Maintaining the RSK is straightforward.
January 2024 Award -Winning Unique Design:
RSK shelter kits provided to families displaced by earthquake in Nepal
Kushe January 2024
Assembly of the first shelter kit that includes a complete bamboo frame
A trained RSK response team built RSK shelters
for over 150 people displaced by the Jajarkot earthquake
Standard RSK with the front awning open during the day is here providing a useful covered cooking area.
Nalgad December 2023
​
When the team arrived in these remote rural communities
many families were still living in very poorly built shelters
Nalgad December 2023
Nalgad December 2023
Kushe January 2024
the main problem is building the roof of their shelter.
After working with the trained RSK team
these families were empowered to build their own Standard RSK shelters.
Nalgad December 2023
Nalgad December 2023
Community members take part in demonstrating that 4 bamboo poles overlapped in turn make a "self-supporting " reciprocal frame.
They then placed this reciprocal frame on the ground and lashed it together.
​
Finally they lashed this reciprocal frame on top of 4 side poles to complete their shelter roof.
Kushe January 2024
Kushe January 2024
The complete roof frame was then carried to their shelter site.
This shelter is being located next to the recipients collapsed house
Nalgad December 2023
Digging the post holes for another RSK shelter
Nalgad December 2023
They then lifted their roof frame onto 4 support posts
Nalgad December 2023
After lashing the roof to the support posts their RSK shelter frame is complete
Kushe January 2024
Nalgad December 2023
Positioning the first wall tarpaulin.
Nalgad December 2023
Attaching the tarpaulin to the bamboo frame
Nalgad December 2023
Nalgad December 2023
Finally the roof tarpaulin is attached.
​
Inside the Standard RSK shelter sleeping area
Nalgad December 2023
Front awning open during day
​
Nalgad December 2023
Front awning closed at night
Special features of the RSK that helped families build their shelter:
1. Building the roof frame on the ground
This unique feature empowers all the family, young and old, to assist in making the roof instead of having to build it overhead.
Nalgad December 2023
Special feature of RSK that helped families:
2. Simple tools and basic skills
Nalgad December 2023
Only a saw or machete are required to make an RSK shelter.
Kushe January 2024
Lashing the roof poles together can be done by all family members.
Special feature of RSK that helped families :
3. Using a bamboo baton to align the roof frame.
Nalgad December 2023
A bamboo baton pre-cut to the inside frame width makes it easy to keep the central frame square .
Special feature of RSK that helped families:
4. Using familiar " traditional build methods " to support the roof frame.
The RSK frame assembly uses traditional methods that will be familiar to the community.
Nalgad December 2023
Special feature of RSK that helped families.
5. Using the RSK's 4 strong attachment points for roof tarpaulin
Nalgad December 2023
Nalgad December 2023
The tarpaulin is "bunched" and secured around the 4 corners of the RSK roof frame.
In Kushe the team showed how pre-assembled RSK roof frames
can be stacked on the ground for families to collect and carry to their site
This mass production of roof frames has important implications for large scale disasters.
Kushe January 2024
In Nalgad the team cut
the green bamboo they needed every morning
Nalgad December 2023
Nalgad December 2023
Nalgad December 2023
No bamboo is wasted. Even bent bamboo can be used for the side poles
green bamboo works well for RSK shelter frames when dried bamboo is not available
In Kushe the team brought dried bamboo in a truck for the community.
As the RSK shelters use 33% less bamboo than any equivalent span shelter this saved a considerable amount on transportation costs
Kushe January 2024
Kushe January 2024
Transferring bamboo from the team truck to the community tractor.
The RSK roof uses only two different lengths of bamboo making it a highly efficient use of bamboo.
Versatility of RSK shelters
The bamboo poles are interchangeable between all 4 types of RSK shelter
STANDARD RSK
URBAN RSK
EMERGENCY RSK
DOUBLE RSK
As all RSKs use the same roof frame the team could have built any of these shelters if the situation on arrival in Jajarkot had required them to do so.
Kushe January 2024
This smaller version of the Urban RSK was built by the team to sleep in whilst in Kushe. The Urban shelter is free standing on asphalt or concrete.
Versatility of RSK shelters
In Kushe the Standard RSK shelter was adapted to the cold and exposed location
The shelter was built with a slightly smaller frame, lower roof height and greater roof incline.
Kushe January 2024
Kushe January 2024
If the community had been above the snow line we would have further increased the incline of the load-bearing roof.
Versatility of RSK shelters
The kits are easily carried and adaptable to different situations
.jpg)
.jpg)
Kushe January 2024
Recipients can carry the complete RSK roof frame to its final shelter build site.
Kushe January 2024
This ability to remain on or close to their land is important to families.
Versatility of RSK shelters
easy to repair, maintain and upgrade
Nalgad December 2023
This family has built a more substantial covered area on the front of their shelter.
Nalgad December 2023
Maintaining the RSK is straightforward and this empowers recipients to work on their personal shelter
Final checks, answering questions and giving advice
before the RSK team depart
Ensuring community links are in place.
Nalgad December 2023
FOOTNOTE
Just before this Jajarkot deployment on 25th November 2023 we tested the latest RSK shelter design in training in Sarlahi, Nepal
Sarlahi November 2024
This Urban RSK modification is particularly designed for earthquake victims and is free-standing on asphalt and concrete. It's strength, stability and living space exceeded our expectations and we are now looking forward to further field testing.