Courtesy of Lindsey Darby
Hexayurt Shelter System
Location: Unspecified location
Start date: Mar. 10, 2007
Cost: $250 (estimated)
Size: 166 sq. ft
Building type: Water treatment, utilities, transitional shelter, toilet block, temporary shelter, storage facility, residential (single family), power plant, lighting (indoor), emergency shelter
What you see is a $200 building constructed by three people- two without any training- in two hours. Insulation keeps the Hexayurt cool in the sun and warm at night, and it weighs so little that it can be relocated when refugees return from temporary housing camps to their villages or cities. Its creators claim that for about $100 more, they can add a smokeless, energy-efficient wood stove, a water-sterilization system, electrical lights, and a working, sanitary toilet. The Hexayurt was designed by Vinay Gupta, building on work done at the Rocky Mountain Institute. Gupta estimates that it could cost as little as $100 for 166 sq. ft. (60 cents per square foot) in mass production, or $200 to $500 using off-the-shelf materials. Oh, and it ships flat. No wonder the Defense Dept. and the American Red Cross have expressed interest.
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