This is what the new version looks like the only difference is that we are using 3/4″ osb for the ribs instead of ply. The cost ranges from $500 to $600 dollars in materials depending on what the price of sheet goods is doing and they are 10′x18′.

Here are pictures of the ones we shipped to Haiti being crated and shipped. I will be going to Haiti on June 21st to help set them up.

Two Shelter 20s packaged for shipping

Loading them on the Trailer

Ready to take to the dock for shiping

Sam Kigar worked with a friend Chris to get 5 tents to some doctors in Haiti and you can read more about the design below the picture and read his blog post at the Colorado Yurt Company’s blog.

They decided on a simple design: six vertical poles, guy-ropes, and overall dimensions of roughly 7ft x 7ft x 7ft. All the poles would be of the same length– 3.5 ft– the verticals at the front and back would each be two 3.5′ poles, fitted together. The exterior was to be a light weight synthetic material that could be rolled up to expose screen walls. The whole thing would fit into a duffel bag.

By close of business on Monday, we had worked out the design and the first tent was done.

There is also still a great need for shelter. In the New York Times, Niurka Piñeiro, a spokeswoman for the International Organization for Migration, said, “Tents, tents, tents. That’s the word we want to get out. We need tents.” Colorado Yurt Company has the capability to make a modest number of tents. We are currently setting up a partnership with a relief organization that can put our tents to immediate use. Stand by for information on how you can help.

Peter Sing of Sing Tiny House contacted me with a suggestion of getting the Tiny House Community to generate ideas and designs for housing for those who have lost their homes in the horrible earthquake in Haiti.

We should brainstorm ideas for basic emergency shelter and also more permanent shelter when Haiti starts to rebuild.

I have been trying to think of the best way to do this and think that by using the comments section of this post we can start generating ideas. If you have a design you would like to share email it to me at tinyhouseblog at gmail dot com (be sure and put the email address in the correct format) and I will then put together a post to show your potential designs. I will work on who to contact to submit our ideas too. Any suggestions are welcome. Let’s pitch together and see what we can do to help!

Below are a couple of pictures of some of the standard housing in Haiti.

I’m addressing your call for ideas to help out the Haiti Earthquake victims.  Following Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the biggest short term challenge will be getting people clean water or ways to purify water through solar or other means.  Then comes waste treatment.  Solve these problems first and you’ve got the disease factor at least limited.   Food gathering and storage naturally would follow after that.

The next biggest challenge is to get housing for a lot of people quickly.  There little time for framing or lengthy custom interior work and there may not be a lot of material available.  One approach would be to use 20′ cargo containers with pre-canned interiors.  Then set up an assembly line, most likely near a port, employ and feed people and start building these units and distribute them as needed.  Set up multiple assembly lines.  Use the same toilets, sinks, tables, etc so that you only design once and build many.    There’s not too much room for variety here and these could be modified at a later date, but the idea is to get housing quickly.

Alternatively, tent structures like yurts and geodesic domes could go a long way but the availability of these custom units could be problematic.

Being no stranger to natural disasters (Ref:  http://www.mercurynewsphoto.com/2008/05/fireaudioss/ , http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/05/23/summit.wildfire/index.html ), I felt compelled to answer your call for ideas using my own experience in the recovery (aka discovery) process that is still going on physically, mentally, and spiritually.

I gave the container assembly line some more thought on my drive into mid shift this morning.  For this to effectively work, the system needs electricity to run the plasma cutters grinders, saws, and other tools.  I doubt that electricity would be available from the local utility as it most likely suffered severe damage. Generators will only go as far as the available gas.

It’s certainly a challenge.

Ian McClelland

Also from Colorado Yurt Company

We are looking into the feasibility and logistics of getting yurts, tipis or tents to Haiti right now for temp and more permanent shelter. Would appreciate any feedback anyone has – especially if you’ve been involved in disaster relief or are familiar with the country. Thanks!
Jennie – Colorado Yurt Company