# BIG and To.org Propose Modular Urban Masterplan for Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement The project reimagines Uganda's Bidi Bidi settlement as a permanent, scalable economic hub for refugees. - **Source:** [architecture archives | designboom | architecture & design magazine](https://brifing.si/source/1e716da2-18e6-4704-96a6-818e7860b99f) - **Published:** 2026-11-12 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/56cecd6f-4092-4190-86a8-977a67b84676 ## Redefining Temporary Settlements BIG and To.org have unveiled a masterplan to transform Bidi Bidi, Uganda, from a temporary camp into a permanent city. Home to roughly 230,000 to 250,000 refugees, the site is designed to accommodate 155,000 additional residents. This shift challenges the traditional humanitarian model by treating long-term displacement as an urban development opportunity. ## Scalable Fractal Design The masterplan utilizes a modular, fractal approach that begins with 250-square-meter family plots. These units organize into compounds, neighborhoods, and eventually districts. This structure allows the settlement to grow organically over time, mirroring the social dynamics of local vernacular settlements where homes cluster around shared courtyards for communal activities. ## Economic Integration Strategy Bjarke Ingels argues that viewing camps as cities turns charity into future-oriented investment. By incentivizing companies to locate production within these zones, the plan aims to provide refugees with long-term economic opportunities. The proposal includes a solar-powered industrial hub, coworking centers, and market squares to foster trade and local production. ## Local Materials and Construction The architectural design draws on research from 2025 visits to Kakuma and Bidi Bidi. Construction utilizes locally sourced materials like sun-dried earth bricks, laterite stone, and bamboo. These methods are refined to improve ventilation, weather protection, and mosquito control, ensuring the structures are both sustainable and adapted to the regional environment. ## Civic and Social Infrastructure Beyond housing, the plan integrates essential public facilities including technical schools, health centers, and healing gardens. Pedestrian paths and transport loops connect residential areas with productive landscapes like bamboo groves and aquaculture ponds. These shared spaces are intended to support everyday social activity while providing critical resources for the community. ## Uganda as Strategic Site Bidi Bidi was selected due to Uganda's 2006 Refugee Act, which grants refugees the right to work, move freely, and acquire agricultural plots. To.org co-founder Nachson Mimran notes that few nations offer this legal framework. This unique policy environment makes Uganda an ideal location for testing the inaugural Refugee City model. ## Prototype and Implementation The first phase involves a prototype single-family housing unit currently under construction on the site. Once completed, this unit will serve as a guesthouse for international investors and collaborators. The project builds upon existing infrastructure, such as the performing arts center completed in 2024, to create a cohesive urban environment. ## Future Scaling Challenges Realizing the full masterplan depends heavily on securing capital investment and continued government flexibility regarding refugee work rights. While designed to be a scalable blueprint for global refugee flows, the model requires host nations to adopt supportive policies. The project’s success hinges on transitioning from emergency aid to sustainable urban systems. ## Sources covering this story - [architecture archives | designboom | architecture & design magazine — BIG Proposes Urban Masterplan for Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement in Uganda](https://www.designboom.com/architecture/big-bjarke-ingels-group-future-temporary-shelter-uganda-bidi-bidi-refugees-to-org/) - [Architecture news and projects | Dezeen — BIG Unveils Modular Masterplan for Refugee City in Uganda](https://www.dezeen.com/2026/11/13/big-refugee-city-uganda/) --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._