Our Story:

Create Structure was incubated by the team behind Better Shelter. Over the past five years, Better Shelter has collaborated with leading UN organizations, NGOs, governmental donors and the private sector. So far they have provided 60,000 shelters that benefit displaced families as shelters, classrooms and health care facilities in over 60 countries. 

The emergent climate migrant crisis will be a defining challenge of our generation. Over the next 30 years, displacement is forecast to increase even more due to the changing climate. Better Shelter knew that new approaches will be needed.

They listened to partners and affected communities, and learned two things:

When a disaster strikes – do not fly in unnecessary emergency materials.

Don’t replace what is locally available – reinforce it. Typically, locally sourced and built shelters are less expensive, they stimulate the local economy and employ familiar building traditions that fit the local climate and norms better than the imported ready made shelters and tents.

Make sure that what you fly in is good and versatile.

When many thousand shelters are constructed at once, local supply chains commonly do not cope and available resources are often insufficient. This may lead to even more challenges: trees are cut down for reconstruction of shelters, which leads to deforestation and in turn disturbs the local ecosystem. And when cash is sent in to support self-recovery, it can lead to price shocks in the local market, making goods unavailable for the local community and affected populations.

From those two learnings, Structure, a $365.00 emergency aid home was designed by Better Shelter CEO Johan Karlsson.

In 2021, these Structure homes were softly launched in the market.

In 2022, Create Structure was established as an independent nonprofit in the United States.

We drive consumer awareness about climate displacement through creative campaigning and aid in the funding of Structure homes.