SHELLHOUSE - [living Portable]

Collapsible cardboard shelters for homeless persons, using radio devices.
This is a work in progress that will provide of a house and an address to unsheltered homeless persons.
The more number of shelters we get, the more possible is to create an open network able to provide them of an address in the future.
By using recyclable material, and customizing what they already use, the idea is to build a collapsible construction with a radio device embeded it, that will transmit radio frequencies to a receiver, triggering audio samples of the person's name, age and place of origin.
In a not long future, is possible to have more alternatives of interfaces, so also interactions and a possible integration of this community.

For now been tested at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Manhattan, NY.

DiY for someone else.
Learn more in SHELLHOUSE.

total cost: $35

Step 1: Make the Cardboard Plate

Grabb cardboard from the streets or what you have at home. Complete a plate of 7,4 x 5,5f. If you put different sizes boxes, be sure to put the stripes along the same direction.
Complete the size however you can, putting them together with strong tape.

Step 2: Measures of the Fold

Mark where you will fold.
Each fold has to be of 5,5 width.
Mark lines of this lenght accross the plate, following the stripes of the cardboard.
Try to use the folds that come with the box, remember to follow the stripes of the cardboard, after marking, folding will be in that direction always (accordion).

Step 3: Measure of the Center (cups)

Divide the cardboard plate in 2 halfs, by making a line in the middle, opposite to the lines you marked.
Then, from that line, mark 6" to each side. You will have three lines: center and 1 line in each side of it.
Use a sharp pen or pencil to mark the cardboard, this will make easier its folding.
Once this, mark crosses accross the middle line with the pen. The intersection point of the crosses will be done in the point where the crease goes up, the diagonals will go from line to line.

Step 4: Fold As an Accordion

Fold the lines you marked. As an accordion, one crease up, one crease down and so forth.

Step 5: Cut Crosses in the Middle

Open the cardboard plate: you have the accordion shape and a fold in the middle, now is time to make half cuts in the crosses accross the middle line. Use a blade and a metallic ruler.

Step 6: Folding the Crosses

Folding the crosses to make concavities or cups will be as follows: try to get someone to help you to keep one side tight keeping the shape of the accordion, while the other keeps on folding the other half.
Remember to make the accordion shape and while you go through it, the crosses will become cups, folded to the interior of the shape.

Step 7: Re-fold the Whole Shape/stripes

You can put weights on top to keep the accordion shape, while you cut stripes of 5,5f by 5,5". This stripes will help the structure to remain stand-up. Take the shape and glue the stripes in each extreme.
The stripe will go from one side to the other. Use strong tape to glue them.

Step 8: Embed Radio Device

Please go http://www.shellhouse.org/radio.html to get the step by step of how to set up the radio module.
Thanks!

Step 9: Give the Shelter to Homeless Person

You had built the shelter, the radio device is ready.
You spent $35 in the whole experience, learned how to make something from used materials, got something about electronics...
Now please mail it to:

St. Francis of Assisi Church
135 West 31st Street
New York, NY 10001

Where the circuit you made, will be programmed and set to talk to hand held receiver