When natural disasters strike, one of the most pressing need is for shelter, since many homes are often lost. Massachusetts-based Visible Good has created an emergency shelter that may prove useful in the event of such calamities.
Named the Rapid Deployment Module, this pop-up structure is designed to be constructed by 2 people within 30 minutes without using any tools. Packed into a 4x7.5x4 foot crate, the RDM will expand to create a 130-square-foot shelter, with fully insulated floors and walls. Once the crisis is over, the RDM can be packed up with the same ease that it was assembled, ready to be transported and re-used.
The RDM also has a vented fabric canopy roof, hard shelled walls that can be used as whiteboards, a floor that sits on four adjustable feet, and locks on both windows and doors.
According to Visible Good, “The RDM can be used as a medical clinic, shop, office or storage facility and of course, a home.” Key to the RDM’s adaptability is its uniform, modular parts. “Because the system is based upon a series of universally sized interlocking parts, multiple configurations are possible by simply substituting parts for one another. In this way, smaller units can be made larger by simply clicking them together” says Visible Good. “Additionally, because sanitary facilities can be a major concern in many environments, Visible Good has designed shelters that incorporate Latrine and Shower facilities; all of
which can be assembled by two persons in about an hour with no tools or hardware.”
Following a successful six month test of their original design, the RDM has received a grant from the US Army to create a shelter that is particularly suited to withstand harsh environments. During the Army’s test, the RDM was subject to winds of fifty mph and a full winter’s worth of snow storms. According to Visible Good’s analysis, with proper ground anchoring the RDM could withstand winds of up to a hundred miles per hour, making it a much sturdier than your average military tent.
Watch a Video of the RDMs Construction:
Images and Video Courtesy of RDM and Fast Company