Four students from the Faculty of Engineering (FT) of the University of Indonesia (UI) — three Civil Engineering students from the 2020 class, Bayu Dewanto; Fransiskus Adinda Rio; and Daffa Aliyo Ghinannafsi, as well as Architecture student from the 2020 class, Alexander Ganesh — who are part of the Santapura Sanctuary Team, were crowned world champions at the international competition, The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) Global Student Challenge (GSC) 2024, last week (Monday, April 22, 2024). This achievement made UI the champion for the third time and continued the winning tradition for the sixth time since its first participation in 2019.
This year, Santapura Sanctuary surpassed 40 other teams from 20 countries. As in previous years, under the guidance of the Head of the Civil Engineering Department of FTUI, Prof. Ir. Mohammed Ali Berawi, M.Eng.Sc., Ph.D., the UI team was the only team representing Indonesia and managed to advance to the final round along with four other teams from China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Bahrain, before ultimately clinching the championship.
This annual competition tests students’ skills in creating a virtual organization through the CIOB’s online platform, Sim Venture Validate, to develop unique construction projects. This year, CIOB GSC 2024 addressed issues related to the increasing number of natural disasters, pollution, wars, conflicts, hunger, and poverty, as well as large-scale forced migration resulting in human rights violations.
The Santapura Sanctuary Team designed innovative, sustainable, and community-oriented emergency shelters in response to these issues. These shelters were designed as solutions for Internally Displaced People (IDPs), international refugees, and other emergencies requiring suitable, environmentally friendly, cost-effective shelters.
Bayu Dewanto, the Head of the Santapura Sanctuary Team, said, “In this competition, our team established a shelter manufacturing company called Santapura Sanctuary. This company offers two core products, SafeHut and SafeHut Q. SafeHut is a foldable, modular, and semi-permanent shelter designed to accommodate four to six individuals. It is equipped with SafeHut Q, a communal centre providing educational space for children, a communal kitchen, and can be configured to meet family needs.”
The SafeHut approach focuses on providing easily assembled and long-lasting housing for direct assistance. In addition, these shelters are equipped with integrated community structures that strengthen social cohesion and support networks among the affected populations. The aim is to transform emergency transitional locations into sustainable communities.
In designing these shelters, the UI team ensured affordability without compromising the quality of the shelter units. Throughout the process, the UI team developed five prototypes to ensure that the shelters met the necessary standards for structural integrity, environmental sustainability, functional design, and cost-effectiveness. SafeHut components can be produced within 48 hours. By adopting a foldable modular design, the system allows for assembly in just 25 minutes per shelter unit.
Furthermore, SafeHut emphasizes environmental friendliness. SafeHut materials are made from durable, recyclable materials that can be reused for up to 15 years. The UI team used recycled steel for the structural framework and manufacturing processes designed to minimize waste. Through the implementation of this system, SafeHut will have a lower carbon footprint compared to other similar refugee housing units.
According to CIOB Marketing Director, Kate Macbeth, the UI team’s modular design was well-considered, making it very practical, flexible, and capable of accommodating both individual and communal needs. Competition judges considered SafeHut to be a very effectively designed solution suitable for various disaster situations. Furthermore, the UI team succeeded in perfecting their design after comparing it with similar competitors.
This competition emphasizes role-playing aspects. Each team plays the role of managing a construction company for a certain period. In the Santapura Sanctuary company, the management is led by four managers: the Business Development Manager (Bayu Dewanto), the Product and Technical Manager (Fransiskus Adinda Rio), the Operations and Finance Manager (Daffa Aliyo Ghinannafsi), and the Marketing and Outreach Manager (Alexander Ganesh).
Prof. Mohammed Ali Berawi, as the mentor, said, “This innovation demonstrates the UI team’s commitment to providing quality and sustainable solutions, especially in providing rapid responses to emergencies. The results of this shelter innovation are expected to make a positive contribution to refugee and post-disaster relief efforts, providing hope and assistance to those in need.”
The CIOB GSC, now in its tenth year, aims to test creativity, planning skills, entrepreneurial spirit, and communication, which are vital assets in completing construction projects. As winners, the UI team has the opportunity to receive feedback from global industry experts and is sponsored to attend the annual CIOB Members’ Forum, this time held in Cape Town. In addition, the UI team also receives a cash prize of £2,000 or approximately Rp40.5 million.
FTUI Dean, Prof. Dr. Ir. Heri Hermansyah, ST, M Eng., IPU., expressed his appreciation for this achievement. “The achievement of the Santapura Sanctuary Team in this competition is the result of their dedication and hard work as well as the support provided by their mentoring lecturers and seniors. Thanks to this achievement, the Santapura Sanctuary Team is invited to present their innovation at the CIOB Members’ Forum in Cape Town, South Africa next June, continuing the winning tradition of previous senior teams,” said Prof. Heri.
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Public Communication Office
Faculty of Engineering, University of Indonesia
