Shelter

Massachusetts company Visible Good has developed a new emergency shelter design that could prove useful during a humanitarian crisis. Dubbed “Rapid Deployment Module” (RDM), the shelter is portable, reusable, and can be assembled in around 25 minutes by just two people, no tools required.  Read More

Sadly, widespread homelessness isn’t going away any time soon, and until society works out a larger solution, ideas are needed to improve the living conditions of people without a home right now. One such idea put forward is a cardboard-constructed pop-up shelter dubbed “Cardborigami,” which is designed to serve as a transitional shelter until a permanent home is found.  Read More

If you enjoy camping out with your motorbike but would prefer that your pride and joy stays safely sheltered from the elements while you sleep, then the Series II Expedition Tent by Redverz Gear may be of interest. It has the capacity to house you, your motorbike, and a friend or two.  Read More

Bees are having a tough time at the moment, and it’s largely down to their relationship with us humans. Not only are they combating pollutants affecting the quality and color of their honey, but studies are also linking pesticide use to what is known as Colony Collapse Disorder. French architecture studio AtelierD has designed a pavilion for both bees and humans alike, that whimsically hopes to redress the delicate balance between the two species.  Read More

UK-based tent manufacturer Tentsile has unveiled an all-new suspended tent, dubbed “Stingray,” which the company bills as an ideal combination of hammock and tent. Employing three tree straps, two poles, and a polyester fly sheet, Stingray allows up to four campers to sleep suspended in the air, thus avoiding ground frost and errant rocks – not to mention all those creepy-crawlies which tend to live on the forest floor.  Read More

Natural disasters cause millions of people to be displaced from their homes each year, so it's not surprising to see young designers putting their efforts towards creating accessible and economical solutions to ease the discomfort for such victims. The Softshelter, AbleNook and Carter Williamson’s Shelter are all great examples of such initiatives, and the Rely foldout sleeping domain is another one to add to the list.  Read More

With its modestly named Shelter, architecture firm Carter Williamson has thrown its hat into the disaster response emergency housing ring. Here, the emphasis appears to be on flexibility, Shelter having been designed for easy transportation and rapid construction in a range of less-than-ideal circumstances. Most interesting is that the prefabricated Shelter is also designed to be built using scrap materials recovered from disaster zones.  Read More

Following the lead of the Earthquake-proof school desk, Wood Luck is an earthquake resistant bed that can withstand up to 65 short tons (59 metric tonnes) of falling debris. Designed by Shinko Industries, the bed has been built to give users some “good luck” protection during an earthquake. And with the ability to withstand 65 tons of tumbling detritus, it may just become a lifesaving piece of furniture during an emergency situation.  Read More

Tent manufacturers have become so obsessed with cutting weight that we have US$1,800 tents that weigh little more than a pair of sneakers. Backpackers that really want to cut weight to near-nill would rarely choose a tent, however. Instead, they’d use a lighter option like a bivouac sack. The Alpine Hammock packages the light weight of a bivouac with the comfort of a hammock tent, creating one light, versatile wilderness accommodation.  Read More