With millions in the region displaced due to ongoing conflicts in countries like Syria, the question of how best to shelter refugees from the elements has become more pressing than ever.

Jordanian designer Abeer Seikaly believes she has an answer in the form of a Bedouin-inspired, concertina-style tent that’s easy to erect and fold away, collects rain water, and even generates solar power.

“The response to the masses of people forced out of their homes and sometimes their countries is based on antiquated design systems that are non-functional as well as uninspired,” she said. “This project proposes a new kind of disaster shelter for refugees based on a system that is inspired by nomadic tribes that travel across the land setting up temporary shelters that were their only homes.”

Seikaly said she has been in contact with various relief agencies, including the UNHCR, and is currently producing a prototype of the Bedouin-inspired tent that was one of the winners of the prestigious Lexus Design Award in 2013.