Designing Dignity: How Scott Key and Every Shelter are Rethinking Refugee Shelters

SummaryScott Key, CEO of Every Shelter, joins Most Podern to unpack how a simple design—a clean, insulated floor—sparked a global movement to improve life in refugee camps. From launching refugee-run hardware stores to embedding architecture studios inside settlements, Scott shares how design, policy, and persistence collide in one of the world’s most urgent humanitarian crises.LinksDonate to Support Every Shelter’s WorkEvery ShelterAn Endless WarKeywordsEvery Shelter, Scott Key, humanitarian design, insulated flooring, refugee support, architecture, disaster relief, innovation, safety, dignity, housing, construction, modular,Chapters00:00 The Birth of Every Shelter03:41 Understanding the Need for Insulated Flooring08:53 The Journey from Concept to Implementation14:22 Navigating the Humanitarian Landscape19:38 The Role of Organizations in Refugee Relief21:37 Transitioning to a Whole Systems Approach24:24 Understanding Shelter Needs and Solutions28:50 Community Engagement in Refugee Architecture30:34 Scaling Solutions Across Different Contexts34:32 The Role of Community in Design37:43 Challenges of Running a Nonprofit Organization41:37 Perseverance in the Face of Adversity46:48 Reimagining Refugee Support Systems49:21 The Impact of Policy Changes on Refugee Aid51:58 Future Aspirations for Every Shelter53:26 Getting Involved and Supporting Refugee Initiatives54:55 Defining the Current Era of ComplexityFor more on the future of the Built Environment, subscribe to Most Podern on:Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/3zYvX2lRZOpHcZW41WGVrpApple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/most-podern-podcast/id1725756164Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@MostPodernInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/most.podernLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/most-podern