PORTFOLIO

Project presentations on the website

Every project supported by Gebert Rüf Stiftung is made accessible with a web presentation that informs about the core data of the project. With this public presentation, the foundation publishes the funding results achieved and contributes to the communication of science to society.

Close

Design for Dignity: Applying Privacy in Refugee Shelters (EXECUTE)

Editorial

The project management is responsible for the content of the information provided.

Project data

  • Project no: GRS-005/26 
  • Amount of funding: CHF 75'000 
  • Approved: 23.04.2026 
  • Duration: 06.2026 - 02.2027 
  • Area of activity:  First Ventures, seit 2018

Project management

Project description

Imagine living in a crowded shelter with no personal space - nowhere to retreat, no moment of privacy. This is the reality for many refugees in Switzerland’s Federal Asylum Centers. Lack of privacy creates stress, anxiety, and a deep sense of discomfort in already difficult situations.
Design for Dignity is a simple yet powerful solution: a modular privacy system designed for shared living environments. Lightweight, adaptable, and easy to install, it creates personal space around beds while maintaining a sense of community. Inspired by how refugees use textiles to create makeshift barriers, this system offers a practical, dignified, and scalable alternative.
With Design for Dignity, we’re not just creating a product - we’re restoring a basic human need. Because privacy is not a privilege, it’s a right.

Status/Results

Design for Dignity has successfully completed the VALIDATE phase, transitioning from prototype development to real-world pilot implementation. A production run of 15 units was completed and installed at asylum center in the Canton of Bern, marking the first deployment of the system in an active collective living environment. Parallel testing was conducted at Youth Hostel Bern, confirming applicability across both public and commercial shared living contexts. Structured feedback from residents, staff, and institutional partners has been collected and is informing the next iteration of the product. Letters of Intent have been secured from Kanton Bern GSI AIS, SCDH, Impact Acoustic, and ORS, confirming an active institutional pipeline. A dual B2G/B2B market structure has been developed with a validated pricing model and defined supply chain partners including Impact Acoustic and Evolution EPC AG.
The EXECUTE phase focuses on closing the gap between validated pilot and first repeatable market entry. Key activities underway include: finalization of the prototype for industrial production, confirmation of a manufacturing partner for components, expanded pilot testing with additional resident groups, and development of a procurement-ready offer package for cantonal and hostel operators.

Links

Persons involved in the project

Violetta Dyka, Project Lead, LinkedIn
Tamara Tremonte, Industrial Designer
Catalina Jossen Cardozo, Project Mentor
Andrii Taran, Website & Communication

Last update to this project presentation  18.05.2026