IRREGULAR SHELTER PART 2

WWW.IRREGULARSHELTER.COM

This page just continues with a portion of the previous front or home page so that hopefully the website will load quicker especially for those people on a "dial-up" connection. I'd like to keep about 25 to 26 listings per page . . .

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TORSTEN This studio based in the country of Sweden is owned by a man named "Torsten" and pictured on the right is one of his more popular creations. He seems to specialize in "Irregular Shaped" shelter systems and has some other examples or projects on his website.

“A house in the countryside with the character of a living creature that is adapted to its surroundings. An animal evolutionarily adapted to house people. What about the shape of the animal has evolved in the landscape. Ambition to build organically with the personality of the building.”
Torsten Ottesjö • Phone: +46 70 66 77 951 • torsten@latast.se
TIRE BALE HOUSE There are a number of websites specializing in this new way of building a home. I will list this one as a start. This is a great way to use up those old tires that just seem to get in the way.

"If you're looking for an alternative building technique to the rammed earth tire (earthship) home or to the traditional stick built, tied to the utility grid home, the tire bale house may be for you. Our names are Steve and Kathy King and we have developed this web site in response to the many questions about the feasibility of building with tire bales. We are building our home in western Colorado similar to the "earthship" concept created by Michael Reynolds but with several changes, many which use conventional building techniques. We really liked the idea of using tires, cans, and bottles to build with and using solar for electricity and warmth, but physically pounding dirt into 1000 plus tires - ouch! Instead of pounding dirt into all those individual tires, a good friend and architectural designer of earthship houses, Michael Shealy, suggested we use TIRE BALES for the outside walls. The finished block weighs approximately 1 ton and measures 30"x 50"x 60" and contains 100 whole passenger and light truck tires. The tire bales are fastened together with five 9 gauge Square-Lok galvanized or stainless steel baling wires. This is now the industry standard for tirebales in civil engineering. The tire bales inability to hold water eliminates the public health threat from mosquitoes. The decreased surface area, density of the bale, and lack of air greatly reduces the risk of fire. Volume reduction of 5 to 1 is another advantage of baling for increased storage space and efficient transportation benefits."

info@tirebalehouse.com
CONCRETE CUBE CABIN This is my own concept or idea. I do not know of anyone who has actually tried making a cabin with this method. They use heavy-duty cranes to place these cubes in the desired location. I was thinking maybe a large forklift could be used to unload these from the truck and also used to manipulate the cubes into position. Heavy-duty glass windows could be installed on both ends, one with a sliding glass door.

“Standard Specification for Precast Reinforced Concrete Box Sections for Culverts, Storm Drains, and Sewers. Reinforcement in precast box sections shall conform to ASTM Specifications A185. Minimum Concrete Strength shall be 5,000 psi at 28 days. Joints shall be sealed with mortar, mastic or flexible butyl rubber sealants. Contact our plant for all sizes and weights that are available.”

Scurlock Industries • 800 W Johnson • PO Box 1500 • Jonesboro AR 72403 • Phone: (870) 935-5913
TIRE BALE CONSTRUCTION Here is some more information for you on this relatively new use of discarded tires. This is the website of "Touch The Earth Construction" located in Colorado, i think.

"Tire-bales are "big rubber bricks". Place them in the wall with a large fork-lift, a hay-grapple, larger size skid-steer w/forks (3,000# tipping weight, minimum), or a backhoe. They're made in an hydraulic press, click here to see the press exerting extreme forces to compress approximately 100 tires into a "brick" 2-1/2' x 5' x 5', weighing ~2,000#, wrapped with (5) .113 inch dia. steel wires pre-formed into square-knot ends which are hooked together when the press reaches it's compression capacity. The press is then released and the bale is completed. The bale is now the density of most wood, weighing in at roughly 50 pounds per cubic foot and containing only 5% air."

mikey@touchtheearthranch.com
THE CULVERT HOUSE This is a good website for those of you who would consider building a home using a steel culvert as a shell.

“Imagine a house, here in the Cincinnati area.... whose shell was impervious to even severe weather hazards, whose monthly energy cost for heating and cooling was negligible, whose energy & water systems were designed for ease of maintenance & usage, whose floor plan was ergonomically designed to support your extended family's desires for both private space and communal resource sharing including areas for their home based businesses, whose landscaping was natural and suitable for experimenting in minimal agriculture, whose interior environmental systems offered pure air and drinking water with hazards designed out and simple hedonistic pleasures designed in, but whose building cost was minimal relative to standard construction... How much convention would you be willing to dispense with to meet these specs? The shell of the house as described being a steel culvert, normally used for drainage systems and road work which gives the house an extremely economical and structurally strong basis.”

J. H. Raichyk • Penelope Press • PO Box 54050 • Cincinnati OH 45254
UTAH SHELTER SYSTEMS Very interesting site dedicated to underground steel shelters.

"UTAH SHELTER SYSTEMS manufactures and equips multi-hazard home and corporate shelters. The company also offers consultation in the production of concrete shelters and the re-furbishing and updating of existing shelters. Utah Shelter Systems is owned and managed by Paul Seyfried and Sharon Packer. Paul and Sharon have been building shelters since 1986, and incorporated Utah Shelter Systems in 1998. The shelters can be constructed of either corrugated steel or steel plate and can withstand blasts up to the 150 psi range. Each shelter is customized to your size requirements, individual needs, and the potential threat to your location. The shelters are manufactured in North Salt Lake, Utah and transported throughout the entire United States and Canada. Sharon and Paul also own the company, ANDAIR USA, Inc. and are the United States distributors of the Swiss made Luwa of Andair AG located in Andelfingen Switzerland. This company provides ventilation systems, blast valves, air filtration systems, and chemical biological protection for home, corporate, military and government facilities."

Utah Shelter Systems • 11576 S State Street Suite #502 • Draper UT 84020 • Phone: (801) 453-8000
Fax: (801) 816-9984 • info@UtahShelterSystems.com
EXCLUSIVE TENTS Trust me. This is a beautiful site. Worth visiting even if you are not interested in using canvas as a sheathing material for a home or dwelling. These folks bring tent and canvas to it's highest level. Very interesting website with lots of great pictures. You will not be disappointed.

"Welcome To A Whole New World of Ultra-Luxury African Canvas Safari Tents, Eco-Lodge, Island Dwelling, Spa, Tree House, Alternative Living and Resort Tents. With its origins in Safari-Tented Lodges out of Africa, Exclusive Tents specializes in supplying a unique range of ultra luxury canvas tented accommodation around the globe from Australia to Alaska and beyond. Manufactured to perfection, our tents are designed to be eco-friendly and aesthetic, to blend into their environment and are perfectly designed for 5 Star Eco Lodges, Luxury Resorts & Spa's, Health Resorts, Boutique Lodges, Tree Houses and Romantic Island Retreats, etc. All of our tents leave only a green footprint on the environment, be it by the ocean coastline, on the beach, in the countryside, on an estate, remote logistical expedition base camps or as a private lake cabin in paradise. Our tents are all 4-season and do well in any climates from high rainfall tropical climates to dry desert environments; offering a unique alternative in architectural style - 5 star flair elegance and the romance of living under canvas. With our exquisite and exotic designs our tents have also been used for pavilions, weddings, spas, yoga, meditation and spiritual retreats. Though our tents look like they could fit well into an Indiana Jones movie, they did appear in 'The Lost World', as they would in any Arabian, Moroccan, Mediterranean or Middle Eastern setting. Be it the universal adventure tourist on a relaxing vacation, or someone with the will to explore remote expedition like locations, they will love the real experience of residing in our beautiful fabric structures, bringing their total experience, so much closer to nature. We can custom design your tent to meet your specific requirements or we can also make minor custom changes to existing designs to meet many of our customers special requirements. We specialize in alternative, green, sustainable and organic architectural design. Canvas and tents combined is the ultimate in the outdoor living experience. We work very closely with our customers to develop and try to meet all of their tenting requirements, to ensure that we aspire to meet most of all their expectations. We pride ourselves in the level of customer service and attention to detail that we offer from first contact until well after setup."

Exclusive Tents Ltd • 301 N Del Sur Dr • Vail AZ 85641 USA • Phone: (520) 762-9293 • Fax: (520) 844-1271 • krazy@exclusivetents.com
BUILDING WITH BAMBOO Actually, this is a big subject from a world view because many parts of the world are capable of growing large quantities of this vegetable which is very strong. The link provided here takes you to a website dedicated to making all kinds of things out of Bamboo. Also, included is a section specializing in habitable dwellings. The picture on the right is of a house built from Bamboo in Costa Rica. "Bamboo Riverhouse Construction - Costa Rica - Vegetable Steel."

“We represent individuals, groups, and organizations from around the world who share special interests in bamboo. Our main interest has been to provide a platform for the exchange of information, ideas and experiences on all aspects regarding bamboo and it's usage. Our membership has grown to represent over 90 countries, and many are interested in learning more about the amazing diversity and endless applications and uses of bamboo. On one side is the intimate character of bamboo that lends itself to small scale craft and construction uses. On the other side are the growing forces that wish to mold bamboo into larger scale usage through industrial applications and the use of advanced technologies. Our preference is to focus our efforts towards those involved in smaller scale applications who might benefit the most. However we have no real 'mission' or agenda other than to provide this service with the limited resources we have available and hope that the information provided herewith through the contributions made by our membership will be of use. The subject of bamboo covers a wide array of topics of which these forums provide the ability to focus on the smallest of details. Feel free to address any specific issues or search the forums for relevant topics that interest you. Please bear with us as we have plans to organize and improve the sites presentation for easier access to information.”

info@bamboocraft.net • Contact Form
CAL-EARTH Using a simple sandbag-and-barbed-wire technology, named Superadobe these folks have developed a unique low-cost housing system. This unique company located in Hesperia, California teaches people how to build shelters using sandbags (earthbags) and barbed wire. Visit this incredible website even if you have no interest in the subject.

"Cal-Earth (The California Institute of Earth Art and Architecture) is at the cutting edge of Earth Art and Ceramic Architecture technologies today. Founded and directed by the internationally renowned architect and author Nader Khalili in 1986, it's scope spans technical innovations published by NASA for lunar base construction, to design and development of housing for the world's homeless for the United Nations."

Cal-Earth Inc / Geltaftan Foundation • 10177 Baldy Lane • Hesperia CA 92345 • Phone: (760) 956-7533
Fax: (760) 244-2201 • elements@calearth.org
PORT-A-HUT This business is located in Storm Lake, Ohio. Originally used for housing livestock, but can be adapted for human use. Well, that's my personal opinion, not the manufacturer's opinion. So you the reader of this will have to decide for yourself if this is a good idea or not. I would imagine that the walls would collect a lot of water from human perspiration. So, you would probably be wise to cut out and frame-in windows of some sort to provide a source of fresh air. If you do not ventilate this properly you could suffocate and die.

"Port-A-Hut, Inc. has been manufacturing portable shelters since 1964. The owners raised hogs in a pasture setup for over 40 years. All equipment was tested on the farm before manufacturing. As the word spread about the portability and ease of assembly, so did the uses. Nowadays the small huts and the larger shelters are used for all types of livestock and many other uses like lawn and garden shelters or garages. Port-A-Hut shelters are used for swine, calves, goats, sheep, horses, ostrich, emu, llamas, dogs, even some zoo animals. Port-A-Huts are used in all sizes of farming operations."

Port-A-Hut Inc • PO Box 369 • Storm Lake IA 50588 • Phone: (712) 732-2546 • Fax: (712) 732-6263
Toll Free: (800) 882-4884 • info@port-a-hut.com
FIRETAK This is the shelter section of their website.

“FIRETAK Manufacturing is a wholly owned Canadian company. Since 1990 FIRETAK Manufacturing has supplied collapsible liquid containers to emergency response teams, fire departments, forestry, industrial and military officials worldwide.”

“Firetak Quick Erect Shelters are specifically designed for quick setup and deployment. These buildings are very cost effective, durable and lightweight. Set-up takes only 20 - 30 minutes with no tools or air supply required. Frame is made of 14 gauge galvanized steel tubing with slip fit ends. Cover is made of high quality waterproof fire resistant materials, which are ultra violet and mildew resistant.”

Firetak Manufacturing Ltd • 1497 Dublin Avenue • Winnipeg Canada R3E 3G8
Toll Free: (800) 475-5734 • Phone: (204) 975-0334 • info@firetak.com
INFLATABLE WORLD Very clever use of air.

“Inflatable World™ is committed to designing innovative, inexpensive, and easy to manufacture products. The materials we use are over 90% recyclable, safe, smaller, faster. Also, because our product line is an assemblage of already manufactured products, our company operations are clean and economical. Imagine, our main active ingredient is air: What could possibly be greener than air? The Life Cube™ is a uniquely innovative, rapidly deployed, disaster shelter which dramatically increases the critical first 72 hour survival rate for victims in a disaster. The cube is easily transported as it can be fork lifted, trucked (the average bed holds four cubes), skided, wheeled, dragged, and air-dropped. Inside the self-contained cube, survivors shall find: Enough food and water to support six people for at least a week, a class-four first aid kit, a heating and cooking stove, four inflatable beds complete with sleeping bags, an ice box, a 12V cordless tool kit, interior lighting, and CB/AM/FM radio.”

Inflatable World LLC • info@theinflatableworld.com
TECHNITOP ROOFTOP TENT This is a really neat tent and quite unique too! This tent is designed to be used on top of a vehicle. The link i have here goes to a distributor in South Africa. Technitop tents were originally made and sold from Technitop in New Zealand but they sold the Technitop division to the African Outback company.

"This tent is state of the art technology in rooftop accommodation. Technitop tents provide a comfortable nights sleep to the weary traveler. Careful choice of materials and excellent design ensure a tent that's cool in the heat of the day and well insulated and warm on a cold night. The tent folds and packs away easily into a dustproof, waterproof and durable polyethylene case. Technitop tents are available with Shower/Change cubicles which attach to the overhanging tent base, as well as easy to erect Shade Awnings which attach to the tent or vehicle roofrack."

Adolf Waidelich • Phone: +27 11 392 1777 • Fax: +27 86 556 3577 • Cell: +27 82 651 2713
info@africanoutback.co.za
TREE TENTS I do not know if this is something you can actually use or whether it is a method being developed by the inventor or what. But it is an option i suppose for camping off the ground. This site is the personal website of Dr. Wapenaar and he develops some very nice tent designs.

CANVAS-ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN and SCULPTURE

"Studio Drew Wapenaar works at the interface of architecture, design and sculpture. Sculpture is the base. Working with sculptures, presented in a three-dimensional context, is dealing with people turning around the work and being confronted with it. In working with tents and pavilions this movement is enlarged towards people turning and twisting around each other as well. It can be seen as a result of the quest to find out how groups of people and individuals relate. Tents, with the universal language they speak, are an excellent means to understand at least something of the chemistry between people."

Studio Drew Wapenaar • Vaandrigstraat 10 • 3034 PX Rotterdam Netherlands
info@drewapenaar.com
FIBERGLASS STORM SHELTER I have a similar business listed on the irregular shaped page. They are probably related someway.

“The Fiberglass Storm Shelter is structurally strong and self supporting. For this reason you do not need support poles inside your Storm Shelter. This makes for more usable area for sleeping and storage. But unlike other Storm Shelters, you can use your Fiberglass Storm Shelter just about anywhere. Have you ever seen a Storm Shelter on a sandy beach? Well, now you could. Your Storm Shelter could be set up and used anywhere. It can even be buried to create an Emergency Underground Tornado Shelter. Fiberglass can be drilled, threaded, bonded to or have cut outs to mount external equipment, such as an air conditioner. You might even add straight wall sections to achieve an oblong shaped Storm Shelter. With all of the design flexibility, you may create an unlimited number of different housing configurations, even buried underground. Create the ultimate hunting, fishing, or camping retreat. Imagine having a camp site all ready set up and waiting your arrival. No tents to mess with.”

Fiberglass Storm Shelters • 4300 US Route 42 • Mason, Ohio 45040 • Toll Free: 1-800-563-5628
Phone: (513) 398-1447 • Fax (513) 398-5141 • Email: ✉ StormShelters@fiberglassstormshelters.com
KIFARU They sell high quality shelters to include backpack tipis made from synthetic fabric. Their tipis are made for regular outdoor use not for mountain man rendezvous type or Indian type tipis. Check out also their poncho liner they make and sell. I like sleeping under a military poncho liner - very comfortable.

“Kifaru Tipis are the largest and lightest four season shelters we know of, and accommodate up to 16 people, and a mountain of gear. You have full stand-up headroom, space enough to sprawl in comfort and plenty of camaraderie! These Tipis are ideal base camps for any big adventure! Ultralight Kifaru Tipi Fabric: This stellar fabric provides classic function and utility at about one pound per person. It has proven to be extremely lightweight and puncture proof, with a high thread count, and is coated on both sides for UV resistance and has proven to be extremely waterproof. Perfect for those who need square footage, but minimal weight. Without a doubt, the largest, lightest shelters available! A Conical Design: The conical shape has no big flat sides to catch wind (or snow), so it swirls around it, and not against it. These Tipis have held up great (when all other tents have been flattened) under gale force winds and have been in places like the Antarctic and Mt. Everest where the winds are legendary. As a result, you have an OVAL footprint and not round. Sizes: The number specified denotes the number of people that it can sleep based on mountaineering standards - you may wish to accommodate fewer folks for actual "living" room.”

Kifaru International • 4894 VanGordon St Ste 305 • Wheat Ridge CO 80033 USA
Toll Free: (800) 222-6139 • Phone: (303) 278-9155
AUTOHOME This picture on the right is if the Maggiolina Roof Top Tent. There are a number of different brands available nowadays. This has really been developed into quite an industry. I like this idea - you can sleep way up off the ground.

"When considering the purchase of an AutoHome roof top tent, people often ask us what model is the right choice for them. We have to answer, "It depends". Here we offer some guidelines and suggestions for choosing a roof top tent, based on our own experience, and on what our AutoHome users have shared with us. Please note that all AutoHome roof top tents, regardless of model, are supplied complete—ready to use right out of the box, you just add bedding. Any of these tents will serve you well in any climate—from the tropics to the arctic."

AutoHomeUSA • 312 West Fourth St • Carson City NV 89703 • Toll Free: (888) 852-2359 • Fax: (334) 460-6427 • info@AutoHomeUS.com
SUPER TRAMPOLINE TENT If you would like to be way up off the ground- this might be for you. The use of a small portable ladder would be helpful for entry and exit.

"14 ft. Round (Frame size) Trampoline Tent Details: You are looking at a 14' Trampoline Tent ONLY! (Trampoline and other items NOT included). Our sturdy, weather-resistant trampoline tent folds down to one side for easy use. The tent fits over the entire trampoline. Carrying bag included. Easy to set up and take down, designed with four windows, two doors, fiberglass shock corded poles. This product is NOT intended to be used as a bounce house. We will ship you the trampoline tent within 2 days when we receive your payment and you can rest assured that we will treat you as a valued friend and customer. Compatibility: Fits most 14' trampolines. Size: (Diam) 14' round. Material: Weather-Resistant Tent Material. Features: Fits Most 14' round trampolines. Great for summer camp-outs. Sturdy, and Weather-Resistant. Easy Assembly. Four windows, and Two doors!

JUMPUSA.com • 1290 Lawrence Station Rd • Sunnyvale CA 94089 USA • sales@jumpusa.com
Toll Free: (800) 586-7872
EDAR.ORG Check out this latest invention for the homeless on Los Angeles streets. A tent cot on wheels. A clever idea. Cost about $500.00 each unit. In experimental state right now. I would like to buy one of these for my own personal use.

"EDAR (Everyone Deserves A Roof) is a 501(c)(3) charity that provides unique mobile shelters to those living on the streets all around us. Each EDAR is a four-wheeled mobile unit which carries belongings and facilitates recycling during the day and which unfolds into a special, framed tent-like sleeping enclosure with a bed at night. While respecting permanent and temporary housing for the homeless in group settings which use buildings to provide shelter, EDAR addresses the unrepresented hundreds of thousands of homeless people amongst us for whom no beds are available or who are unable or unwilling to participate in those solutions."

EDAR (Everyone Deserves A Roof) Inc • 1015 Gayley Ave Suite 357 • Los Angeles CA 90024
Phone: (310) 208-1000 x109 • Fax: (323) 315-5188 • info@edar.org
RECOVER SHELTER This link connects to the "Yanko Design" newsletter. Here they feature the "Recover Shelter", a shelter which unfolds like an accordion.

"Giant Accordion Relief. I'd wager if chronic disaster survivors had a choice of where to lodge, they'd choose what's actually called the Recover Shelter. With several components that make it eco-friendly, cheap to produce, easy to transport, reconfigurable, and adaptable to multiple environments, Matthew Malone's design has great potential for emergency situations and beyond... Designed for disaster relief, the Recover Shelter can house a family of four for a month. It can be set up by one person in minutes, collapsed into either of two configurations for transportation (horse-shoe shape or flat), and is made of 100% Coroplast (food grade polypropylene) so there is no harmful out gassing or leaching of chemicals to the environment or the user. The polypropylene makes the Recover Shelter 100% recyclable, the ridges can collect drinking water, and the structure can be covered in local materials for better insulation. A wonderful giant accordion house to for those who are disaster ridden, or a super-hip tent for the super-hip green hipster-camper."

Yanko Design, Takashi Yamada • 1322 West Georgia Street • Vancouver S V6E4S2 Canada • Phone: +1.310.594.3318 • info@yankodesign.com
UNIFOLD SHELTERS This business is located in Melbourne, Florida.

"UniFold concertina folded plastic panel structures are self-supporting and an ideal solution to the universal need for fast, easy, fully enclosed, and affordable structures. UniFold is simply the world's fastest and easiest fully enclosed structure. Period. UniFold shelters outperform tents because they:
1. Last longer - will not rot or mildew.
2. Stay drier - will not absorb water.
3. Keep cooler (or warmer when heated) - with double skinned walls, floor and roof.
4. Include a non absorbent floor - for long term hygiene.
5. Resist the most inclement weather - the only unitized folded structure on Earth.
6. Are livable - with load supporting side walls for organizing personal effects."
UniFold Shelters Ltd • 385 East Drive • Melbourne FL 32904 USA • Phone: (905) 528-4448 • Fax (905) 528-4439 • steveo@unifold.net
IADDIC SHELTERS This organization is based in Texas. They show at least two models of their product. One is pictured here.

"IADDIC Shelters offers innovative shelter solutions for disaster relief and urban renewal application. Did you know that 1.4 billion people in the world this year will go to sleep each night without adequate shelter? Whether due to a natural disaster (such as earthquake, hurricanes, typhoon or tsunami) or economic tragedy or over-population (the kind that produces a slum village, shanty town, favela or other kind of slum), hundreds of millions of people throughout the world do not have adequate shelter. If you're like us, you probably thought when you first heard that statistic "somebody should do something". We're that somebody (or at least one of them). At IADDIC Shelters, our goal is to build shelters for the "houseless" people of the world. But we don't build just any kind of shelter. We build instant shelter units that are better than mere temporary housing. Depending on the configuration options, these portable emergency shelter units ARE NOT just temporary buildings, they're housing. We believe our innovative technology and low cost will allow us to build our shelter structures for 500 million of these "houseless" people. The clock is ticking... and we're already at work solving the problem along with the birth control clinics of the world."
IADDIC Shelters • 3316 Langley Ct • Flower Mound TX 75022 • Toll Free: (877) 442-3342 • Phone: (972) 442-4100
info@iaddicshelters.com
THE POD This is really neat. I think the website is down or something is wrong. They may be out of business, i don't know. However!!! I am very happy to have found the pictures of these creations that i thought had long gone missing. From what i can gather these are a product of an "Icosa Village Inc." They are actually called "Icosa Village Pods". They were designed to provide temporary housing for homeless people around the world. I think they ~~are~~ were made out of cardboard and plastic. Possibly all that is left of the company that built them is these pictures. The link i have here goes to inhabitat.com the website that has stored these pictures for posterity. Thank You.

inhabitat.com
CAMPA USA My impression is that this is a good quality item - very good roof top system.

Welcome to Campa USA!
We are proud to introduce you to a new approach to outdoor adventure and survival. Campa All Terrain Stainless Steel Trailers and Expedition Vehicle Systems enable you to enjoy remote areas in comfort and style for:
- Off road camping trips.
- Disaster recovery, response and relief.
- Hunting and fishing excursions in remote areas.
- 4x4 adventures.
- Military operations.
- Temporary housing and shelter.
- Highly mobile self-contained systems... that set up in less than 15 minutes!
Campa USA • 115 Columbus Street • Elyria OH 44035 USA • Phone: (440) 823-8532 • Mobile: (440) 823-8532 • Fax: (440) 322-1157 • info@campausa.com
REFUGIA Since that Katrina event i think maybe a number of businesses have sprung up selling their quick assembly housing units in the event of another disaster which might displace a bunch of people. I like these ideas and it would be nice if a person could buy one unit for their own personal use.

"The Exos are base housing units that make up the foundation of the Reaction housing system. They provide private living and sleeping quarters for a family of four within a climate-controlled environment. An Exo is durable enough to be stored on a long-term basis and flat packs for efficient storage and transportation. Electrical power is delivered via a special connector line that powers each unit's lighting and four wall outlets. The Exo's design allows for numerous configurations to meet any need or deployment condition."

Frog Design inc • 101 West 6th Street • Austin TX 78701 USA • Phone: (512) 477-3764
business@frogdesign.com
THE RUSTIC WAY These little cabins they build are classified as what? Caricatures? I don't know if they are livable, but they sure do add character to a garden type situation. They build this style shown in the picture at the right in Saunas, Garden sheds, Play Houses, Guest Houses, & Warming Houses.

“16 Years of Custom Building. Our eco-friendly way of building helps to keep our environment strong and flourishing. Let your true green shine through with our Reclaimed products. Our custom buildings have multiple uses. They range in size, from 6ft to 12ft deep depending on how you wanna use them. Feel free to call or e-mail for a free quote! All of our products are made with recycled wood. Located In Central Minnesota "The Rustic Way" offers a custom service to create your eco-friendly personal dream in cabinetry, furniture, picture framing, buildings and an assortment of specialty items. All of The Rustic Way's products have the warmth, character and luster created by using wood that has experienced decades of aging; before it was carefully preserved from buildings that date back generations.”
The Rustic Way • 21681 Co Rd 15 • Elk River MN, 55330 • Phone: (763) 263-1400 • Dan@rusticway.com
GLOBAL VILLAGE SHELTERS Creating communities and individual homes for people in need.

"The Global Village Shelter is an alternative to current solutions for disaster relief housing. The present disaster relief field relies heavily on tent and tarp structures; these structures offer little protection from outdoor elements and no sense of personal space. The GVS is a rigid structure that can be assembled in the field by two people in approximately 15 to 20 minutes. The instructions are simple graphics with limited text. The user simply unpacks the base and the roof modules and assembles the GVS on site. The design is a simple structure that would give the affected person/family stability (durability) and safety during a disaster or refugee situation. To accomplish durability, the shelter has a concentric 'ring' structure; the units have withstood winds up to 80 mph. The shelter is built out of a very strong 13mm Polypropylene profile sheet (thick UV resistant white plastic, often used in outdoor applications). The material is biologically inert, does not off gas, and can be reground (recycled) throughout the world. All edges are reinforced with polypropylene extrusions to prevent wear in this high traffic area, also adding strength to the door area and other stress points. All shelter components are prefabricated and installed prior to shipping and packing. Material samples are can be requested by emailing mferrara@ferraradesign.com. There are no comparable shelters actively on the market. The cost and ease of set up are both significant benefits for GVS as disaster relief housing. GVS allows any person to set up their own housing without much guidance or strength- no tools are required. GVS also offers several comfort factors: A removable acrylic window with a screen, dual locking door system, and optional fire safe stove pipe aperture in the wall. There are several options that can also be added to the GVS, such as various flooring solutions (including, but not limited to tarps, plywood/foam, elevated flooring). The cross ventilation creates a temperature equilibrium with the outdoor temps in warm climates - it will not get warmer than the outside temperature. The shelter will last 18 months or more. It is possible to extend this time period by using the walls as a footprint on which to build either with brick, mud, hay-bale materials, wood, corrugated tin, et al and providing a more substantial floor (not a tarp); basic maintenance like this can greatly extend its life. We recommend putting shelter units on raised platforms, creating a stable (you can screw the unit onto the platform) and level floor." Click here for some more info from inhabitat.com.

Global Village Shelters LLC • 221 Looking Glass Hill Road • Morris CT 06763 USA • Phone: (860) 567-4118 • ferrara@ferraradesign.com
SANDBAG TUBES Here's another great Instructables video showing you how to build this simple tube apparatus used to fill sand bags quickly and efficiently. Might be something useful for those of you wanting to build using the sandbag method.

“Filling Sandbags the Easy way, with Sandbag Tubes . . . Sandbags are still the best way to put up a quick dike in times of need. They are useful for many things, but the main focus of this is for those fighting floods. It's easy to get a lot of sand delivered quickly, sandbags themselves are cheap, and with a little labor, anyone can protect their home. Filling the sandbags is the bulk of the work; holding the bags while someone shovels is time consuming, back breaking and tedious. There are many inventions that can help with the process, but most of the ones that work well are expensive. The Sandbag Tubes are a cheap, simple to make, tool that will reduce the amount of effort required to fill bags and speed up the process. Anyone can use them and they can be used over and over. Because they are so cheap and easy, many sets can be made and used simultaneously. Advantages include: - No one stuck bent over holding bags - All participants can shovel - Does not require lifting the shovel any higher than necessary - All bags filled correctly and consistently (no heavy/light bags). - Faster than many machines.”
HEXAYURT PROJECT This is the home of the Hexayurt Project. In my opinion it is one of the coolest and most ingenious projects pertaining to very simple small building methods.

"The Hexayurt is a new kind of sheltering solution. To make the simplest hexayurt, make a wall by putting six sheets of plywood on their sides in a hexagon. Cut six more sheets in half diagonally, and screw them together into a shallow cone. Lift the roof on to the wall with a large group of people, then fasten it down with more screws. Seal and paint it for durability. Your basic hexayurt is complete. This shelter will last for years in most climates and costs less than $100. This basic design can be improved with proper windows, doors, room partitions, stove fittings and other architectural features. More durable materials could give it a very long life. Here are the key points. Hexayurts can be built in plywood/OSB for less than $100 for a 166 square foot (15 sq meter) building. See the Plywood hexayurt how-to video. Hexayurts can be made in a variety of sizes using simple tools from industry standard 4'x8' (1.2x2.4m) sheets with zero waste and can be made successfully from many different materials, like plywood, OSB, Coroplast, composites, hexacomb cardboard or other honeycombs and polyiso insulation boards. Hexayurts are public domain with no copyright or patent, meaning anybody can build as many as they like for free. Depending on your choice of materials, a Hexayurt can last for years or even decades. In some long stay applications this could cut the cost of providing shelter to 10% of the cost of using standard relief tents. The hexayurt enables regional shelter self sufficiency, where in a crisis, pre-trained local builders or military personnel can work with first responders to rapidly create shelter from materials in the local supply chain, typically plywood or OSB."

hexayurt@gmail.com
SHELLHOUSE Featuring Collapsible Cardboard Shelters. I think this website is based in Japan. At first when i saw this website i didn't think it would last very long due to a possible lack of public interest. But amazingly it has stood the test of time and they feature workshops around the world and the website itself has expanded - kind of interesting.

“Using Radio Devices for Homeless Persons. Having an address is how we exist on society, how we become citizens, where we can be located, where we receive our mail, where our family and friends can contact us. A house is where we validate this existence in the physical space. A shelter that gives us protection, our intimate space. Inhabitable collapsible structure made of cardboard becomes a shelter able to provide an address to a defined group of unsheltered homeless persons, by means of radio devices, proposing a way to integrate them to society. How to make visible this layer of the population by using technology? By using existing social networks is possible to DIY for someone else. Each shelter contains a radio and a battery, which transmits radio frequencies to a central circuit that translates them into visual signs that can be seen on a screen or any other interface such as a cell phone, google maps, etc. The system could be implemented on supermarkets to get food, or hospitals to get medical attention.”

diy@shellhouse.org
KAMP-RITE TENT COT I am including this item on this website because it is very efficient housing especially if you happen to be a homeless person. I purchased one of these a long time ago and here is my experience with it. The first time i used it was in Lucerne Valley California and on a cold night. I closed the flaps for a good nights sleep. But the reality was that it soon became a rain forest inside and also the sleeping surface was very uncomfortable. It was a terrible experience and i did not sleep well. Here is how to make it work. First, you have to have plenty of ventilation on cooler nights or days or moisture from your body will condense heavily on the ceiling and walls of the inside and will start to drip on you or if you even touch the sides or ceiling water will rain down on you. You have to keep the flaps up on cool or cold nights. You absolutely need to use an air mattress or foam pad or foam mattress to provide a decent surface to sleep on. In warmer weather the condensation problem is not as bad but you need lower humidity to help dissipate the moisture from your body. In place of the rain fly they sell you i would try a plastic tarp instead. You need to control the ventilation and draping a loose fitting e.g. 10 ft x 8 ft or bigger brown or green plastic tarp over the entire tent cot and then open all flaps might be a good thing to try. I love the idea of the tent cot but the ventilation problem is big in my opinion and if it is not solved you will be miserable. Solving the bedding problem is a simple matter but the inside of the tent cot collects condensation like a sponge if you do not ventilate properly. Update: This is a very progressive company and they like to improve and change their products to suit the consumer market. Very good company.

“Along the way, we added several new products to the Kamp-Rite Tent Cot Family, including "The Oversize", "The Double" and the "Kid's Fun Cot". And, as we continue to fine-tune each product on the valued recommendations of consumers & retailers alike, we also strive to expand the uniqueness of our product line, doing our best to deliver a new experience in camping comfort to the world over! Kamp-Rite Tent Cots can now be found on every continent, being used in every conceivable way. And though sometimes copied, the Kamp-Rite Tent Cot has never been bettered! So remember, if it doesn't say "The Original", it probably isn't!”

Kamp-Rite, Jeff Visger CEO • 8400 Belvedere Avenue Suite A • Sacramento CA 95826 USA • Phone: (916) 383-9460 • jeff@kamprite.com
ELECTRICAL FIRES & THEIR CAUSES This book has been entrusted to me by the author to sell on the internet. This is a paperback book which contains 99 pages, but has a lot of accurate information concerning the source of electrical fires. The book is written in layman's language and is easily understood by most everyone. This subject matter is appropriate for most any man made structure which includes conventional wood homes, shipping container homes, sheds and other out-buildings with conventional electrical systems (electrical wire & circuit breaker panels) installed within their framing members.

“This is a book written by Rudy A. Medina former fire chief of Imperial county of California for use by those working in the fire investigation field, attorneys, fire service, firefighters, electricians, electrical contractors, insurance adjusters, criminal fire investigators, & fire prevention personnel. It is an informative book for the professional who needs to know fire causes and the behavior of electrical energy. This book currently sells for $19.95 plus S&H of $3.99 on Amazon.com. Click on the picture on the right or above starting link to buy from the Amazon.com site.”
Gary Green • messtime@yahoo.com
HOMELESS CHATEAU 2008 I like the idea. Kind of a simple neat box which serves to keep you off the floor and gives you a little privacy.

“Homeless Château 2008 model, is a prefab one person living module, measuring approximately 4 x 8 x 4 feet and made from FSC certified and recycled materials. It is designed to be used inside another building, such as a warehouse, and is fully self-contained, including a bed and cooking and toilet facilities. There are hooks for clothing and towels, and a built-in shelf unit, made from a pallet, for storage of food, books and other items. A rubber flap over the entrance provides privacy, and one end of the structure is made from translucent polyurethane to let in natural light. Homeless Château is fabricated from standard 4 x 8 and 4 x 4-foot sheets of plywood, OSB and construction signs, and can be knocked down, transported flat, and erected quickly and easily with just a screwdriver. Once assembled, the structure can be moved around the host space on its casters and then set in place with a temporary foundation—two bricks under the front. Homeless Châteaux can be easily reconfigured and combined to make dual-occupancy and eight-foot-tall structures.”

James Westwater • Beacon New York • james@jameswestwater.com
CABELAS Cabelas Deluxe Tent Cot. Not the same as Kamp-Rite Tent Cot. Different style, features and price.

"The convenience of a cot and tent in one easy-to-set-up package. Available in a single-person or a double version ideal for couples. The tent body is 70-denier, 190T nylon taffeta with a 600-denier polyester floor supported by a heavy-duty, powder-coated steel frame. Both models include a full-coverage fly made of 75-denier, 190T polyester taffeta with a 1,500mm waterproof-rated coating, meaning you stay dry regardless of conditions. A patent-pending rain-gutter system on the fly channels water off and away from zippers, and seams are fully taped for maximum protection. Zippered door on the fly converts to an awning using included poles and guy ropes. The double model has two doors that create two awnings. There's one end door, one side door and two windows on the single model, and the double has one end door, two side doors and one window. Windows and dual-track doors have No-See-Um mesh. The heavy-duty zippers have reflective pulls. A crack-resistant roof window lets you fall asleep under the stars. Inside, you'll find the convenience of cup holders, and there is an organizer panel to keep essential items close at hand. Both models fold up and include a zippered storage bag."

Cabelas • 115 Cabela Drive • Sidney NE 69160 • Phone: (308) 254-7889 • Toll Free: (800) 237-4444
THE CABIN-COT This is a new find - something similar to the tent-cot principle but different in that you provide your own cot to use with this unique system. This company is based in Hawaii, USA.

"Ventura Camp Systems' Cabin Cots go anywhere, and keep rain, bugs, and lumpy ground from disturbing your night's sleep! Tired of leaky tents and uncomfortable sleeping terrain and bugs? Go and camp where no man has camped before. For outdoor enthusiasts worldwide comes the most advanced camping system for fold-out cots yet - Cabin Cots! High on the slopes of Mount Haleakala on the island of Maui, the Cabin Cot Tent was born. The inventor, Scott Ventura, was involved in a motor vehicle accident about seven years ago, which left him with 2 disc problems in his neck and back. His injuries kept him from doing what he loved most, camping. He had always used tents in the past because a cot could not provide him the shelter that tents provide. At this point, his injuries prohibited him from sleeping on the ground, even on an air mattress or foam padding in a tent. This is when the Cabin Cot Tent idea came about. His vision was to provide the ultimate warmth and comfort for people while camping in the great outdoors. He then began to design and build what became the first of many Cabin Cot Tent designs to come. The ultimate goal was to provide any user — young or old, big or small, rich or poor — the most comfortable night's rest imaginable outdoors. The initial goal of his company, Ventura Camp Systems, was to provide outdoor enthusiasts with advantages that have never been available when camping. The first is the ability to camp in and on just about any terrain (i.e. jagged rocky terrain, mud, snow, 6 to 10 inches of standing water, etc.). The second advantage is that by providing a 100% bug proof environment off the ground, campers are kept protected from the insect and bug population. When the Cabin Cot is closed properly it will keep out mosquitoes, centipedes, scorpions, spiders, roaches and ants as well as snakes, mice and rats."

Ventura Camp Systems LLC • 5805 Lower Kula Road • Kula HI 96790 USA • Ph/Fax: (808) 876-1915 Toll Free: (800) 730-2358 • info@venturacampsystems.com
CAMP-UP I bet this tent platform helps to make you a lot more comfortable while tent camping. It provides a sturdy portable floor or deck under your tent keeping you elevated off the ground and probably drier and cleaner. Also available is a hitch basket for easy transport of the framework.

"Now, you can camp in comfort and enjoy sleeping outdoors without the problems and discomfort of pointed rocks - hard wood surfaces - gravel or dirt surfaces - cold or wet surfaces and more. Now, your entire tent floor can be cushioned, keeping you from worrying about slipping off the under sleeping bag foam or air mattress. Camp-Up is bringing to you the benefits of new age materials that can keep your entire tent floor warm, Raise your tent above rough, cold or wet surfaces. Camp-Up, offers a comfortable camping option for an individual or a campground owner and a temporary living solution for disaster victims."

Camp-Up LLC • N 8723 Hanson Dr • Holmen WI 54636 • (608) 526-9753
AUTOHOME This company sells different lines of rooftop sleeping units or tents.

"AutoHomeUSA. is the exclusive United States distributor for AutoHome products, which are manufactured by the Zifer company of Montavo, Italy, and sold through distributors worldwide. Our company was founded with the importation and distribution of these products as its primary business. The principals have been using and selling these tents in North America for more than six years, and have assisted many hundreds of outdoor professionals and enthusiasts to enjoy the benefits of AutoHome roof top tents. We also have relationships with manufacturers whose products meet the quality standards and needs of our customers. We sell these products as accessories and adjuncts to our roof top tent business. AutoHomeUSA is located in Carson City, Nevada, and has distribution centers in Sparks, Nevada, and Newark, New Jersey."

AutoHomeUSA • 312 West Fourth St. • Carson City, NV 89703 • Phone: 888-852-2359
BUILDING WITH PALLETS There are not a lot of websites dealing with this method of building sheds or small outbuildings. It might be a low cost way of providing some kind of shelter out in some rural or wilderness area. this webpage is very good in my opinion - lots of great construction pictures.

“Last fall I had the need for a new shed to store my garden tractor in. Since I had a large number of used wooden pallets on hand I decided to put them to a good use. The following pictures show the end results. The project was started in Early December 2002. As soon as the shed was started the snow began to fall. I think I waited too long to get at it. That slowed the construction down a bit. A total of twenty five pallets, which might have been from a factory with a new robotic palletizer and steel pallets. That is twenty five pallets that didn't go to the local landfill. The total cost was $75.00.”

johnmacdonald@summerville-novascotia.com
THE FUTURO HOME This flying saucer shaped structure was actually a portable home designed by a man named "Matti Suuronen" from the country of Finland. It appears to me that there is kind of a "Cult Following" of the Futuro home. There are at least several websites devoted to this spacecraft looking home. Picture on the right is of the actual prototype of the Futuro Home now kept in the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen located in Rotterdam / Netherlands (Holland).

“The Finnish architect Matti Suuronen designed and built a series of ovaloid, flying-saucer-like houses out of fiberglass in the late 1960s. He called them "Futuro". Suuronen's houses were comfortably large, but light enough to be carried to remote sites by helicopter. The Futuro is approximately 11 feet high and 26 feet wide. A hatch door in its lower half opened down to reveal steps, like the door of a small airplane, and led into a room outfitted with six plastic bed-chair combinations and a central fireplace slab, as well as a kitchenette, a bathroom and one small bedroom. Many say the demise of the Futuro was due to the high prices oil reached in the early 1970s', which sent the price of plastic skyrocketing, along with changing fashions. I personally think it was the lack of closet space which really turned off most women . . . And of course the men could not convince them that this was a wise purchase. There are about 96 Futuros out there somewhere and hopefully they can all be accounted for one way or another. If anyone has any information on the Futuro I would love to hear from you!!”
Contact • len@futurohouse.com
WOODLAND HOME I suspect most visitors to this website have already seen this very popular structure built in the English (UK) countryside somewhere. It has been featured on many blogs, the Huffington Post, and other websites. I include it here for everyone's future reference, not as new material. This home is truly an 'Irregular Shelter'. It is my understanding that the owners went through a lot of trouble to get this home legal or maybe i should say accepted by the authorities. But, i guess they are home free and can now live in it full time due to much public support.

“You are looking at pictures of a house I built for our family in Wales. It was built by myself and my father in law with help from passers by and visiting friends. 4 months after starting we were moved in and cozy. I estimate 1000-1500 man hours and £3000 put in to this point. Not really so much in house buying terms (roughly £60/Square Meter excluding labor). The house was built with maximum regard for the environment and by reciprocation gives us a unique opportunity to live close to nature. Being your own (have a go) architect is a lot of fun and allows you to create and enjoy something which is part of yourself and the land rather than, at worst, a mass produced box designed for maximum profit and convenience of the construction industry. Building from natural materials does away with producers profits and the cocktail of carcinogenic poisons that fill most modern buildings . . .”
Simon & Jasmine: Phone: +447773372280
DASPARKHOTEL OK. This is a very unique hotel situated in Germany. They have successfully used precast large concrete drain pipe as sleeping rooms for rent. Check out their very interesting policy as described below. Click on picture for inside view.

“Just like Elias Canetti said it in his book — "The Voices of Marrakesh". To keep your wits about you in a strange city, it is necessary to have a place to be alone, to hide from the new and strange voices when they get to be to much; dasparkhotel would like to offer a temporary comfortable uncomplicated home for a certain time.”

“dasparkhotel is conceived and implemented primarily as a hospitality tool. It is constructed from repurposed, incredibly robust drain pipes. The external simplicity surrounds an unexpectedly comfortable interior - full headroom, double bed, storage, light, power, woolly blanket and light cotton sleeping bag. All other hostelry devices (Toilets, showers, minibar, café, etc.) are supplied by the surrounding public space. From May through October: The simultaneously functional and comfortable concrete sleep-pipes offer the chance to experience a place in a totally new way. Personal door code: Upon booking you will receive a code to allow entry to your personal suite. For the period of your stay dasparkhotel remains your all hours access safety zone - the charger for your personal energy reserves. The chance to safely store your luggage and recharge portable electronic devices allows complete freedom of movement. Infrastructure: Because we obtain sanitation, breakfast and other hotel facilities from existing public infrastructure, it is possible for us to work with the very simple, user-friendly “pay as you wish” system. A night in dasparkhotel costs just as much as you can afford or want to pay. Costs: We see "pay as you wish" as a system where customers leave a Euro amount that they can afford and with which they wish to support our project. Reservations: Reservations can be made at dasparkhotel.net/reservation at any time.
© 2006 dasparkhotel | Konzept Andreas Strauss”

dasparkhotel • Donaulande 21 • A-4100 Ottenheim • Germany • Phone: +43 650 8415850