RUWA

March 2024

A portable water harvesting shelter.

RUWA is a biomimetic water-harvesting tarp, inspired by nature’s desert survivors, the rosette succulent. Designed to serve climate refugees and to provide shelter and water to those in arid regions, RUWA’s 3-layer absorption system pulls moisture from the atmosphere, channeling it from a spider silk-inspired technical mesh into a hydrophobic bladder that holds up to 3 liters.

Portable, adaptable, and shelter-ready, RUWA offers life-sustaining water and shelter in one seamless design.

Gold Winner at the 2024 International Design Awards

DESIGN TEAM:

Sabina Pareja
Mona Hamdy
Kiley Flanagan

ADVISORS:

Kareem El-Faramawy | ADZE Architects
Mohammed Badie | Badie Architects
Marwa Dabeieh |
Cameron Sinclair
Greg Wangerin | UNHCR