This article undertakes a theoretical reflection on transitory habitat, to understand the factors that determine the necessity of provisional refuge of individuals, born of the sustainability, accessibility and quality of life. The attention is centred in interpreting to what extent the temporary belongs to the habitat and how the habitat is related to the transitory. In addition, the necessity is demonstrated to elaborate novel and less conventional approaches to temporary emergency housing, the theoretical criteria of which are explored in order to establish design conditions in temporary lodgings. The displayed arguments are a step that will allow us to define policies and to infer some conclusions about the subject of the Habitat in Risk, understood as a necessity of academic intervention.