Spatial transformation of shelters in Zaatari refugee camp: informing shelter guidelines

• Self-made amendments of camp shelters aims at fulfilling crucial needs • Ad-hoc amendments in camp shelters have bad consequences on the long run • Having one-size-fits-all numerical standards for shelter is irrational • Balance between flexible shelter design and strict camp planning shall be achieved • Distributing land plots instead of shelters could provide better satisfaction levels Shelters in refugee camps have long been a point of concern, particularly in the past decade as the number of displaced populations has increased dramatically. Typically, aid organisations allocate shelters based on household size, even though the shelters have a fixed design. Zaatari camp in Jordan follows the same approach, where families of up to six members were provided with prefabricated aid shelters. Once occupied, most of these shelters underwent self-made amendments by the residents, indicating the ineffectiveness of the standard allocation approach. This research examines and analyses the shelters and their amendments from three intertwined aspects: layout, materials and dimensions, aiming to provide evidence on residents-led adaptations and in turn, guidance for enhancing current shelter design guidelines. Data were collected through a series of field visits, involving documentation, illustration and analyses of spatial and contextual data from six household cases across different districts, supported by informal conversations with their residents and observational tours throughout the camp. The findings clarified the spatial needs and priorities of refugees, demonstrated the limitations of the one-room shelter design, and identified challenges arising from the used temporary materials. Additionally, the analysis of the shelters yielded an average used area of 23.6 m 2 per person, which, when compared with the current guidelines of 3.5m 2 , underscores the inadequacy of the provided area, and highlights the shortcomings of relying solely on household numbers to determine shelter size. The results suggest that decision makers in the shelter sector should focus on flexible shelter design guidelines that allow residents to adapt their shelters according to their needs and priorities.