Hexayurt

The Hexayurt is a prototype for a family of refugee shelters. At the moment, most refugees wind up in poly tarp structures held up by PVC pipe. These structures rot rapidly, offer little protection from the elements, and in the long run feel like tents.

Tents are fun for a while, but few people would choose to live in one for years at a time.

The Hexayurt is a first draft of a different kind of super-low-cost housing. This prototype is made from cardboard, but the design holds good for any 4' x 8' sheet goods, allowing different materials like plywood or styrofoam to be used in different climates.

The exterior is made from a reflective insulating material, which lends both insulation and waterproofing. Separating the structural and waterproofing elements means a much wider range of structural materials can be used.

Finally, the Hexayurt is made to be portable on a car, truck, donkey, or at worst, on the back of humans. A single adult can carry the hut in this picture without undue difficulty, and two adults could carry a hut for many miles in a single day if the need arose.

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This prototype was made with materials given to me by three companies. Pactiv Corporation donated their Hexacomb board material, which forms the sides and roof of the hexayurt, Innovative Energy donated Heatshield, the reflective insulation which surronds the structure, and 3M donated the fibre tape which holds the structure together.

I'd like to thank all three companies. I was completely amazed and gratified by their generosity and genuine interest in this project, and I hope that their time and money will turn out to be a worthwhile investment.

Posted by glenn at September 11, 2003 02:29 PM | TrackBack