Big-Box Stores to Refuge: Transforming Commercial Spaces Into Modular Emergency Shelters

As sea levels rise and climate disasters become more prevalent, this will displace residents. The importance of a scalable adaptable emergency shelter solution is vital. By proposing an renovation of existing big-box warehouses, such as Walmart, into refuge centers that can accommodate large number of displaced individuals. These refuge centers with their elevated platforms, strategic geographic distribution, and proximity to their flood zones, were well suited for elevated, climate resilient shelters. The design uses modular construction systems that uses kit-of-part beds that can be deployed for personal spaces and modules, enabling rapid assembly, flexible layouts, and efficient transportation. Elevated platforms and lightweight deployable structures can easily be deployed to intervene in flood adaptive designs and changing climates. Government subsidies and funding can help make these refuge centers possible and economically viable. To mitigate flood risks, proposed interventions incorporate elevated platforms and lightweight deployable structures that prioritize both safety and speed of deployment. The study also explores how government subsidies and federal disaster preparedness funding can support the economic viability of these transformations. This thesis reframes architecture as a proactive infrastructure for climate resilience, offering a socially equitable and environmentally adaptive response to the emerging housing crisis.