The Origami Homeless Shelter

Deep roots rub daring exploration in Xichang. The poorest minority neighbor the national space program. A compelling location for an innovative shelter constructed using local colors, materials and traditions, and intended for enabling thousands of Sichuan earthquake survivors to finally return to life-sustaining farms. Inside, one feels the power of the past; Origami creates a beautifully simple and symmetrical home, whose no-hole shell, with appropriate materials, also ideally insulates and/or blocks influenza.

Watch the exciting YouTube video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzhOwKHhIxM

View the model in GoogleEarth!
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=e49de83cc0e4495081c3f...

More specifically...

Besides for the most important quality of having a seamless skin and therefore being the only ideal insulator, The Origami Homeless Shelter has the following positive qualities:

1. The shelter is also easily transportable; it collapses into two dimensions.

2. The weight of the objects within, e.g. rocks, anchors the shelter; so the shelter does not need a separate foundation. Go Green! The shelter preserves the earth and can be relocated - always just kissing the land.

3. The support beams can be built into the structure - as shown in the picture.

4. Even two people alone can construct the shelter.

5. The shelters are modular; so two can be joined with one serving as the living quarters and the other serving as the sleeping quarters.

6. The curtains can be zippered together and zippered to the floor - completely shielding the inside from rain; and giving complete privacy.

7. The shelter is relatively easy to manufacture because it is built flat. While still a large open sheet the floor, ceiling, door etc. can be placed as it is possible to know where each component will end up. And the use of Origami for construction is critical in reducing the number of building components - as recommended by the Shelter Center. No nails, hammers, or saws etc...

8. As per the Shelter Center's specifications, the shelter could contain a stove; the exhaust would leave through a pipe located at the top of the shell opening - which extends to the ceiling.

The Origami Homeless Shelter will become popular in Xichang, Sichuan for the following reasons:

1. Xichang hosts the modern and the traditional; and is known for being vibrant and alive. People in Xichang welcome innovation, even as hold fast to their traditions. The survivors will enjoy the innovative Origami Homeless Shelter. The shelter is one of several breakthrough contemporary applications of origami. Several magazine articles in National Geographic and Discover report the use of origami for cutting edge fields like: space travel, heart surgery, and genomics.

2. Xichang - and Southern Sichuan, generally - boasts tropical all-year spring weather. Therefore the shelter's no-hole shell would be made from insect net - Vestergaard-Frandsen's PermaNet - and protect the occupants from insects and disease; and also rain and wind when the curtains are zippered closed.

3. Millions of survivors in Sichuan remain homeless a year later according to news reports. Additionally, according to news sources the survivors are unable to get back on their feet because the metal shelters provided by the government are far from the survivor's homes and farms. They can't earn money so far from their work.

4. According to some reports the government-sponsored shelters are composed of unhealthy materials and are the cause of the rise in miscarriages. This is specifically sad because many of these woman lost their one and only child and had received special permission to have more children.

5. The metal shelters allotted by the government are poor insulators. The inside becomes very hot in the sun, like ovens.

6. The shelter was designed to be manufactured in Sichuan, by the local people.

7. The materials and concepts are firmly rooted in China and Sichuan in particular. Origami harks back thousands of years to China from where it And Sichuan is famous for its rich tradition of textile crafting. As in the picture, a whole wall of the Origami Homeless Shelter is composed of such stunning material.

8. The shelter is earth-quake safe; since it is light-weight therefore its collapsing does not pose a threat.

Finally, the catchy business plan!
"You can buy one for yourself only if you sponsor one for a homeless person in Sichuan."

"Replacing soulless rows of metal sheds that in the sun swelter...the Origami Homeless Shelter!"

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