Disasters, whether natural or man-made, pose inevitable global challenges. Events such as COVID-19, earthquakes, extreme climatic conditions, and conflicts underscore the urgent demand for effective temporary housing solutions. These temporary housing units (THUs) serve as an aid in assisting displaced people to rebuild their lives as the recovery process unfolds. However, numerous temporary housing units present environmental, economic, and social issues that hinder their sustainability. This paper investigates the underlying causes of these issues, defines the essential requirements that temporary housing units must meet, and proposes an initial design to fulfill these requirements. The methodology comprises three key phases: case study analysis, requirement identification, and the integration of these requirements into the design process. The main findings highlight that the construction of sustainable temporary housing units necessitates a meticulous consideration of various parameters to achieve a balanced equilibrium between economic, social, and environmental impacts. Possible future research directions are emphasized, including the use of digital tools and BIM models to promote the adoption of circular economy practices and the validation of the design solution through value analysis. Possible improvements in the user’s well-being are also taken into consideration.

Timber, as a renewable material, could reduce reliance on conventional construction materials such as reinforced concrete, thereby lowering carbon emissions. Its light weight, structural reliability, and efficiency in on-site assembly make it well suited to modular systems, which benefit from standardized components in both smaller- and larger-scale projects. However, existing research related to timber construction often emphasizes specific technical or performance issues, while systematic investigation of the timber module as a core building unit remains limited. This study adopts a multi-layered framework for circular modular timber construction, integrating design, structural, prefabrication and reuse perspectives to investigate timber modules, where each layer builds upon and interacts with the others. Through selected cases, the analysis characterizes how modules of different scales and forms are generated to meet spatial and functional needs, and highlights how prefabricated units support more optimized manufacturing. Furthermore, circular design principles are reinforced through reversible joints and design-for-disassembly techniques. The main findings highlight the proposed framework that positions modular units as central to design and construction, contributing to adaptable configurations and the reuse of timber components. Potential future research directions are highlighted, including the incorporation of quantitative evaluation indicators to support the assessment and implementation of circular design strategies.