 3 52
Joints for Fastening 54
4.4 Ideation and Prototyping 4 56
Chapter 5: Conclusions 60
5.1 Summary 60
5.2 Interpretation 61
New Finding for its Meaningfulness 61
New Finding for its Significance 61
5.3 Explanation 62
Why is the new finding important and meaningful in reality? 62
How is the new finding important and meaningful for application? 62
5.4 Conclusion and Recommendation 62
References 64
Appendix A 70
Appendix B 71
Appendix C 72
Appendix D 73
Appendix E 74
Appendix F 75
Appendix G 76
Appendix H 77
Appendix I 78
Appendix J 79
Appendix K 80
Appendix L 81
Appendix M 83
Curriculum Vitae 86

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