{"id":9261,"key":"Hexayurt_project","title":"Hexayurt project","latest":{"id":1224200,"timestamp":"2026-01-09T00:18:12Z"},"content_model":"wikitext","license":{"url":"https://www.appropedia.org/Appropedia:Copyrights","title":"CC-BY-SA-4.0"},"source":"[[File:Hexayurt sa.jpg|thumb]]\n\n{{Hexayurt navigation}}\n\n{{Project data\n| authors = User:Vinay Gupta\n| cost = USD 500\n| links = http://hexayurt.com/\n}}\n\nThe [http://hexayurt.com/ Hexayurt] is a refugee shelter system based on work done at the Rocky Mountain Institute. It uses an approach based on \"autonomous building\" to provide not just a shelter, but a comprehensive family support unit which includes drinking water purification, composting toilets, fuel-efficient stoves and solar electric lighting. Other systems can be added in a modular fashion. Here is a one page summary (pdf). Vinay Gupta invented the basic shape for classic hexayurts and a number of variations, and placed it in the Public Domain. This allows others to develop the original idea further. This wiki page, and associated pages, are the repository for hexayurt do-it-yourself building data, and primarily reference building techniques\n\n== Is this for real? ==\n\n* Yes. Both the American Red Cross and the US Department of Defense have examined the Hexayurt system in detail and found that it has considerable merit and utility. I hope that we will see it in use by international agencies within two years.\n* The best place to get started is to read the slides from the presentation Vinay Gupta gave at the Pentagon in December 2006: [[Media:Hexayurt pentagon presentation.pdf|Pentagon Presentation (pdf)]] - 20 pages, not much text, and the best summary of the system we currently have online.\n* See the Hexayurt in the [[Hexayurt project/Press|Press]]\n* The Hexayurt Project won the [https://web.archive.org/web/20110927121136/http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/08/participate_win.php Participate! Treehugger > Current.TV > Burning Man prize] for eco-nifty Burning Man stuff. Never let it be said that weirdos can't get things done!\n\n=== Can I have one? ===\n\nYes, the hexayurt is designed to be accessible to anyone. You can make your own, many people do for camping events. The do-it-yourself knowledge repository is at [[hexayurt playa]] because of the hexayurt's overwhelming popularity at the Burning Man Arts Festival.\n\n== Before Starting ==\n\nRead this [[Hexayurt project/Safety information|Safety information]].\n\n=== Projected Costs ===\n\n* Shelter: $200 - $500+ per single family unit depending on size, climate and use duration\n* Infrastructure Package: around $100 per unit\n\n== Units ==\n\nHere are a variety of designs so you can pick the best for your needs. See the [[Hexayurt project/Master List of Designs|Master List here]] for more stats. See the [[Hexayurt project/Design Principles|Design Principles]] page to see how different designs came to be and to learn more about the design family of Geoyurts.\n\n{| class=\"wikitable sortable\"\n! Name\n! Sheets\n! People\n! Sqft\n! Volume (cuft)\n! Waste\n! Walls (in)\n! Center (in)\n|-\n| [[Hexayurt project/Pup Hexayurt|Pup Hexayurt]]\n| 1\n| 0.5\n| 10.40\n| 2.67\n| No\n| 24\n| 36\n|-\n| [[Hexayurt project/Hexayurt H2|Hexayurt H2]]\n| 2\n| 1\n| 32.00\n| 5.33\n| No\n| slope\n| 41\n|-\n| [[Hexayurt project/Hexayurt H4|Hexayurt H4]]\n| 4\n| 1\n| 41.50\n| 8.67\n| No\n| 24\n| 48\n|-\n| [[Hexayurt project/De La Wolfie|De La Wolfie]]\n| 8\n| 2\n| 90.00\n| 20.67\n| Yes\n| 77\n| 77.7\n|-\n| [[Hexayurt project/5.5 Yurt|5.5 Yurt]]\n| 13\n| 2\n| 138.00\n| 32.00\n| Yes\n| 48\n| 127\n|-\n| [[Hexayurt project/Hexayurt H13|Hexayurt H13]]\n| 13\n| 4\n| 166.28\n| 34.67\n| No\n| 48\n| 96\n|-\n| [[Hexayurt project/Hexayurt H17 plus|Hexayurt H17 plus]]\n| 17\n| 4\n| 166.28\n| 45.33\n| No\n| 96\n| 144\n|-\n| [[Hexayurt project/Hexayurt H8|Hexayurt H8]]\n| 8\n| 2\n| 64.00\n| 21.33\n| No\n| 48\n| 131.14\n|-\n| [[Hexayurt project/Semifolding Pentayurt|Semifolding Pentayurt]]\n| 10\n| 3\n| 110.11\n| 26.67\n| No\n| 48\n| 118.34\n|-\n| [[Hexayurt project/Hexayurt playa checklist|Hexayurt Classic H12]]\n| 12\n| 4\n| 166.28\n| 32.00\n| No\n| 48\n| 96\n|-\n| [[OctoYurt]]\n| 12\n| 4\n| 174.85\n| 868\n| No\n| slope\n| 89.34\n|-\n| [[Hexayurt project/Octayurt|Octayurt]]\n| 6\n| 2\n| 77.25\n| 16.00\n| No\n| 24\n| 124.54\n|-\n| [[Hexayurt project/10' Hexayurt|10' Hexayurt]]\n| 15\n| 4\n| 166.28\n| 40.00\n| No\n| 72\n| 120\n|}\n\nThere are three shelter sizes, of which the middle size is shown. See the [[Hexayurt project/Gallery|Gallery]] for photos.\n\n* Stretch Around $100 per unit, 6' high, 72 sq ft\n* 8 foot Around $200 per unit, 8' high, 166 sq ft.\n* 12 foot Around $300 per unit, 12' high, 166 sq ft. Resembles a space age cabin, full standing height throughout.\n* [[Hexayurt project/Frame|Hexayurt Frame]], made from metal conduit\n\n=== Materials ===\n\nSee [[Hexayurt project/Construction resources|Construction resources]] or [[Hexayurt project/Materials|Materials]] for more detailed breakdown of materials.\n\n* Permanent use: Thermax HD (Dow)\n* Temporary use: laminated hexacomb cardboard (Pregis)\n* On site fabrication: Tuff R (Dow, widely used)\n* Tape: [[Hexayurt project/Bi-directional filament tape|Bi-directional filament tape]]\n* Insulation analysis: [[Hexayurt project/Thermal analysis|Thermal analysis]]\n\n[[Hexayurt project/Hexayurt plywood|Hexayurt plywood]] shows research on more permanent material choices.\n\n=== Assembly ===\n\nUnits take a team of three people around an hour to assemble. They are assembled using a 6\" wide, 600+lb bidirectional filament tape, and anchored to the ground like tents. No heavy lifting, ladders or scaffolding are required. Follow this link [[Hexayurt project/Assembly|Assembly]] for more detailed information. [[Hexayurt project/Camp danger Hexayurt hinge technique|Camp danger Hexayurt hinge technique]] has a wealth of information for the joints. [[Hexayurt project/Schematics|Schematics]] shows some pictures of different designs.\n\n=== Manufacture ===\n\nAny wood shop or packaging factory can be taught to manufacture units in an afternoon. In emergencies, basic units can be manufactured on site with hand tools in half an hour each (only six cuts are required for each unit.) [[Hexayurt project/Rapid deployment|Rapid deployment]] covers how you could quickly make units on site as well as some shipping information and details.\n\n== Infrastructure Package ==\n\nRead more about the [[Hexayurt project/Spectrum of infrastructure|Spectrum of infrastructure]] to familiarize yourself with the various layers of infrastructure. On this [[Hexayurt project/Infrastructure|Infrastructure]] page you can find details of hexayurt specific developments.\n\n* 1 Wood Gasification Stove (burns wood for cooking, 3x more efficient than clay stoves)\n* 2 Cold Cathode / LED Flashlights (energy efficient area lighting)\n* 1 Composting Toilet (model depends on location and we are still researching options)\n* 1 Water Purifier (type depends on location)\n* Rechargeable AA batteries (for stove, lights, radios etc), for use in solar charging stations.\n\n== Modifications ==\n\nOnce you've made a Hexayurt, here are additions to make.\n\nDoor: [[Hexayurt project/BFD mod|BFD mod]]\n\nCooling: [[Hexayurt project/SleepBreeze personal cooler|SleepBreeze personal cooler]]\n\nHexayurts are very popular at Burning Man, the [[Hexayurt project/Hexayurt playa|Hexayurt playa]] and [[Hexayurt project/Hexayurt playa checklist|Hexayurt playa checklist]] pages contain all the information the burners have gathered over the years testing hexayurts.\n\n== Future research ==\n\nHexayurts in the [[Hexayurt project/Military|Military]]\n\nHexayurts for [[Hexayurt project/Mass evacuation|Mass evacuation]]. An organized page summarizing the use of hexayurts in disaster situations. It covers both situations, whether people need to be housed on location or hosted at a new location.\n\n[[Hexayurt project/Permanent Hexayurt construction|Permanent Hexayurt construction]] resources\n\n15 Main questions that need answering in the [[Hexayurt project/Research agenda|Research agenda]]\n\n[[Hexayurt project/Blue sky idea mill|Blue sky idea mill]] and [[Hexayurt project/To do|To do List]]\n\nAdding [[Hexayurt project/Basic education|Basic Education]] to the Hexayurt panels\n\n[[Hexayurt project/Plywood TUE Research Outline|Plywood TUE Research Outline]]\n\n[[Hexayurt project/Informatics strategy|Informatics strategy]] is how to make the yurts store, convey, and gather more data to learn more about the deployments and how they are used.\n\n[[Hexayurt project/Builders' discussion page|Builders' discussion page]] to share ideas\n\n[[Hexayurt project/Funding|Funding]] proposal to move the Hexayurt project forwards\n\n== Global Impact ==\n\nMore than a billion people do not really have good housing. It's not that they do not want a good place to live but they often simply cannot find one they can afford. They do not have access to modern building materials, and local materials are often really unsuited for building. Europeans used to thatch their roofs and now we mostly use tiles and shingles because we prefer the results. We are probably not alone in this preference.\n\nEverybody needs to be warm, dry and well-fed. If you go to Burning Man and the Hexayurt is a good shelter for you, consider helping us develop and test the Hexayurt until it is polished and ready to be made available globally. It's a free / open source project, and with your help perhaps it can become the Linux of housing.\n\nVinay Gupta\n\n== Availability ==\n\nAll intellectual property associated with this project is public domain. [[Hexayurt project/Contact|Contact Us]] if you want to get more involved in the project, or to find [[Hexayurt project/Events|Events]] near you.\n\nThe ball is a satellite dish from http://www.gatr.com\n\n[[File:Hexayurt Project wordle.png|600px|constructed from Appropedia articles with the \"Hexayurt\" term removed.]]\n\n== Subpages ==\n\nThis is a list of the pages that are part of the project. Some editing and maintenance is needed. Contact [[User:Apepitone]] for more information.\n\n{{Search results\n| incategory:\"Hexayurt project\"\n| limit = 50\n}}\n\n{{Page data\n| license = CC-BY-SA-3.0\n| keywords = Shelter, Housing, Emergency management, Emergency shelter, Appropriate technology, The Open Toolbox\n| sdg = SDG10 Reduced inequalities, SDG11 Sustainable cities and communities\n| description = The Hexayurt shelter is described through its shape, low cost, and humanitarian uses, with Appropedia showing how communities can build it quickly.\n}}\n\n[[Category:Shelter]]\n[[Category:Housing]]\n[[Category:Emergency management]]\n[[Category:Emergency shelter]]\n[[Category:Appropriate technology]]\n[[Category:The Open Toolbox]]\n[[Category:Publications]]"}