Future Primitive: 3007 Tent

A 1000 year tent is a structure that can respond to unexpected change - is the most enduring solution the least permanent one?

The Future Primitive Tent is a service and a system, at least as much as a product. It is a structure that can be shared and used at all times – its efficiency increases through multiple layers of use. Its “emergency” status removes perceptions of ownership, allowing it to be used as a resource rather than as a possession.

Whilst most emergency shelters are houses, an entire village can use this tent. Often in times of crisis, families are separated and the entire community acts as a family unit. The tent offers some semi-permanence and can be used as a hospital, a shelter, and for resource allocation and information dissemination. It can be used for water collection, and leaves almost no impact on the earth once it is moved on or finished with. The use of the tent evolves as the community recovers. When the community is ready the structure can be moved on.

Future Scenario: Temporary SARS Clinic, China 2015.

Future Scenario: Environmental Emergency, Australia 2350.

Future Scenario: Emergency Hospital, Pakistan 2050.

CargoLifter CL160 Super Heavy-Lift Cargo Airship, Germany: Heavy loads can be carried directly from the factory to their intended operations location, without the airship touching the ground and almost independently of local infrastructure. Described as a “flying crane”, the CL160 could be used in transporting humanitarian and emergency aid – one CL 160 could transport food for 25,750 people for 14 days in a relief programme.

The Future Primitive Tent.

Small-scale: Side entrances to the tent.

Large-scale: Doorways at each end of the tent.

The hybrid structure is simple to assemble: the frame breaks down to a small number of snap-together transportable lengths and a pump fills the large sections with air.

The proposed fabric structure is pneumatic, supported by post-tensioned fibreglass ribs and 4 steel truss arches anchored with deep-drilled screw-pile foundations.

The assembled Three Chord Truss.

Assembly of the Three Chord Truss.

1. Once an acceptable site has been identified, placement of the screw pile footings is marked out. Footings are driven in by a torque generator... a motor which also functions to inflate the tent. Ideally, the generator could be powered electrically and recharged by a large solar array laminated to the tent fabric.
2. Trusses are assembled laying flat on the ground.

3. The tent panels are slid through the track which runs along the edges of the truss frame.

4. Once the fabric is attached and the trusses are lying in position on the ground, the tent can be inflated. The centre panel between the two main arches is inflated first. This automatically lifts the arches upright into position. After this the left and right panels are inflated.

5. The inflation process pushes the outside trusses outwards and upwards. Once fully inflated, all 4 trusses can be fastened into position to the screw piles.

6. The steel end-ropes are attached and tightened into position using turnbuckles. These guy ropes assist in preventing end-to-end wind loads, especially when either end of the tent is opened, causing a parachute effect.

7. A perimeter trench is finally dug around the tent. This trench serves multiple purposes of water collection, and providing a secure seal and anchor at the bottom edge, countering lift due to wind loads. A flat-packing extruded lattice structure creates a platform for supporting a walkway, whilst allowing water to collect in the trench. The bottom skirt of the tent is a flexible membrane which serves as the gutter lining. (Front/Rear Elevation)

Floor Plan showing entrances, internal structure and assembly details.