Our final model came about through an extrnsive design process in which we had to decide which features were most important in a modular shelter. We ended going with a design that maximized the space that could be used inside the structure while taking advantage of the shelves and beds we used to help bolster the shelter. The beds and shelves can be pushed outside the shelter to be used as storage for outdoor projects. Our goal throughout the process was to be able to assemble the entire structure sans tools or outside fasteners. Being able to stick to this idea in the end was one of the hardest challenges we faced in design. The 2nd was the roof design. We learned a lot about how important the roof can be in a building design in terms of weatherproofing. Our final roof design was adept at repelling weather and still being able to be assembled without tools.

We wanted this structure to be habitable for at least a 3­6 month period if not longer which means that some sort of long term amenities would be needed. There is enough space inside to store food, clothing, etc. and still plenty of space to slide out shelves and have plants on the outer shelves or whatever else you may want. There is a huge amount of customization and personalization available with the system that really makes it comfortable to live in throughout a multitude of different warmer environments. The marine grade plywood construction allows it to be durable though multiple storms.

Our best design feature is the simplicity of the assembly process. Anyone with a CNC router can have this semi­permanent shelter in a matter of hours with nothing else needed. This ease of building allows for a huge quantity to be built for a relatively cheap price. Since the pieces can be laid flat, shipping is relatively easy as it only entails packaging the plywood out in flat boxes and having them set up wherever a truck can get to. This brings an enormous opportunity for real world use. If this can be implemented in a post disaster area for that limited period of time the disaster can be cleaned up or a better solution can be brought to the area. The Armahen serves as a fantastic way to shelter people for that transitional period of time, at which point they simply pack the wood back into the box and put it back on the truck to be used when another disaster strikes. More can always be cut out if the situation calls for it.

Our project was to create a modecular shleter that could easily be transported and built on site. The issues with a lot of the already created shelters is that they are used only for a short period of time and then are unable to be transported anywhere else. Also these shelters are hard to assemble and take a long time before they are applicable for use. Our group decided to focus our shelter on how it would be transported. We wanted our shelter to be easily transported and also easy to collect and leave site when it was no longer needed. Our idea was based of the accordian walls. We wanted all the pieces to fold easily and be compieled into a small part to be shipped easily. Our prototype is a plywood demo that exemplifies how one would assemble our shelter. It shows where all the bolts would be placed and where the walls go in to apply extra support. Our demo also helps visualize how our House In a Box can be folded into smaller pieces that are easy to transfer. Our protoype also shows that the roof would be larger pieces of plywood though they are build with the same concept as the rest of the house. We used plywood, bolts and nuts, gorrilla tape, a screw driver, a nail gun, and a screw driver. 

Longevity Shelters inc. has developed a modular disaster shelter that can easily be transported, built, and modified. Made out of marine grade plywood, nylon rope, twelve stakes, and water-proof tape, this shelter is the perfect solution to any disaster that leaves people homeless. The final un-modified design consists of four small modules that can have any combination of walls, windows, or doors. These modules have a six foot by six foot base area, and a roof that starts six feet off the ground. The assembly process consists of stringing the desired amount of modules together, then connecting those modules with more of the provided rope. After the rope is on, the water-proof tape should be placed over the rope to keep out any leaks. Each module comes with three stakes, which need to be pushed into the ground next to each of the three square walls. These four small modules can be configured in many ways that keep their structural integrity. Two, three, or four modules can be roped together then taped to maintain a structural integrity that at 1/12 scale can hold a laptop and a full water bottle. A four module kit would cost around $1,000.