Architecture firm Cutwork has developed a low-cost housing module that could help with the growing demand for affordable housing around the world. Called ReHome, the design can also be easily reconfigured to house twice as many people during a crisis.

The module was originally conceived as a rapid construction proposal to help people left homeless because of the Ukraine  conflict. But the idea behind the project is the suggestion that instead of emergency shelters, structures could be built that would be just as effective in times of stability. According to Antonin Yuji Maeno, co-founder and chief architect of Cutwork, these houses could be easily adapted to accommodate different volumes of people.

The system consists of 27-square-meter units that can be stacked “like Lego bricks” to create buildings of up to six stories. These units would be prefabricated off-site to allow for quick and cost-effective construction. The design allows the units to be combined or adapted to create five different types of apartments, as well as additional spaces that can be shared among multiple dwellings.

Each standard unit could be divided into three sections, with sleeping spaces and service areas located in the central block, sandwiched between large flexible living spaces. Non-bearing walls would then possibly be removed to connect adjacent rooms, while bathrooms would incorporate double-door frame systems that allow flexible partitioning.